Name: Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Roast Beef
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 490 min
Ingredients: 3 lb beef chuck roast; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; salt & pepper; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup flour; 1 small onion (diced (optional)); 3-4 cloves garlic (minced); 2 bay leaves; 1 can condensed beefy mushroom soup; dash salt & pepper; 2 tbsp cornstarch (+ 1 1/2 tbsp water)

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Copy cat Cracker Barrel roast beef lets you enjoy the classic restaurant dish at home. This tender pot roast is full of flavor and smothered in a rich gravy you’ll love. The perfect comfort food for Sunday night dinners!

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One of our favorite places to go for dinner is Cracker Barrel.

There’s nothing like the down home favorites they serve.

But going to Cracker Barrel is expensive and often involves a long wait time.

So why not make a copy cat version of their classic roast beef to enjoy at home for a fraction of the price?

The taste is spot on and the prep is so easy.

You’ll be adding this to your Sunday night dinner rotation for sure!

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Chuck roast – Look for one that’s about 3 pounds. Can’t find chuck roast? You could try bottom round instead.
Seasonings – A touch of garlic powder, bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
Olive oil – You could use another light oil to sear the roast but make sure it has a high smoke point.
Flour – All purpose flour to coat the beef.
Aromatics – A small diced onion and minced garlic.
Condensed beefy mushroom soup – This forms the base of the gravy.
Cornstarch and water– To make a slurry to thicken the gravy.

How to Make

Making this is easier than getting the family in the car and heading to Cracker Barrel, thanks to the Crock Pot.

To make it, start by rinsing the roast, and then pat it dry with paper towels.

Once you’ve patted it dry, liberally season the roast with salt and pepper, along with the 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Then, add the flour to a flat plate, and lay the roast in it.

Turn the roast, pressing each side into the flour so that the flour coats it evenly. Set it aside.

Now, add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium high heat.

When the oil’s hot, add the roast and quickly sear it on each side.

After you’ve seared the roast, transfer it to the bowl of your crockpot.

Then, add the onions to the hot skillet, and cook them for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer the onions and skillet juices to the slow cooker.

Add the garlic and bay leaves to the slow cooker and then pour in the can of condensed beefy mushroom soup.

Season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Put the lid on your crock pot and cook the roast on low for 8-10 hours.

When it’s done, carefully remove the roast to a waiting cutting board and shred the meat.

Tent the meat with foil so that it stays warm.

Then, whisk together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry in a small bowl.

Pour this into the juice in the crockpot to form a gravy. Return the lid and set the heat to high.

Cook the mixture for 10 more minutes to let the gravy thicken.

Finish by returning the meat to the pot and gently tossing it in the gravy to coat.

Serve and enjoy!

Storing leftovers

While this is delicious the day of, part of the appeal to pot roast is the leftovers.

This will store well covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

The leftovers make excellent sandwiches.

I love it in an open face roast beef sandwich, just like the one Cracker Barrel serves.

Tips and tricks

Washing the meat isn’t essential. I know there’s a great debate on to wash vs not to wash. That ultimately comes down to personal preference, but patting the meat dry is necessary so that the seasonings and flour coating all adhere well.
There IS enough liquid with just one can of soup as the juices the meat releases during cooking do the rest.
This is fantastic served with a side of mashed potatoes.

Other Copy Cat Cracker Barrel Recipes

We love this copy cat Cracker Barrel roast beef.

It tastes just like the restaurant version for a fraction of the cost of heading there for dinner.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other copy cat Cracker Barrel recipes?

Try these:

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