I don’t talk much about it on the blog, but I love to cook. Especially when the recipe requires no effort. Today, I thought I’d share my absolute favorite pot roast recipe.

I found this recipe shortly after the farmer and I got married. I had no earthly idea how to cook anything, so I wanted to start with something I couldn’t mess up.

This is that recipe.

First, we’ll start with the ingredients:

1 2-5 lb. roast

15 small, golden potatoes, quartered

1 16 oz. bag baby carrots

1 envelope of dry Italian dressing mix

1 envelope of dry Ranch dressing mix

1 envelope of dry brown gravy mix

1-1 1/2 cups water

Now, just bear with me for these photos. I am in no way a food photographer.

1. Get your crockpot out and cut the potatoes into fourths. I use honey gold because they’re small, pretty, and they taste good, but you can use whatever small variety of potato you want. Honey golds are just my personal preference.

 

2. Throw them all in the crockpot and know that you are officially done having to do anything else but dump ingredients in.

Oh, and the recipe called for 15 potatoes. That left me with 5 in the bag. What in the world am I going to do with 5 little potatoes? I threw caution to the wind and threw those in the pot, too.

3. Next, get your bag of carrots and throw ’em on top of the potatoes. The original recipe called for 3/4 of the bag. I took a deep breath and dumped them all in there. Livin’ on the edge.

4. Stir that all around a little until you are absolutely convinced that the proportion of carrot to potato is perfect. PLEASE don’t mess that part up.

5. Unwrap your roast and gag at how gross and slimy it is. I cut the netting off, but you don’t have to. Place it on top of everything. This is a 3 1/2 lb. pork shoulder roast.  I’ve used a beef roast and I just really didn’t think the flavors complemented each other as well. Therefore, I say go with a pork roast.

6. Here’s the lineup of our powdered ingredients.

7. Dump each of those babies all over the roast and the vegetables. This is what gives it the divine flavor you will later wonder what you ever did without. Where you have been all my life, Italian Ranch Gravy?

Dusting all that seasoning over everything makes me feel alive.

8. Next, you pour your water all over the top of everything. I used 1 1/2 cups because I threw those extra veggies in there.

9. Now, you’re ready to turn the heat on low, put the lid on (or smash it on, in my case), and go about the rest of your day feeling like you have conquered life. Crockpot meals make me feel so free and successful.  Continue to cook on low for 6-10 hours.

10. Finished product! I might have taken some time to slather some gravy on that roast for your viewing pleasure, but I wanted to devour it, so I didn’t. My picky, PICKY daughter loves this and if you have a new husband who might be concerned about his new bride’s culinary skills, this will knock his socks off and restore his faith that there might still be hope for you yet.

You’re welcome. I do what I can.

 

Breauna