Slow Cooker Pot Roast Sandwiches with Swiss Cheese & Thyme Au Jus

Is it just me or has the late Thanksgiving just thrown everything off kilter?  I feel like Christmas is just around the corner, and I’m starting to panic a bit (and I’m not a panicking kind of person).  To add to my already full plate, wrestling season is now in full swing for my son and weekend speech team meets for my daughter, multiple concerts, parties….ahhhhh!!!

Well when the going gets tough around these parts, it makes me love my slow cooker even more.  Having a meal essentially ready for everyone when I get home and before the evening activities start is a blessing.  And this recipe in particular…oh my.  I’ve been meaning to share it with you since forever because it is indescribably delicious.

So let’s get going with the game plan, shall we?  The night before, whip up this magical fantastic sauce, which I can pretty much guarantee you have all these ingredients in your pantry.

Then chop up some carrots and slice a little onions.  Refrigerate everything and go to bed!

The next morning, things could not be easier.  Just throw the veggies and the magical sauce into your slow cooker, season your pot roast and place on top, set your cooker for 7-8 hours and go about your day.  When you return home, you will be met by an aroma so seductive, you’ll want to dive right into that meat!  But wait, because it gets better.

After you remove and shred the meat and strain the sauce, now get out a few pieces of Texas toast and spread with a little horseradish mayo:

Top with some of that delish pot roast and a slice of Swiss cheese like this:

Then run them under the broiler till the cheese is all hot and melty and serve with that wicked good thyme au jus.  Seriously, you’ll need a moment or two alone with this meal.  Added bonus: if you have hungry teens in the house and you serve this to them, they will love you so much, they might even offer to do the dishes.  That’s how good it is.

So with twenty-three shopping days till Christmas, I best be getting to the mall now.  Here’s to panic-free and stress-free cooking in the weeks to come.  I need it!

For the Roast:

2 medium or 1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, chopped

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 TBS dried thyme OR 1 large bunch fresh thyme

2 TBS tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 boneless chuck roast, about 3-4 pounds

Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper

For the Sandwich:

 1 cup mayonnaise

2 TBS prepared horseradish

8 slices Texas toast, toasted

8 slices Swiss cheese

In a 4-6 qt. slow cooker, combine carrots, sliced onions, broth, Worcestershire, Dijon mustard, thyme, tomato paste and bay leaf. Season roast with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place on top of the vegetables.  Cover and cook on low heat 6-7 hours or on high 4-5 hours.

Transfer meat to a large bowl or rimmed cutting board and shred with two forks, adding a few TBS of the cooking liquid to moisten.  Set aside.  Strain vegetables out of liquid and transfer the au jus to small saucepan; keep warm over low heat (discard solids).

Preheat broiler and place rack to about 6-8 inches away from heating element.

Toast the bread and place on a sheet pan.  Combine the horseradish and mayo and spread a thin layer on each slice of toast.  Top each piece of toast with some of the shredded meat.  Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese.  Broil until cheese melts, about two minutes.  Serve sandwiches with the warm au jus.

Serves 8