By Megan Overby
It looks and feels like fall outside, which is the official start of crockpot season on our ranch! Although I use our crockpot year-round, it is extra handy to throw a meal in while we’re out harvesting, hauling hay or moving cattle all day long. We also have a freezer full of home-raised beef, which makes this Easy Beef Roast a staple in our household.
Ingredients
• 3-to-5 pound beef roast, thawed (I used chuck)
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 packet ranch seasoning
• 1 packet Italian seasoning
• 1 packet brown gravy seasoning
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil
• water
Instructions
1.) Season the roast with salt and pepper.
2.) Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan on the stovetop on medium-high heat. [If you have a crockpot with a sear/stovetop setting that works, too.]
3.) Add half of the sliced onion and minced garlic to the pan. Sauté for about 1 minute.
4.) Sear the roast on all sides, approximately 1 to 2 minutes per side. [This helps lock in the seasonings and juices, giving the roast more flavor!]
5.) Place the roast in the crockpot. Sprinkle the ranch, Italian and brown gravy seasoning packets over the top of the roast. Also add the remaining sliced onion and minced garlic.
6.) Pour 1/2-to-1 cup of water in the bottom of the crockpot.
7.) Cook on low for 6-to-8 hours or until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F [medium] to 160 degrees F [well done].
Optional: Add baby red potatoes and baby carrots to the bottom of the crockpot for a complete meal!
Megan is the NDFB Northeast Field Representative and farms and ranches alongside her husband, Tanner, near Binford, North Dakota.