Cracker Barrel Mushroom Pot Roast Recipe

Cracker Barrel Mushroom Pot Roast Recipe is a British-inspired beef dinner that pairs tender chuck roast with earthy cremini mushrooms and a rich beef broth gravy. This hearty meal uses slow cooking to turn tough meat into a fork-tender roast seasoned with black pepper and savory browning sauce.

If you do nothing else, sear the meat until it’s dark brown on every side. That’s the difference between a pot roast that tastes like boiled beef and one that has a deep, savoury crust. The first time I made this, I rushed the browning and the gravy looked pale and thin. Now I give it at least five minutes per side to get that proper colour.

The cremini mushrooms are doing more work than you’d think here. Without them, you lose the woody depth that balances the salty beef broth. I’ve tried a few versions of beef roast and this one is the one I keep going back to because the separate mushroom sauté prevents them from turning into mush.

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Cracker Barrel Mushroom Pot Roast Recipe Ingredients

For the Roast

• 1.8kg (4lb) beef chuck roast
• 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 150g (1 cup) chopped onion
• 500ml (18fl oz) beef broth
• 30ml (2 tbsp) browning sauce

For the Mushrooms

• 30g (1oz) butter
• 450g (1lb) cremini mushrooms, cleaned and halved
• ½ tsp salt

How To Make Cracker Barrel Mushroom Pot Roast Recipe

1. Season and sear: Pat the beef dry with kitchen roll and season all sides with the salt and black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over a medium-high hob. Sear the meat until a dark brown crust forms on every surface, which should take about 15 to 20 minutes total.
2. Build the braising liquid: Toss the chopped onion into the pot around the beef and cook for 3 minutes until they start to soften. Pour in the beef broth and the browning sauce. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the dark bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
3. Cook it low and slow: Cover the pot tightly with a lid and put it in the oven at 160°C (320°F/Gas Mark 3). Bake for about 3 to 4 hours until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork. You can check it after 3 hours to see if it’s tender enough to shred.
4. Sauté the mushrooms: Melt the butter in a separate frying pan over a medium heat about 15 minutes before the beef is finished. Add the halved cremini mushrooms and the extra salt. Cook them until they are soft and brown, then set them aside.
5. Combine and rest: Lift the roast out of the oven and stir the sautéed mushrooms along with their butter directly into the pot. Let the meat sit in the liquid for at least 15 minutes. Slice against the grain or shred the beef into large chunks before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Brown the meat deeply. Do not stop when the beef is grey; it needs a dark, coffee-coloured crust to provide flavour to the gravy.
• Sauté mushrooms separately. Cooking them in a pan rather than boiling them in the pot keeps their texture firm and prevents a slimy result.
• Use a heavy pot. A cast-iron Dutch oven distributes heat more evenly than thin stainless steel, which prevents the onions from burning during the long braise.
• Deglaze thoroughly. Ensure every bit of sediment is scraped from the bottom of the pot after adding the broth to capture the concentrated beef flavour.
• Rest the roast. Leaving the meat in the juices for 15 minutes allows the fibres to relax so the beef stays moist when you slice it.

What To Serve With Mushroom Pot Roast

Serve this roast alongside creamy mashed potatoes or buttery boiled new potatoes to soak up the dark gravy. It also goes well with honey-glazed carrots, steamed green beans, or a pile of buttered kale. For a true pub-style meal, add a large Yorkshire pudding on the side to catch the mushroom sauce.

How To Store Mushroom Pot Roast

• Fridge: Keep the beef and mushrooms in an airtight container submerged in the leftover gravy. It will stay fresh for up to 4 days. The flavour often improves after a night in the fridge as the spices permeate the meat.
• Reheat: Place the beef and gravy in a saucepan over a low hob. Cover and heat gently until the liquid simmers and the meat is hot throughout. You can use a microwave for 2 minutes, but the beef might become slightly rubbery.
• Freeze: Freeze the meat and sauce together in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it completely in the fridge overnight before reheating. The mushrooms might lose some firmness after freezing but the gravy will taste just as good.

Cracker Barrel Mushroom Pot Roast Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 485
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates: 6g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 850mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Cracker Barrel Smoky Southern Grilled Chicken Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
• Cracker Barrel Country Fried Pork Chops Recipe