No batch cook is complete without a slow cooker meal in the mix. This is such a freebie, in terms of time, because yes, it does take the whole day, but on the other hand, it's usually only a few minutes of active time. And there's nothing like the slow cooker for a braise that leaves the oven free for other tasks.

Pot roast was on my list of "things I think I'd like to eat during this process," so here was my opportunity to knock it out of the park, and know it's here for me when I want it.

Planning!

This recipe from the Food Network is new to me. Most of my pot roast recipes involve the dutch oven on the stovetop and then in the oven. But, as I say, I wanted to keep the oven free for other tasks (coughmeatloafcough). This new-to-me recipe checked all of the boxes, other than that I thought it might actually be a little bit too light... I checked the fridge: I had two medium-sized potatoes in my produce drawer. I'd add them to the mix. Done.

Here's the nutritional breakdown from Fitbit...

(That protein content, tho... heart-eyes-emoji!)

Groceries I had on hand...

• salt
• pepper
• flour
• olive oil
• carrots
• celery
• onion
• garlic
• tomato paste (I keep it in the freezer!)
• red wine
• bay leaves
• dried thyme (rather than fresh... this is a braise, it's fine)
• ground allspice
• fresh parsley

Groceries I had to buy...

• chuck roast (4.24lb @ $4.99/lb = $21.17)
• beef broth (1 box @ $4.19/box)

Total monies spent for the entire recipe: $25.36

Total monies spent for each of these 8 portions....

$3.17 per portion.

Cooking!

My grocery store, which I SWEAR had large roasts the other day, only had smaller roasts this time, so I ended up buying two. No harm, no foul, and honestly, easier to divvy up in the end...

You'll notice that I used the foam trays that the roasts came from the grocery on for the salting/peppering/flouring prep step. Wouldn't you? I still do spray down my counter top when that's done, but it does eliminate having to clean another prep board or dish.

One other thought, which is that the recipe says "it's okay" if there are some lumps in the gravy when you prepare it on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker. Sure. I decided to trust this. Then, about six hours into the cook, when I peeked through the lid, I saw them allllll sitting on top being gross, so I lifted the lid (GASP) and pushed them all down into the bubbling broth to get dispersed. Hmph.

This. Came. Out. Smelling. Like. Heaven. It fell apart when I started to slice it, even after the resting time. I am thrilled to bits. I basically licked the cutting board clean.