My favorite slow-cooker pot roast recipe only requires 5 ingredients - including gingersnaps and chili sauce - and feeds a whole family

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Erin McDowellFeb 24, 2021, 02:52 IST
My favorite slow-cooker pot roast recipe only requires 5 ingredients - including gingersnaps and chili sauce - and feeds a whole family

This recipe for a slow-cooker pot roast is simple but has some surprising ingredients.Erin McDowell/Insider

  • One of my favorite comfort foods to make in a slow cooker is pot roast.
  • However, my family's recipe for slow-cooked pot roast is a little different than most.
  • It only calls for five ingredients — a chuck roast, gingersnaps, chili sauce, carrots, and water.

I recently tried making dinner in a slow cooker every day for five days.

Though the week was filled with ups and downs, I came away with a better understanding of slow cooking and fell in love with a few new recipes. One of the recipes was one I've eaten many, many times but had never actually made for myself: my mom's slow-cooked pot roast.

My mother's recipe for a slow-cooker pot roast is simple. It calls for a small beef chuck roast, a bottle of Heinz chili sauce, gingersnap cookies, carrots, and water. Though chili sauce and gingersnap cookies might seem surprising additions to a pot roast recipe, I assure you the final result is delicious.

In fact, other, traditional recipes use gingersnaps in this way - for example, some recipes for Sauerbraten, a German beef roast, also use gingersnaps to thicken and flavor the gravy.

After I wrote about using the slow cooker for a week, I began getting emails about the pot roast recipe from people who had questions, wanted to try it out for themselves, or wanted to share their own family pot roast recipes.

So here's a closer look at the standout recipe of the week.

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My mom and I are extremely close, so I was excited to try out one of her recipes.

My mom and I are extremely close, so I was excited to try out one of her recipes.
My mom and me on vacation. Erin McDowell/Insider

When it comes to home cooking, my mother knows exactly what she's doing in the kitchen. I definitely can't say the same for myself, but I still felt pretty confident about tackling her go-to slow cooker recipe. I use my Crock-Pot pretty often, so I hoped I would be able to nail the dish — or at least get pretty close to how I remember my mom's version turning out.

My mom told me she first got a version of the recipe from a coworker. However, she's been making it consistently for about 10 years, and her own spin on the original involves adding carrots and mashed potatoes as a side dish.

Her recipe uses a slow cooker to make the pot roast - in fact, slow cookers are having their moment in the spotlight right now.

Her recipe uses a slow cooker to make the pot roast - in fact, slow cookers are having their moment in the spotlight right now.
My Crock-Pot. Erin McDowell/Insider

According to a business wire from ResearchAndMarkets.com, the slow cooker market worldwide will grow by a projected $1 billion between the years 2020 and 2027, largely due in part to the coronavirus pandemic and "the looming economic recession."

Slow cookers have long been hailed as the perfect tool for working people who want to prepare their dinner in the morning and have it done by the time they get home from work. However, slow cooking may also be a great option for people who are becoming uninspired by home cooking and want an easy and delicious cooking option.

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As well as a slow cooker, you'll need a small beef chuck roast, a bottle of Heinz chili sauce, gingersnap cookies, and around seven carrots.

As well as a slow cooker, you'll need a small beef chuck roast, a bottle of Heinz chili sauce, gingersnap cookies, and around seven carrots.
My pot roast in the slow cooker. Erin McDowell/Insider

I started by searing my chuck roast in a cast iron pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, and then I added the meat to the slow cooker.

I used chuck roast steak, but you can also use a whole chuck roast. Using a steak cut means your meat may cook slightly faster and pull apart easily when it's done, but both work well.

Perhaps the most surprising ingredient in this pot roast recipe is the gingersnaps.

Perhaps the most surprising ingredient in this pot roast recipe is the gingersnaps.
Mi-Del ginger snaps. Erin McDowell/Insider

When you really think about what's in a gingersnap — flour, sugar, ginger, and molasses — it begins to make sense why this addition would help make the rich, thick gravy you get at the end.

I chose to go with Mi-Del ginger snaps, but you can use any brand.

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The recipe calls for eight of the cookies.

The recipe calls for eight of the cookies.
Mi-Del ginger snaps. Erin McDowell/Insider

These hard cookies can be difficult to crumble, but you should try and break them into the smallest pieces you can.

I use Heinz - yes, the ketchup brand - chili sauce for this recipe, too.

I use Heinz - yes, the ketchup brand - chili sauce for this recipe, too.
Heinz chili sauce. Erin McDowell/Insider

When I asked my mom what kind of chili sauce to use, she said this is the only brand she's ever used. Knowing that ketchup is a common ingredient in many pot roast recipes, I rightly assumed that this famous ketchup brand's chili sauce would add a lot of the same flavor to the dish, with a slight kick.

The consistency and flavor of this chili sauce are admittedly really similar to ketchup, so you may be able to use that as a substitute if you're unable to find this specific bottle. If you choose to do this, you might want to add a splash of hot sauce to match the original recipe a little more closely.

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After you add the seared meat and gingersnaps to the slow cooker, pour in the whole bottle of Heinz chili sauce and fill the Crock-Pot about halfway with water.

After you add the seared meat and gingersnaps to the slow cooker, pour in the whole bottle of Heinz chili sauce and fill the Crock-Pot about halfway with water.
My pot roast after adding in the carrots, chili sauce, ginger snaps, and water. Erin McDowell/Insider

My mother explained that the roast should also be covered halfway, and it's important to add more water to the pot if the gravy gets too thick.

About one hour before it was done cooking, I added in seven sliced carrots I had prepared earlier in the day.

After cooking on low heat for five hours, the beef should be super tender.

After cooking on low heat for five hours, the beef should be super tender.
My finished pot roast. Erin McDowell/Insider

After the pot roast is done cooking, you should be able to gently pull apart the meat with a spoon. If it's not tender enough to do that, you can take the meat out, carve it on a cutting board, and add it back into the pot.

Then, set your slow cooker or Crock-Pot to the warm setting if available. By far, one of the best things about this recipe is the mouthwatering smell that will waft throughout your home.

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I like to make some sort of starch to go with the pot roast.

I like to make some sort of starch to go with the pot roast.
Boiled red potatoes in a pot. Erin McDowell/Insider

Mashed potatoes work really well with the gravy and meat, so I decided to make some red skin mashed potatoes. You'll want to boil the potatoes for around 20 minutes until they are fork-tender and easy to mash.

You can also use russet or yellow gold potatoes to make the side, but I prefer red potatoes for their texture and the fact that you don't need to peel them.

Then, drain the potatoes, mash them, and add in two tablespoons of butter or cream.

Then, drain the potatoes, mash them, and add in two tablespoons of butter or cream.
I made red skin mashed potatoes. Erin McDowell/Insider

The red skin of the potatoes adds a nice texture and makes for a perfect addition to the meal.

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The finished pot roast is the perfect cozy comfort meal for multiple people.

The finished pot roast is the perfect cozy comfort meal for multiple people.
My pot roast and mashed potatoes. Erin McDowell/Insider

The recipe I use makes around five servings, meaning it could easily feed a family. On top of being delicious and easy to make, I love this recipe for the sole fact that you only need a few basic ingredients.

The total cost of my slow cooker meal came to approximately $35, so it evened out to about $7 per serving. This definitely beats most of my go-to takeout orders in price and home-cooked quality.

My family pot roast recipe makes for a delicious home-cooked meal, with a few interesting ingredients you might have never considered using before. Pot roast is a slow cooker staple for many home cooks, and after trying out this particular recipe for myself, I can definitely see why.

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