Slow Cooker Beer-Braised Pot Roast #SundayFunday

Welcome to #SundayFunday! Wendy from A Day In The Life on The Farm invited fellow bloggers to kick back, relax, and share something tasty and fun each weekend. "Sunday should be a Family Funday. Please join us in sharing recipes that will help you to enjoy your Sunday." If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join - we'd love to have you!

This month I am hosting, and I provided the prompt: August 8th is International Beer Day! Share your favorite recipes cooking or baking with beer - or if you don't like beer, cook or bake with your preferred alcohol! Beer Brats and Beer Bread anyone?

I haven't made a pot roast in way too long - and every time I do, I wonder why I don't make them more often. The whole house smells AMAZING and there's something about super tender, flavor infused veggies that I can just keep on eating. The ooey gooey super soft melt in your mouth onions are definitely my favorite.

This dish doesn't take heavily of alcohol at all - if you use a darker more stout beer you will probably get that flavor, but a lighter beer or cider just adds a little extra "something" and makes everything a little extra tender and delicious. If you happen to have a random collection of leftover beers / ciders in your pantry like I often do, this recipe is a great way to put one of them to use! (And then drink one with dinner, alongside your meal)! 

See what everyone is bringing to the table today!

• Autumnal Spinach Salad with Beer Vinaigrette by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Braised Pork with Dunkel Bier Gravy by Palatable Pastime
• Dum Chicken Rum Biryani by Sneha's Recipe
• Irish Beef Guinness Stew by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Slow Cooker Beer-Braised Pot Roast by Making Miracles
• Spicy Beer Shrimp Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Whole Wheat Beer Pretzel Nuggets by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Slow Cooker Beer-Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients

3 pounds beef roast such as chuck

2 tsp salt, divided use (more / less to taste)

1 tsp ground black pepper, divided use (more / less to taste)

2 TBS olive oil

2 large onions, in wedges

1 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

4 cups baby carrots

1 14-oz can beef broth

1 bottle 12-oz beer (stout preferred, but I used a pale beer, you can use cider as well)

3 TBS cornstarch + 2-3 TBS water

Directions

1. Season both sides of the roast with half of the salt, pepper, and thyme. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and sear the roast on all sides (about 2 minutes per side) until it is well browned.
2. Meanwhile, place the carrots in the slow cooker.
3. Settle the browned roast atop the carrots and nestle the onions all around the roast.
4. Pour the broth and beer over the top and add the remaining salt, pepper, thyme, the minced garlic, and the bay leaves. 
5. Cook on high for 4 hours and check. If roast is not quite falling apart, cook on high 1 more hour. 
6. Once roast is fall apart tender, in a small bowl whisk the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch is blended in. Scoop out about 1/4 cup of the hot cooking liquid and quickly whisk it into the cornstarch mixture to temper it. Then pour the whole thing back into the slow cooker, whisking briskly to blend the mixture into the hot liquid to prevent lumps. 
7. Cover and allow it to return to a simmer and thicken (stir occasionally if needed).
8. When sauce is thickened to your liking, serve with the sauce poured over - alongside baked or mashed potatoes, or rice if you'd like.

Recipe adapted from All That's Jas