Not Your Mama's Pot Roast

I am still in a food coma after making this for dinner tonight. It is just so good that it's hard to stop shoveling mouthful after mouthful into your mouth of creamy, cheesy, ranch grits smothered in tender, moist, barbecue beef. And the sauce! Oh, the sauce! It's to die for.

I've never been too much of a pot roast fan... I think it's because as a kid pot roast was always served to me as dry, tough pieces of unseasoned meat but now I have a couple pot roast recipes in my regular rotation. This recipe is so easy. Just a few short minutes of prep is all it takes to set the slow cooker and then be on with the rest of your day. The grits whip up in a jif as well.

This recipe has been adapted from Plain Chicken after seeing it posted on Pinterest. I am so happy to have stumbled upon it.

Ingredients

For the Roast:
2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
Fresh Ground Pepper
Salt
1 (2-4 lb.) Boneless Chuck Roast, trimmed
12 oz Coke
1 (12 oz) bottle Heinz Chili Sauce (you can find it near the ketchup/cocktail sauce)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce
3 tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 cup Milk

For the Grits:
1 1/2 cup Grits (Quick Cook or Regular, not instant)
3 cups Chicken Broth (for stiff grits, for soupier grits use more)
1 packet (1 oz.) Ranch Dressing Mix
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

In your slow cooker, sprinkle garlic powder, salt and pepper over roast. Top with Coke, chili sauce, Worcestershire and Tabasco Sauce. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 7-9 hours depending on the size of your roast. I just made a 3 lb roast on high for 5 hours and it was perfect. 

Once your roast is cooked remove it from the slow cooker, momentarily. Combine cornstarch and milk in a small bowl, mix well until there are no clumps. Pour the milk mixture into the juices reserved in the slow cooker, mixing well. Place roast back into slow cooker. Cook on high for an additional 15 minutes to thicken up the sauce.

While your sauce thickens you can work on your grits. I recommend quick grits but in a pinch I've used regular old fashioned grits - just make sure to adjust your time accordingly (Quick grits take about 5 minutes where regular grits take about 15-20)

In a medium-large saucepan bring chicken broth to boil. I like my grits kind of stiff, almost like a mashed potato, if you prefer yours to be a little wet, add more chicken broth. Once boiling, slowly add in grits, while stirring. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 5 minutes for quick grits or 15-20 minutes for regular grits. Stir in ranch packet and cheese. 

Serve your roast over the grits, with sauce generously poured over top. It's amazing that this much deliciousness can come from so little effort.