Cracker Barrel Pot Roast is an easy dump and go slow cooker dinner made with seasoned beef, carrots, celery and a thick homestyle onion gravy. That makes it a perfect make ahead Sunday dinner or weeknight meal, since the slow cooker handles everything with just 10 minutes of prep.
Stirring in the second gravy packet at the end is the step that matters, because it turns the thin cooking liquid into a thick gravy. You cook one packet with the beef for hours, then stir in the second at the end so the sauce thickens and coats the meat.
This version uses onion soup mix and brown gravy packets together, which builds a deeper flavor than beef broth alone would give you. The dump and go method also skips searing, so the whole dinner comes together with just a cutting board and a slow cooker.
Cracker Barrel Pot Roast
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes4
hours550
kcalBeef chunks go into the slow cooker with carrots, celery, onion soup mix and brown gravy packets, then cook low and slow until fork tender. A second gravy packet stirred in at the end builds the thick sauce.
Ingredients
2 1/2 to 3 lb stew beef or chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 (14.5 oz) can low-sodium beef broth
2 (0.87 oz) packets low-sodium brown gravy mix, divided
1 (1 oz) packet onion soup mix
Directions
- Load the slow cooker:Add the beef, carrots, celery, beef broth, one brown gravy packet and the onion soup mix to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook low and slow:Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fall apart tender and cooked through.
- Thicken the gravy:Stir in the second brown gravy packet. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes until the sauce is thickened.
- Serve: Spoon the pot roast over mashed potatoes, rice or egg noodles.
FAQs
Can I use a different cut of beef for this pot roast?
Chuck roast works best because it has enough fat and connective tissue to break down during the long cook and stay moist. Stew beef from the store is pre-cut, but it can be a mix of cuts so the texture varies. Round roast is leaner though, and it dries out in the slow cooker even after hours of cooking.
Can I make this in the oven instead of a slow cooker?
You can braise the beef in a Dutch oven at 300F for about 3 hours, and it turns out just as tender. Cover the pot tightly with a lid, since the steam is what breaks down the connective tissue in the meat. Check after two hours though, because every oven runs differently and the meat may finish sooner.
What can I use instead of onion soup mix?
You can dice an onion, add minced garlic and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of dried thyme. The mix is mostly dried onion and seasoning, so fresh onion with a few spices gets you close to the same flavor. Add a splash of soy sauce too, because it brings the salty depth that the packet would have added.
How do I know when the pot roast is done?
The beef is ready when it pulls apart with a fork and offers no resistance, which usually takes 6 to 8 hours on low. Cooking on high cuts the time to 4 hours, but the meat turns out more tender on the low setting. Check the largest piece before serving, since smaller chunks cook faster and finish sooner.
Can I add potatoes to this pot roast?
You can add cubed potatoes at the start with the carrots and celery, and they cook through in the same time. Cut them into 1 inch pieces so they stay firm enough to hold their shape while the beef falls apart around them. Yukon Gold potatoes hold up best, though russets work since they just turn softer at the edges.
