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Make Denny's Slow Cooked Pot Roast Bowl at home. Fork-tender chuck roast over red-skinned mashed potatoes with roasted vegetables and rich brown gravy.

Denny's Slow Cooked Pot Roast Bowl (Copycat)

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Author: Laurie Fleming
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Description

Fork-tender slow cooked chuck roast served over red-skinned mashed potatoes with roasted carrots, celery, and onion, all smothered in rich homemade brown gravy. A copycat of the Denny's diner favorite.

Ingredients 

Pot Roast

  • 3 pounds boneless chuck roast
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves

Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes

  • 2 lb red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered (skins on)
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Roasted Vegetables

  • 4 large carrots, cut into thick diagonal coins
  • 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Gravy

  • 3 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups strained braising liquid

Instructions

  • Pat the chuck roast completely dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high until shimmering, then sear 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  • Add the quartered onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Whisk tomato paste and Worcestershire into the beef broth and pour over. Sprinkle with thyme and rosemary. Deglaze the skillet with a splash of broth and add those drippings to the cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW 8–9 hours (or HIGH 4–5 hours), until a fork twists in the meat with no resistance, about 200–205°F.
  • About 40 minutes before serving, heat the oven to 425°F. Toss carrots, celery, and onion wedges with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast 25–30 minutes, tossing once, until edges caramelize.
  • Cover the quartered red potatoes with cold salted water and boil 15–18 minutes until knife-tender. Drain and return to the hot pot for 1 minute to dry. Add butter and warm milk, then mash by hand to a rustic texture with visible skins. Season and keep warm.
  • Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Strain the braising liquid, skim off the fat, and reserve 2 cups. Melt butter in a saucepan, whisk in flour, and cook 1–2 minutes until pale gold. Slowly whisk in the braising liquid and simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
  • Shred the beef with two forks, discarding large fat pockets. Divide mashed potatoes among 6 wide bowls, top with shredded beef, tuck roasted vegetables around the edges, and ladle gravy over the top. Serve with warm dinner bread.

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Tongs

Notes

Season the roast and refrigerate uncovered on a rack 4–24 hours ahead for better flavor and a harder sear. Do not skip the sear — a slow cooker cannot brown meat. Mash potatoes by hand, never in a mixer, or red potatoes turn gummy. Store beef submerged in its gravy up to 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen; make mashed potatoes fresh.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 829kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 50gFat: 54gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 25gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 1810mgPotassium: 1999mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 8767IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 7mg