Coca-Cola Pot Roast
I love summer... the warm weather, the lazy afternoons at the pool, cooking on the grill, eating ice cream, getting fresh produce—I could go on and on! So what has me writing about a winter-time favorite when it's 96 degrees outside? (I'm not exaggerating about the temperature.) Those lazy afternoons at the pool often lead to dinner-time returns to the house, and though the grill is quick, something already cooked in the crock pot is quicker. Enter this pot roast recipe.
This is an old favorite that I'd forgotten about until recently, when I was looking for something different to cook itself in the crock pot while we frolicked in the pool. My husband remembered it fondly from our newlywed days, our 11-year-old daughters loved it, and our 9-month-old baby boy even gets to enjoy it in pureed form. (Yes, I admit to allowing my baby to eat something steeped in Coke.) It's a hit with the whole family, and it couldn't be easier!
Coca-Cola Pot Roast
Necessary ingredients:
1 can Coke (This Atlanta girl does not drink Pepsi.)
1 bottle chili sauce
1 chuck roast (around 4 lbs., give or take)
Optional ingredients:
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed
Freshly ground black pepper
A few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
Carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.
Directions:
Trim excess fat from chuck roast and place in slow cooker. I cut mine into chunks, both to make it fit in the crock pot that I wanted to use and to ensure that it cooked to delicious tenderness in less time. Grind pepper to taste over the top of the meat (optional), add the garlic (optional), and then pour the chili sauce over the top. I like to pour some of the Coke into the chili sauce bottle and swirl it around a bit to make sure I get all of the chili sauce out, and then pour the Coke over the meat in the slow cooker. Add a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce if you want to, and you're done! Put the lid on it, and cook it on low for 6-8 hours. If you want to add some veggies, wait 'til you have about 4 hours left, add them to the crock pot, re-cover, and continue cooking over low heat. We generally prefer our veggies on the side, but I did add some baby carrots this time. I'm sure you could kick this up a notch by searing the meat before putting it in the crock pot, but it's summer—take the easy route, and enjoy!
