Dinner Tonight: Southwest Beef Pot Roast

Sometimes good recipes come from the unlikeliest places – like the wrapper on a hunk of meat, for instance.

I peeled the wrapper of this pot roast off looking for instructions on cooking time, expecting to just toss it into the crock pot with some carrots and potatoes.

What I discovered is the pot roast speaks my love language: salsa & black beans.

The online version of the recipe indicates the prep time is ten minutes, and they aren’t kidding. This is one of the quickest and easiest dinners I’ve put together so far this winter – this one probably being THE fastest.

And if you think it looks good —

You should really try tasting it.

Here’s the recipe:

Southwest Beef Pot Roast

– 1 beef bottom round roast (3 to 4 pounds)
– 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
– 2 teaspoons ground cumin
– 1 jar (16 ounces) prepared thick-and-chunky salsa
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon pepper
– 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained
– 1-1/2 cups frozen corn, optional

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot. Press cumin evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast. Place roast in stockpot; brown evenly. Pour off drippings.
2. Season roast with salt and pepper; add salsa. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2-1/2 to 3-1/4 hours or until roast is fork-tender.
3. Remove roast; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Stir in beans and corn, if desired; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is slightly thickened.
4. Carve roast into thin slices. Serve with bean mixture.

The only alterations I made was to add a can of green chilies (because no meal is complete without them), and replace the corn with an extra can of beans (because we like our beans).

Now that I think about it, 95% of what I make involves green chilies and black beans. THAT’s a rut I can get into!