I have to admit that I used to dislike pot roast, especially pot roast cooked in a crock pot. All too often, it was dry and flavorless and left a lot to be desired. But a few years ago, I was desperate for an easy meal that I could make in a crock pot, so I embarked on a search for a tender, flavorful pot roast recipe. I stumbled upon this one and thought it might be worth a try, with a few modifications.
I love how wine can tenderize and add flavor to meat, so I swapped out the broth for red wine. I also wanted to maximize the amount of veggies and make this dish lower-carb, so I swapped out the potatoes for parsnips and added mushrooms. The result is magical! The red wine and mushrooms add a magnificent depth of flavor, and the parsnips compliment the rosemary and Dijon perfectly.
But this pot roast isn’t just flavorful, it is unbelievably tender. You won’t even need a knife to cut it, the meat will just fall apart and melt in your mouth! Just be sure you choose a chuck roast since it has a lot of marbling (even if it’s grass-fed). The fat will melt in the crock pot, creating tender meat and a flavorful sauce.
Of course, I didn’t just modify the original recipe for the sake of flavor, I also modified it to maximize the nutrients obtained from this dish. Here are the benefits of the substitutions I made as well as the nutritional benefits that the original ingredients have to offer:
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Parsnips are not only far lower in carbs than potatoes, they are a good source of fiber, potassium, folate and vitamin C (source).
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Mushrooms are a nutritional powerhouse, providing copper, selenium, riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5) and phosphorus, just to name a few. In addition, mushrooms contain antioxidants that research shows may support the immune system, protect against heart disease and cancer, and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (source).
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Onions provide a notable amount of biotin, manganese, copper, and vitamin B6 in addition to a surprising amount of antioxidants. Onions actually contain more polyphenols than garlic, tomatoes, carrots and red bell peppers! All of these great qualities provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in addition to promoting heart health and possibly fighting cancer (source).
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Rosemary has been studied for its ability to stimulate the immune system, improve digestion and increase circulation, as well as provide anti-inflammatory benefits (source).
The original recipe results in one of the most tender and best tasting pot roasts you will ever make, but with the modifications I made, this Dijon Rosemary Pot Roast & Veggies is also friendly to special diets, like Paleo, Whole30, low carb, gluten-free, dairy-free and nightshade-free. So pull out your slow cooker and give this recipe a try!
Fork-Tender Dijon Rosemary Pot Roast & Veggies
This Dijon Rosemary Pot Roast will melt in your mouth! Made with mushrooms, carrots and parsnips, it's so good you'll never guess that it's loaded with nutrients and gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, low-carb and can be made Whole30 compliant!
Gluten-free | Dairy-free | Nightshade-free | Paleo | Low-Carb | Whole30
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 510 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast
- 4 medium parsnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 16 oz bag fresh baby carrots
- 24 oz baby portabella mushrooms, halved or quartered to make 1-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 cup red wine (use homemade beef broth or water for Whole30 version)
- 1/4 cup arrowroot and ¼ cup warm water, made into a slurry (used to thicken the sauce at the end)
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
Instructions
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Cut roast in half. Combine the mustard, rosemary, garlic salt, thyme and pepper; rub over roast.
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Chop the parsnips into 1-inch pieces and dice the onion.
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Spread the carrots and parsnips in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place the chuck roast on top, moving the carrots and parsnips out from under and around the roast, if needed for the lid to close. Scatter the onions around and on top of the roast. Pour the wine around the slow cooker.
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Cover and cook on low 6 hours.
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After 6 hours, add the mushrooms around and on top of the roast and cook another 2 hours for a total of 8 hours.
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At the end of the cook time, remove the roast and set aside. Mix the arrowroot powder and water into a slurry. Add it to the veggies and sauce in the crockpot and stir well. Add salt as needed for taste.
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Serve the pot roast and veggies together with plenty of sauce. Enjoy!
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