A Recipe To Warm The Heart: Dad's Slow Cooker Pot Roast

We often think of recipes as traditions handed down through the years or used only on special occasions.

But every once in a while a “new” meal quickly becomes a beloved classic. Bonus if it’s a slow cooker version, like the one I’m sharing toda that fits the bill during this time of year when the weather can still be chilly.

The background: My spouse is a veteran Army Green Beret, who spent 26 years on active duty. Suffice it to say he wasn’t home much, ever. And when he was, he was really busy. I, with our son and daughter, had my routine for meals and everything else in life without him.

That all changed when he retired from the military. Suddenly he was home 24-7 and had time to do things. A total surprise to me, he dove into cooking and became the primary meal preparer in our house.

And man am I glad he did. I’ve never eaten so good in my life.

While I typed away in the home office and the kids navigated middle school and high school, he researched recipes and came up with ways to fine-tune them to our (often picky) tastes and busy schedules.

This is one of the first he mastered, based on a recipe from Kristin Maxwell at Yellow Bliss Road. She calls it Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

In our house, it’s known as “Dad’s Pot Roast.” And it's a must-have when our now college-age kids are home.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Pot Roast

2-3 pound chuck roast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion cut into large pieces

2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (Dad only uses a few pieces, because we eat this meal with - gasp! - instant mashed potatoes)

1 pound carrots peeled and cut, or baby carrots

2 cups beef broth or stock

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

How To Make Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Rinse the roast and pat it dry. Make a rub with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and rosemary and coat all sides of the meat.

Heat olive oil in large pan over medium heat. Brown roast about 3-4 minutes on each side.

Put carrots, onion, garlic and potatoes into the slow cooker. Pour in one cup of broth.

Place roast on top of vegetables.

Use a second cup of broth to deglaze the browning pan, then add to the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

For the sauce/gravy … 30 minutes before serving, remove 1 cup liquid (or more if desired) from the slow cooker.

Place in the freezer so fat will solidify on the top.

A few minutes before serving, remove fat from the liquid.

Whisk together water and cornstarch and whisk into the liquid.

Warm on the stove or in the microwave until thickened.

Serve meat and vegetables with the gravy/sauce on the side.

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Weather.com senior writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.