This balsamic slow cooker pot roast is an easy, healthy make-ahead main dish recipe that takes 5 minutes to prepare (no browning required). This crock pot roast is my go-to dish for holiday entertaining.
Generously grease the bowl of your slow cooker. Set aside
Make The Rub
In a small bowl, mix together garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make the Sauce
In a medium bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard and beef broth. Set aside.
Assemble
Put the roast in the container of your slow cooker and coat it in the olive oil either with your hands or a silicone pastry bruch.
Evenly sprinkle the roast with the rub, pressing it into the meat so it sticks.
Pour the sauce over roast and turn your slow cooker onto low.
Cook
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, occasionally spooning more sauce over the roast, until it is very easily shredded with a fork.
Shred and continue cooking on low for another 1 hour.
Make Gravy & Serve
Just before you are ready to serve, remove the meat from the sauce and strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl (do not pour it down the drain)!
Transfer sauce to a saucepan and whisk in 1 Tablespoon cornstarch.
Cook on medium heat until sauce becomes thick.
Pour ¼ of the thickened sauce over the meat and save the rest for people to spoon on when you serve!
Enjoy.
Video
Notes
To Cook OvernightPrepare the roast according to the recipe instructions. Begin cooking on low in the slow cooker when you go to bed at night. In the morning, when the roast is fork-tender, shred it and transfer the meat to a 9x9" baking dish or a casserole dish with a lid.Add a little bit of the reserved liquid, and store the meat, covered, in the fridge until it's almost time to eat. Then when you're ready to eat simply warm the meat, covered, in the oven at about 325 degrees until it's warmed through!Keep the sauce covered in a small saucepan until you are close to ready to eat. Follow the recipe instructions to make/thicken the sauce, then use according to the recipe. Store/freezeStore any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to two months. Ingredient Substitutions
Olive Oil. Any neutral oil can be used in place of olive oil - suggestions include avocado oil and canola oil.
Honey. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey.
Honey Mustard. Sub your favorite mustard variety if desired: Dijon, regular yellow, spicy brown, etc.
Beef Broth. You can use chicken or vegetable broth but I highly recommend beef broth as it yields the best flavor! I keep this beef base on hand to make broth for this recipe.
Balsamic Vinegar is an ingredient I splurge on. A high-quality balsamic vinegar should be thick and naturally sweet. If your vinegar pours like water instead of syrup and tastes sour then you do not have a quality product and your recipe will not turn out as delicious.