Crockpot Meals - The Best Pot Roast I've Ever Made

I really love making crockpot meals. I'm a morning person and have more energy then. When dinnertime comes around, sometimes I'm demotivated to cook. So it's nice to get it over and done with in the morning.

Last week I made a pot roast to die for - adapted a recipe I found in a magazine. It takes about 30 minutes to put it together plus it requires adding carrots and potatoes 3-4 hours before it is done. So it's not a recipe that you can leave while you go to work. Great for the weekends, though, if you can't pull it off during the week. My family almost licked their plates clean, this recipe was so good!

Crockpot Pot Roast

Makes 8 servings
Prep 10 minutes; Cook 13 minutes
Slow-cook 6 hours on High or 8 hours on Low

3 lbs. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and blotted dry
1/4 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1 T. canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 T. tomato paste
2 T. flour
1/2 c. apple juice
1/2 c. beef broth
1/2 c. water
2 c. baby carrots
1 1/2 lb. new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered

1. Combine 1/4 t. each thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub on both sides of roast. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook roast 1-2 minutes on each side or until browned; transfer roast to slow cooker.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add onion to skillet; cook 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in apple juice, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Pour liquid and onions into slow cooker over beef and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.

3. When 3 hours cook time remains on high or 4 hours on low, remove meat from slow cooker and stir in carrots and potatoes. Return meat to slow cooker for remaining cook time.

4. Remove meat from slow cooker; slice. Stir remaining 1/4 t. salt into liquid. Serve roast with vegetables and sauce.

More on crockpot meals:
Chicken Tortilla Soup for the Super Bowl - Quick, Easy, and Different
Organizing Your Holiday Meals
Hassle Free Dinners