When the weather turns sharp and the light fades a little earlier, a simple slow cooker supper has a way of making the whole house feel settled. This 3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Autumn Welcome leans on the deep flavor of a beef round tip roast, letting time do the work until the meat becomes tender enough to pull apart with a fork. It is the sort of plain, dependable meal that suits Midwestern kitchens so well: modest ingredients, patient cooking, and a supper that tastes like you fussed far more than you did.
Spoon this rich shredded beef over mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or a pile of fluffy rice to catch every bit of the savory cooking juices. For a true cool-weather table, add green beans, glazed carrots, roasted squash, or a simple cabbage slaw on the side. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of bread are welcome too, especially for mopping up that dark broth.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Autumn Welcome
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 raw beef round tip roast, about 3 to 4 pounds
1 packet dry onion soup mix, about 1 ounce
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, about 10 1/2 ounces
Directions
1. Place the beef round tip roast in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the top, then spread the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the roast as evenly as you can.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the roast is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
3. Remove the lid and shred the beef right in the slow cooker with two forks, mixing it into the juices and softened onions from the soup mix.
4. Let the shredded beef sit in the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes so it can soak up even more flavor, then serve hot.
Variations & Tips
For a deeper gravy: If you like a looser, more spoonable sauce, stir in 1/2 cup water or low-sodium beef broth during the last hour of cooking. That gives you more gravy for potatoes or noodles without thinning the flavor too much.
For easier slicing instead of shredding: Cook the roast just until fork-tender, then lift it out carefully and slice it across the grain before returning it to the juices. That makes for a tidier Sunday-supper style plate.
For a fuller autumn meal: Tuck in peeled carrots or small potatoes around the roast if you do not mind going beyond the strict three-ingredient idea. They will cook down in the savory juices and turn this into a complete one-pot supper.
For best texture: Round tip roast is fairly lean, so keeping the slow cooker on low is the kinder way to cook it. High heat can make a lean roast tighten up before it has time to soften properly.
For leftovers: This beef reheats beautifully the next day. Pile it onto toasted sandwich rolls, spoon it over baked potatoes, or stir it into hot buttered noodles for another easy meal.