New England Chuck Roast ****

A Yankee pot roast that cooks itself in the crockpot all day. Chuck roast goes in with quartered onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, and a splash of vinegar, then simmers low for 5 to 7 hours until the meat is fork-tender and the broth is rich and beefy.

Cabbage wedges go in at the very end on high heat for a quick 15 to 20 minutes. They stay firm and slightly sweet, picking up all that meaty flavour from the broth without turning to mush.

The horseradish gravy is what puts this squarely in New England territory. Broth from the pot gets thickened with a butter-flour roux and spiked with prepared horseradish for a creamy, sharp sauce that makes the beef and vegetables sing.

Kitchen Tips

• Place the vegetables on the bottom of the crockpot with the meat on top. Vegetables on the bottom cook more evenly in the liquid.
• A splash of vinegar in the cooking liquid helps break down the tough connective tissue in chuck roast, making it more tender.
• Don’t add the cabbage until the very end. Starting it early turns it to soggy, sulfurous mush.
• Make the gravy while the cabbage cooks. Drain 1 ½ cups broth and thicken it in a saucepan on the stove.

Variations

• Add quartered potatoes to the slow cooker for a complete one-pot dinner.
• Swap horseradish for whole grain mustard in the gravy for a milder finish.
• Use red wine in place of water for a richer, deeper broth.