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I am going to let you in on a little secret.

I’ve never been a great beef pot roast maker. It’s true. My pot roast usually comes out kind of tough and not very flavorful. I’ve researched the best methods for cooking the blessed meat and tried countless recipes.  Goodness knows I have even left it cooking in my crock pot with fingers crossed it would turn out wonderfully. Much to my dismay…it wasn’t ever great. Just okay, and certainly not blog worthy.

Until now.

Thank heavens, I have finally found a pot roast recipe to love and cherish. My sunday dinners will never be the same! This beautiful beef roast is divine. Succulent, even! (Full of wonder). The meat turns out so tender you don’t even need a knife to cut it. It simply shreds easily with a fork. The flavor is fragrant and rich. It cooks slowly in the crock pot drenched in wonderfully simple sauce. When the meat has cooked through you add a bit of cornstarch and cold water to the pot, which turns the sauce into a fabulous gravy. Serve it all with a side of mashed potatoes and life will be a beautiful thing. 🙂

Make this, my friends.

Make it and love it and give your crock pot a big fat kiss, won’t you?

Monthly Menu Plan coming up on Monday, followed by an entire week worth of posts. Sugary, heavenly, Christmas-like posts my friends. ‘Tis the season, after all. I’ve got some great things to show you! Hope you’ll join me.  🙂

Now, let’s make some roast. You, me and a beautiful chunk of meat.

1. Find yourself a nice 3-4 pound beef chuck roast. Cut it in half with a nice sharp knife.

2. Heat a large, deep skillet up over medium high heat. When the pan is hot hit it with a bit of cooking spray and lay your pot roast in it.

Let the meat get a beautiful brown sear on both sides. Should take several minutes per side.

3. While your meat is browning, pour 1 1/2 cups of apple juice into a small mixing bowl.

Add 1 can tomato sauce,

1 chopped onion,

2 tablespoons vinegar,

2 teaspoons of cinnamon,

and 1 tablespoon ginger. Give it all a nice stir to combine.

4. Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Stack the slabs of meat, one on top of the other.

Pour the yummy sauce over the top of the browned meat. Cover the crock pot and on low for 5 hours, or until the meat easily shreds with a  fork.

5. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water. Stir it until smooth. Pour it into the crock pot sauce. (Try not to get it all over the roast like I did!)

6. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the meat. Put the lid back on and allow the roast to cook for about 30 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Remove the meat from the pot and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Bavarian Pot Roast

Print
Serves: 8 servings Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 (3-4 pound) chuck beef roast
  • 1 1/2 C apple juice
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 T vinegar
  • 1 T salt
  • 2 t cinnamon
  • 1 T ginger
  • 1/4 C cornstarch
  • 1/2 C cold water

Instructions

1. Find yourself a nice 3-4 pound beef chuck roast. Cut it in half with a nice sharp knife.
2. Heat a large, deep skillet up over medium high heat. When the pan is hot hit it with a bit of cooking spray and lay your pot roast in it. Let the meat get a beautiful brown sear on both sides. Should take several minutes per side.
3. While your meat is browning, pour 1 1/2 cups of apple juice into a small mixing bowl. Add 1 can tomato sauce, 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon ginger. Give it all a nice stir to combine.
4. Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Stack the slabs of meat, one on top of the other. Pour the yummy sauce over the top of the browned meat. Cover the crock pot and on low for 5 hours, or until the meat easily shreds with a  fork.
5. In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water. Stir it until smooth. Pour it into the crock pot sauce. (Try not to get it all over the roast like I did!)
6. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the meat. Put the lid back on and allow the roast to cook for about 30 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
7. Remove the meat from the pot and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Serve with mashed potatoes. Enjoy!


Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

About Jamie

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48 Comments

  1. I was so disappointed by the outcome of this recipe, because of all the positive comments! I would say that, if you’re unsure whether you’d enjoy a roast that is sweet, then don’t try this recipe. That’s the aspect I wasn’t prepared for, and although I used apple juice without added sugar, that’s what I got. As others have also commented, it was also WAY too much cinnamon. Regardless, *if* I tried this recipe again, there are several changes I would definitely make:

    1) cut the apple juice by half, and add beef broth for the remainder;
    2) reduce the cinnamon by AT LEAST a half;
    3) add at least a teaspoon of chopped garlic;
    4) cut the vinegar a little. It gives the gravy an interesting “bite,” but it was too much in combination with the juice;
    5) Decrease the ginger to 3/4 or possibly 1/2 T.

    These changes are in keeping with the overall intent of the recipe to present a “Bavarian” taste.

    I added 1 1/2 lbs of baby potatoes, halved, on top of the roast and they turned out marvelously! You could probably add baby carrots as well, but remember to cut the added liquids so your gravy isn’t too runny.

    Overall, I’d give this recipe — as written — a “C.” It could easily be an “A” with the right changes.

  2. Have made this roast several times now and it just gets better each time I make it! I have to say it is one of the best recipes for a roast I have ever tried,,, you have a winner here Jamie!!! So glad I tried it… I will admit, I was a little scared with the combination of things going into that crock pot, but I trusted you and it just turns out wonderful!!! Thank you for this recipe and for the many other’s that you share!

  3. I made this roast this past weekend for guests. It was so delish. Everyone loved it and asked for a plate to go and the recipe.
    I will make this again but double the recipe for my family.