Description
This Slow Cooker Picadillo Pot Roast is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring a tender 3-pound chuck roast slow-cooked with a vibrant mix of olives, tomatoes, bell peppers, and authentic Mexican seasonings. The long, gentle cooking process melds all the flavors beautifully, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat paired perfectly with a savory tomato-based sauce. Ideal for a comforting family dinner served over steamed white rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 (3-pound) chuck roast
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning the roast
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the roast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 cup manzanilla olives (pimento), sliced in half
- 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings & Liquids
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon sofrito
- 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Season the Roast: Generously season both sides of the chuck roast with salt and black pepper, allowing the flavors to penetrate the meat while you prepare other ingredients.
- Brown the Meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chuck roast on each side for about 5 minutes until a rich, golden-brown crust forms. This step locks in flavor and gives depth to the final dish. Remove the roast and set aside.
- Prepare the Slow Cooker Base: In the slow cooker, combine the manzanilla olives, tomato sauce, chopped Roma tomatoes, diced carrots, onion, green and red bell peppers, minced garlic, sofrito, Mexican oregano, adobo seasoning, ground cumin, and beef broth. Stir well to mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
- Add the Roast to Slow Cooker: Place the browned chuck roast on top of the vegetable and sauce mixture in the slow cooker, then cover with the lid to trap all the flavors.
- Slow Cook: Cook on low heat for 8 hours until the meat becomes tender and easily pierced with a fork. During this long cook, the roast absorbs all the savory flavors from the vegetables and seasonings.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the pot roast hot, ideally with steamed white rice. Optionally, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro for a vibrant, fresh touch.
Notes
- Sofrito is a blend of sautéed aromatic ingredients, often including peppers, onions, and garlic; it adds depth of flavor to this dish. Premade versions are available in stores or can be homemade.
- For a thicker sauce, remove the roast at the end of cooking and simmer the remaining sauce on the stovetop to reduce it to desired consistency.
- You can double this recipe if you have a large slow cooker and would like leftovers for the week.
- If manzanilla olives are unavailable, substitute with green olives to maintain the briny flavor profile.
Keywords: Picadillo, Pot Roast, Slow Cooker, Mexican, Beef Roast, Comfort Food, Slow Cooked Beef, Sofrito