For Flavorful Pot Roast, Use This Tangy Addition That's Already In Your Kitchen

Pot roast is one of those classic dishes many home cooks keep in their dinner rotation. A traditional recipe is often made by slow cooking a beef roast with aromatics like garlic and onion along with potatoes, carrots, and seasonings. Tomato paste and red wine sometimes play a role as well, but really there are dozens of ways to add additional flavor. What many may not realize is that adding pickles to your pot roast creates a delicious, unique, and memorable dish.

The idea of introducing pickles to beef isn't completely unfamiliar. For example, the Chicago favorite, Italian beef sandwiches, involves cooking beef roast with tangy pepperoncinis or giardiniera (you can make a tasty vinaigrette with the latter). German roulade are basically meat rolls enlivened with pickles, mustard, and onion. Pickles work well in pot roast because the briny, sour pickles complement the rich, fatty beef and give an interesting contrast to the savory meat and vegetables which will also pick up the flavor of the tangy pickle juice. 

At the same time, the pickle flavor doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the beef. Whether you chop your pickles up or leave them whole (either way is fine), they usually retain their shape while cooking and can be served right along with the beef. To prepare, add your meat (chuck roast is the best choice) to a slow cooker with an entire jar of pickles (brine included), some salt and pepper, and any other flavorings or vegetables you wish to add.

When it comes to the type of pickles to use for this type of pot roast, anything you have in your fridge or pantry should work. Whether that's whole pickles, spears, hamburger pickle chips, or cornichons. You'll want to use sour pickles as opposed to something sweet like bread and butter pickles, since the tang is what makes a dish like this stand out. Don't be afraid to add the pickle juice as well, which will add moisture and flavor.

Seasoning packets are excellent for including in slow cooker pot roast recipes. Some good choices are a standard brown gravy mix, onion soup mix, and salad dressing or dip mix packets like Italian and Ranch. To play up the dill flavor, use a ranch flavor with added dill, like Hidden Valley Creamy Dill Ranch, or simply add some fresh or dried dill into the crock pot. To introduce some heat, use spicy pickles or substitute in pickled jalapenos or other similar peppers.

Pot roast made with pickles is excellent sliced or shredded and served with mashed potatoes. You can also serve this meat inside sandwich rolls smeared with horseradish sauce, cheese, and more sliced pickles, of course.