There is something mighty comforting about letting a slow cooker do the lion’s share of supper, especially toward the tail end of summer when the evenings are too pretty to spend hovering over the stove. This 5-ingredient beef rib roast is the kind of hearty patio dinner that feels a little special without asking much from the cook: just a good roast, a few pantry staples, and a long, gentle cook that turns everything rich, savory, and spoon-tender. It has that old-fashioned Sunday-dinner spirit, only made easier for busy modern days.
Serve this roast with simple sides that do not compete with its deep, beefy flavor, such as buttered baby potatoes, sweet corn, green beans, or a crisp garden tomato salad. A slice of crusty bread is handy for soaking up the cooking juices, and if you are stretching the meal for company, a bowl of creamy coleslaw or a platter of grilled late-summer vegetables fits right in beside it.
5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Beef Rib Roast Patio Dinner
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 raw beef rib roast, about 4 to 5 pounds
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 cup prepared steak sauce
Directions
1. Pat the beef rib roast dry with paper towels, then season it all over with the kosher salt and black pepper.
2. Scatter the sliced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker to make a bed, then set the roast on top.
3. Pour the steak sauce over the top of the roast, covering as much of the surface as you can.
4. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or until the beef is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
5. Transfer the roast to a platter, spoon some of the onions and juices over the top, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing or pulling into large pieces for serving.
Variations & Tips
Make it sweeter: If you like a little backyard-barbecue flavor, stir a spoonful of brown sugar into the steak sauce before pouring it over the roast. It will mellow the sharpness and help the outside turn especially glossy.
Add garlic: A few smashed garlic cloves tucked around the onion bed bring extra depth without changing the easy nature of the recipe. It is a small touch, but one that makes the whole house smell wonderful by suppertime.
For cleaner slices: If you want neat slices instead of a fall-apart roast, check for doneness closer to the 7-hour mark and rest the meat well before carving. If your family prefers it spoon-tender, let it go the full cooking time and serve it in hearty chunks.
Use the juices: Do not waste the liquid in the cooker. Skim off excess fat if you like, then spoon the juices over potatoes, bread, or even cooked noodles. Those savory drippings are half the pleasure of a supper like this.
Plan ahead: Leftover roast makes fine sandwiches the next day. Pile it onto toasted rolls with a little extra warmed sauce and some of the onions, and you will have an easy second meal that tastes every bit as satisfying.