Slow Cooker Red Wine Pot Roast With Vegetables and Horseradish Polenta
Slow cooker red wine pot roast with vegetables, served over creamy horseradish polenta, is a great recipe for snowy winter nights. It’s easy enough for busy weeknights, but is also perfect for entertaining. Monday night pot roast dinner party, anyone?
Mouthwatering Red Wine Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker
Lately, Monday nights have become slow cooker night at our house. Shawn and I go to a late class at the gym and by the time we get home:
1) I’m starving and
2) the last thing I feel like doing is spending a ton of time in the kitchen.
Before we had the idea of pulling the slow cooker out we would stop and grabbed something to eat on the way home, which kind of defeated the point of going to the gym in the first place. Now, we look forward to a nutritious, home cooked meal, like this classic pot roast with vegetables, waiting for us when we get home.
Chili and soup are on frequent rotation, but when we’re in more of a “meat and potatoes” kind of mood, this slow cooker red wine beef roast does the job.
It also makes an amazing Sunday dinner and is great for entertaining – your guests will never know how easy it actually was!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Beef Chuck Roast. For this slow cooker roast beef recipe, start with a three pound chuck roast. A little bit bigger or smaller is ok, just look for a boneless beef chuck roast around that size. Chuck is a great cut to use in slow cooker recipes because it has a rich, beefy flavor and cooking for a long time in liquid makes it super tender.
Red wine. Whatever your favorite red wine is should work well. I usually use a Pinot Noir or Burgundy. It gives the pot roast gravy such a delicious, rich flavor!
Vegetable stock. I like the complexity of vegetable stock, but you can also use beef broth.
Carrots. Regular sliced carrots or baby carrots work well!
Frozen pearl onions. You could also use two sliced onions, but I love the flavor and texture of pearl onions (plus they’re Shawn’s favorite, so I get bonus points for making them.)
How to make it
Pat the roast dry with paper towels – a dry surface helps the meat brown beautifully – before seasoning it liberally with salt and pepper.
Sear it in a hot pan until a golden brown crust forms. Don’t worry about actually cooking the roast at this point, you just want some of that delicious browning to help develop the flavor.
Once the roast is beautifully browned, transfer it to the slow cooker along with the red wine, vegetable stock, and vegetables.
Let it cook all day long until the vegetables are super tender and the meat starts to fall apart.
My favorite way to serve this fork tender, pot roast recipe is over creamy horseradish polenta.
It’s a nice change from something more expected, like mashed potatoes, and is super easy to make. I also love how the sharp flavor of the horseradish contrasts with the rich beef.
When you’re just about ready to eat, bring a big pot of water to boil for your polenta. I take advantage of the time it takes to boil that water and use it to shred the beef. Sometimes I’ll also cook a few green beans or another vegetable.
Once the water is boiling, add instant polenta and salt. It cooks fast!
Cook, stirring frequently, until it solidifies into a porridge and starts to pull away from the sides of your pot. Remove it from the heat and stir in butter and prepared horseradish. I use enough to get a hint of horseradish flavor without being too overpowering or spicy; you can add more if you prefer a stronger flavor.
Spoon the polenta onto your plates and top with the shredded beef and extra pot roast gravy. Serve the vegetables on the side.
If you love slow cooked beef, you’ll also want to check out this slow cooker birria recipe. It’s so good in tacos!
Common Questions
What are the best cuts of meat to use for a pot roast?
Tougher cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue is ideal for making pot roast. The long, low cooking process breaks everything down and results in a tender and flavorful roast.
Some of the most common cuts of meat used for pot roast include chuck roast, round roast, and brisket. These cuts are usually from the shoulder, rump, or chest of the animal, and they tend to be less expensive than other cuts, which is a great bonus! When selecting a cut of meat for pot roast, look for one that is well-marbled and has a good amount of fat, as this will help keep the meat moist and tender during cooking.
Can you add other herbs or spices to enhance the flavor?
Sure! I kept things pretty simple in this recipe, but garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, bay leaves, and paprika all make nice additions. It’s important to keep in mind that some herbs and spices can be overpowering, so it’s best to start with small amounts and adjust the seasoning to taste.
What are some good side dishes to serve with pot roast and horseradish polenta?
This pot roast recipe with vegetables is a complete meal as written and really doesn’t need anything else! However, if you want to add more, these are all nice side dish options:
Roasted or steamed broccoli, green beans, or asparagus
Roasted or mashed potatoes
Cauliflower gratin
Mixed greens salad with a basic vinaigrette
Braised red cabbage
Garlic bread or dinner rolls
Braised or sautéed mushrooms
How do you store and reheat leftover pot roast?
First, let it cool completely. Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days. You can reheat your leftovers in the oven, in a pan on the stove, or in the microwave.
The polenta will become very firm in the fridge. To loosen it back up, add a splash of milk or water and reheat over low heat, stirring frequently, until is soft and creamy.
Slow Cooker Red Wine Roast Beef with Horseradish Polenta
Ingredients
- 3 pound chuck roast trimmed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 6 carrots sliced
- 1 ½ cups frozen pearl onions
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
For the polenta
- 1 ½ cups instant polenta
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels, then generously season it with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan set over high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the roast to the pan. Sear for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until deeply browned.
- Transfer the roast to a slow cooker. Add the garlic cloves, carrots, onions, wine, and stock. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat is falling-apart tender.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board. Shred the meat, then drizzle it with some of the pan juices. Sprinkle with parsley and season with salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables from the slow cooker to a serving dish.
Prepare the polenta immediately before serving:
- Bring 6 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Add the polenta and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until the polenta begins to pull away from the edges of the pot. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and horseradish.
This was absolutely amazing! I did add a bit of cheese to the polenta because I can’t resist but otherwise follow to a T and you will not be disappointed!
I’m a big fan of comfort food, and this looks amazingly delicious!