When all four of our children still lived with us, I used a large crockpot to make ahead hearty meals and soups for the six of us. They’ve all lived on their own a while now, so finally I bought a small 4 quart crock pot so I can make ahead much smaller hearty meals for my husband and myself. I discovered that even the 4 quart one still makes enough for 2.5 filling meals.
Ingredients list:
- 2 cans beef broth
- 1 small bag mini yellow potatoes
- 1 small bag large mini carrots (thumb sized ones, not skinny ones)
- 1 yellow onion
- 8-10 peeled garlic cloves
- fresh, living rosemary sprig
- fresh, living thyme sprig
- salt, pepper
- 1/4 cup butter
- One real thick (1-2″) steak, a quality cut, but not too pricey. About as wide as the pan I’ll fry it in, and the crockpot.
- Corn Starch
Directions:
- Cover the bottom of the crock pot with mini potatoes
- Cover the potatoes with the carrots
- Melt butter in a cast iron fry pan
- Place thick steak on melted butter, liberally sprinkle the top of the steak with salt and pepper. Rub it in a bit.
- Quickly wash hands, then use tongs to flip steak. Liberally sprinkle the top of the steak with salt and pepper. Let it sit this way while the bottom side sears.
- When the bottom looks seared and crispy, use the tongs to flip it. Let it sit while the other side sears.
- While the steak sears, peel the garlic (or buy pre-peeled), peel and slice the onion.
- When both sides of the very thick steak look crispy and seared, carefully place it on top of the carrots and potatoes.
- Put the onion slices in the hot butter and stir them around. After they have softened, add the 8 garlic pieces to the mix. Stir until they soften too.
- While they soften, place the herb sprigs on top of the steak in the crock pot.
- Measure 3 table spoons cornstarch, whisk it in with the canned beef broth, then pour this mixture into the pan, stirring it in with the vegies. Add some Worcestershire sauce if you want, or red wine if you want, or both, or neither.
- Stir it all together, then pour it over the steak and herbs in the crock pot.
- Put the lid on the pot, and set the dial to high. Let it cook for 6-8 hours.
The pot roast will taste delicious and the meat will be flaking into the gravy sauce. The two of us ate all the meat and half the vegies on the first sitting. When we had the leftovers, we fried up another steak to share while reheating the vegies in a pot on the stove. The last person who had the remaining serving ate mostly vegies with little meaty bits in the gravy.