Walk-Away Pot Roast with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This slow-cooker staple is one of our go-tos for several reasons. First, it requires zero babysitting, so it's perfect for even our busiest day on the ranch. Second, it's two dishes in one: the braised roast comes out meltingly tender, and the sweet potatoes, which hold their shape nicely as they cook, are perfectly mashable, already seasoned, and ready to serve. Third, because it relies mostly on pantry staples and comes together quickly, it's a great way to introduce kids to cooking family meals. And the soda is a cool trick: it tenderizes the meat and sweetens it ever so slightly, without adding any actual cola flavor. You can also make this a day or two ahead and reheat - or even use a multicooker (see note at bottom!).
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups beef bone broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (12-ounce) can regular soda
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick coins
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 (4-pound) boneless beef cross rib roast or chuck roast (any strings left intact)
• 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into 2-inch chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
In a slow cooker, whisk together the broth, tomato sauce, cola, ginger, salt, onion powder, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaf. Season the roast all over with salt and pepper and place it in the liquid. Nestle the potatoes around the roast (it’s OK if they’re not all submerged) and cook on low heat for 10 hours. (If you’d really like to work ahead, you can cook the roast, let it cool to room temperature, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Before serving, remove the layer of fat that has formed on top, return to the slow cooker on high heat for 1 hour, then proceed as directed).
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and remove any strings. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a serving bowl, use a fork to mash them, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cover with a plate to keep warm. Use a large shallow spoon or a turkey baster to skim as much fat as desired off the top of the liquid in the slow cooker. Slice the meat into 1-inch-thick slabs or cut it into 6 large hunks, transfer to a large shallow serving bowl, and drizzle with about 1 cup of the cooking juices. Serve immediately.
NOTE
To make this in a multicooker, cut the roast in half lengthwise before you put it into the pot, and make sure all the ingredients are well below the cooker’s “max” line. You may not be able to fit all the sweet potatoes, so just cut 2 of them to start. Cook for 40 minutes on the “meat/stew” setting, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes. Proceed as directed.
For more recipes like this one, check out my Five Marys Family Style Cookbook!