Crock-Pot: Brown Sugar & Roasted Garlic Pulled Pot Roast

I'm not a big fan of the crockpot.  I think it makes food taste funny and mutes spices and flavor.  However, sometimes you just don't want to cook and that's me on Friday nights.  I saw this and thought I'd give it a try. If it turned out, I could make my son beef dips with it, which he loves.

• 4 pound beef pot roast (I used a 3 lb blade roast)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/3 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 8 to 10 ounces beer (I used double chocolate stout)
• 2 heads roasted garlic
• your favorite buns or rolls for serving (I used fresh Portuguese buns)

I got this ready the night before.  I roasted the garlic then too.  I set the oven to 350°F and then put 2 bulbs in foil with the ends cut off.

I drizzled olive oil in, sealed and baked for an hour.

After it came out, I cooled it and then put it in the fridge, sealed up again.

The recipe didn't say to, but I seared the beef after I doused it with fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt.

I think you need as much flavor as you can get when you put stuff in the crockpot.

I deglazed the pan with the beer too.  After the roast cooled, I shook the smoked paprika and onion powder on all sides and put it in the crockpot.  I poured the beer down the side.

I put the brown sugar on top.

I covered and put it in the fridge.  I turned the crockpot on when I left for work and it was set for 8 hours on low.  Below is how it looked when I came in the door.  The crockpot was finished and on  "warm" now.

I followed what the recipe said and spent a good amount of time pulling the beef with two forks.  I also removed all the fat globs that I encountered.  Before I starting watching my cholesterol intake, that would have been my favorite thing to eat off the roast, but not this time - I did a good job of removing it all and discarded it in the trash.  I squeezed the garlic out of the cloves and mashed it with a fork.

I mixed this all in with the beef, covered it and then let it sit on "warm" for an hour longer.  First tastes made me very happy!  It was delicious and the house smelled great.  I did think 1/4 cup of the sugar would have been enough, or less, or none - I wasn't a fan without some spice to balance it!  I found it too sweet though the beer tasted really good.  I was pleasantly surprised.

I decided to strain it and keep the liquid for "Au jus".  Then I thought I should cool the broth down in the fridge and remove any hardened fat before I served, which I did.  Can I just say that I am soooo glad I did that?

I was shocked when I broke through and saw how deep the fat was on top.  So much fat was hardened (75%?) and I only got 2 ramekins of broth after I took it off!  I reheated the beef in a small covered saucepan on low, and then the broth in the microwave.

I made mine pretty simply, just a wee bit of unsalted butter on the bun and then the beef seasoned with a little S&P.  I served a side spring green salad, a ramekin of Au jus and that was my easy Friday night dinner.  Besides the sweetness, it turned out really well.  I went back and put some Dijon mustard on my bun.  Then it was perfect.