A good pot roast needs tender beef and enough gravy to go around. This 3-envelope pot roast gets its seasoning from three dry mixes: ranch dressing, Italian dressing and brown gravy. Brown a chuck roast, stir the packets into water or broth, and let the slow cooker do the long part.
The beef is ready when it pulls apart easily. The cooking liquid can be served as it is, or thickened into a gravy that clings to the meat. Both options use the same simple recipe, so you can decide how you want the sauce once the roast is cooked.
A few things to check before you start
Choose a 3 to 4 pound chuck roast with some marbling. Chuck suits a long, gentle cook; those small streaks of fat help give the finished meat its rich flavor. A very lean cut will have a different texture.
Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, with enough room for the roast to sit comfortably. You’ll also need a skillet for browning it. Have the packets and liquid ready before you heat the pan, since the actual prep moves along quickly.
- Ranch dressing mix: One 1-ounce packet. Use the dry mix.
- Italian dressing mix: One 0.7-ounce packet.
- Brown gravy mix: One 0.87-ounce packet.
Packet sizes matter here. Check the labels instead of assuming every envelope is the same. The mixes already contain seasoning, so there’s no need to heavily salt the meat before cooking. Water works for the liquid; unsalted beef broth gives the gravy a fuller beef flavor.
Build the flavor in the skillet
Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat, then brown the beef for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Leave it in place long enough for a crust to form rather than moving it around the pan.
This step browns the surface. The slow cooker will finish cooking the middle. When the crust looks good, move the roast into the cooker. If you’re short on time, the browning step can be skipped, though you’ll lose some of that browned flavor.
Mix, pour and cover
Whisk all three dry mixes into 1½ cups of water or unsalted beef broth. Work out the dry lumps so the seasoning spreads evenly. The mixture will look much thinner than finished gravy at this point.
Pour it over the beef and put on the lid. The roast doesn’t need to be covered completely by liquid. It will release more juices as it cooks, so stick with the measured amount to start.
Cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Size, thickness and the cooker itself can affect the timing. Keep the lid on during cooking and start checking near the end of the chosen range.
Tenderness is the useful check
Press a fork into the roast and gently pull at the meat. It should separate with little effort. If the beef still feels firm and resists pulling apart, cover it again and cook for another 30 to 60 minutes, then check once more.
A roast that is browned on the outside can still need more time to soften. Once it is tender, handle it gently when lifting it out so it doesn’t break apart before it reaches the platter.
Move the beef to a serving platter or cutting board, cover it loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes. This is a useful time to finish the gravy. Leave the cooking juices in the slow cooker.
Keep the juices light or make a thicker gravy
For a thinner sauce, spoon the cooking juices over the rested meat as they are. To thicken them, stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Mixing it with cold water first helps prevent lumps.
Stir that mixture into the hot juices and turn the cooker to HIGH. Let the gravy heat and thicken for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should lightly coat a spoon. If the cooker needs longer to heat the liquid, keep going until the sauce thickens.
Taste the gravy before serving. If it is thicker than you like, stir in a little water or unsalted broth. A plain side also helps balance the seasoning from the packets without adding more salt to the meal.
Bring it to the table
Pull the rested beef into large pieces, or slice it across the grain. Spoon gravy over it and bring the rest of the sauce to the table. Large pieces are easy to serve and keep some of the browned outside with the soft meat underneath.
Mashed potatoes, rice and buttered noodles all work well with the gravy. For another potato side, try these scalloped potatoes. Creamy baked mac and cheese is another option when you want a fuller comfort-food meal.
Questions that come up with this roast
Does HIGH change the time in the recipe card?
Yes. The card shows the middle of the LOW cooking range. If you choose HIGH, use the 4 to 5 hour range in the instructions and check that the beef pulls apart easily.
Can I leave out the cornstarch?
Yes. It is optional and only changes the thickness of the sauce. Serve the roast with its cooking juices if you prefer a lighter gravy.
Can I use bottled dressing?
Use the dry dressing mixes for this recipe. Bottled ranch or Italian dressing has a different amount of liquid and a different mix of ingredients, so it won’t follow the same measurements.
3-Envelope Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 beef chuck roast 3 to 4 lb
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
- 1 packet dry ranch dressing mix 1 oz
- 1 packet dry Italian dressing mix 0.7 oz
- 1 packet dry brown gravy mix 0.87 oz
- 1 ½ cups water or unsalted beef broth
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch optional, for gravy
- 2 Tablespoons cold water optional, for gravy
Instructions
- Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until browned. Transfer to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Whisk the ranch, Italian dressing and brown gravy mixes into the 1½ cups of water or unsalted beef broth until the dry lumps are gone.
- Pour the mixture over the roast and put on the lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Carefully move the tender roast to a platter or cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Leave the juices in the slow cooker.
- For thicker gravy, stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Stir into the hot cooking juices, turn the cooker to HIGH, and heat for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Pull the rested beef into large pieces or slice across the grain. Serve hot with the cooking juices or thickened gravy spooned over it.
