Slow cooker pot roast

Oktoberfest Slow Cooker Meal & Side Idea: German Pot Roast with Side of Garlic Herb Potatoes

Oktoberfest starts September 17, and we wanted to help you kick off your festivities with this German pot roast inspired by West Via Midwest and a side of perfectly seasoned garlic herb potatoes from Delish Knowledge

 

Pot roast is a slow cooker staple, and with CrockPockets, you can add in a side that’s also fit for Oktoberfest. Our immediate thought? Potatoes — a staple of German food! We kept this recipe easy, using fingerling potatoes and a variety of spices you can adjust as needed. 

 

 

German Pot Roast

What you’ll need: 

  • 1.5 - 2  cups beef broth
  • .5 cup red wine
  • .5 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 large onion, cut into 1/4" strips
  • 6 cloves garlic, 3, minced, 3 smashed
  • 1 teaspoon cloves, whole
  • 4 sprigs thyme
  • .5 tablespoon thyme, minced
  • 1 teaspoon juniper berries
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1-2 pound boneless beef chuck roast
  • generous amount salt and pepper to season beef before browning
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • .5 pound baby carrots
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup gingersnap cookies, crumbs
  • parsley for garnish

 

How to Cook the Pot Roast

  • Combine 2 cups broth, wine, vinegar, one of the onions, the crushed garlic, sprigs of thyme, juniper berries, peppercorns and cloves in a pan. Bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Allow cooling completely.
  • Once marinade has cooled, place the roast in a large ziplock bag and pour the marinade over the top.  Seal the bag after removing any air pockets. Place bag in fridge to marinate for up to 48 hours. Turn a couple of times to make sure meat is well covered in all edges.
  • Once marinade is done remove the meat from the zip lock bag. Strain solids, reserving 2 cups of the vinegar/wine liquid. Use a paper towel to dry roast, and season generously with salt and pepper.
  • Preheat a large pot (or if your slow cooker allows, heat that to high. Add olive oil and once hot, add the roast browning all sides for about 4 minutes per side. (top, bottom and the sides too.)
  • Place the roast in the bottom of the slow cooker (or on a side plate if you are using the slow cooker container). Caramelize the remaining onions, and the carrots for 5-7 minutes until the onions are softened and starting to brown and the carrots are starting to brown too. Then add the flour, garlic and thyme leaves and stir for 3 mins more. Remove the vegetables and deglaze the pan with the strained marinade and the remaining cup of broth, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. 
  • Place the meat and carrots into the slow cooker then pour the liquid over the top.  Turn the slow cooker to low and cook for 7-8 hours (check the manual for cooking roast, each machine is slightly different.) Once the roast is easily pulled apart and tender remove the meat and vegetables to a side plate. Slice the meat thinly (1/4" thick) 
  • Add the crushed gingersnaps, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce over the roast and veggies then place the gravy in a gravy boat for people to sauce their own.

 

Garlic Herb Potatoes

What You’ll Need

  • Fingerling Potatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic Cloves
  • Dried herbs, like oregano, basil and dill
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Fresh lemon juice

 

How to Cook the Garlic Potatoes

Lightly spray your CrockPocket with a bit of Pam or olive oil spray (optional, but some people find it helps the potatoes not stick together while cooking) 

  • Place the potatoes, olive oil, garlic, herbs and salt/pepper into the pot. 
  • Stir together, then cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours or on high heat for 2 to 3 hours, until potatoes are fork-tender. 
  • Add lemon juice and toss in lemon juice just before serving until combined.
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