Pour this 1 mixture over raw beef coulotte into a slow cooker for a hearty dinner that hits different every single time

Out here in the country, a slow cooker supper like this red wine thyme beef is the kind of meal that quietly works its magic while you go about your day. It reminds me of the roasts my mother used to tuck into the oven on Sunday mornings before church, only now we let the slow cooker do the steady work. The whole idea is simple: you stir together one fragrant mixture of dry red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, minced shallots, and fresh thyme, then pour it straight over a raw beef coulotte roast in the slow cooker. By suppertime, the house smells like a cozy Midwestern pot roast dinner, but the red wine and thyme give it a little something special that feels new every time you make it.

Serve this slow cooker red wine thyme beef sliced or shredded, spooning plenty of the rich cooking juices over the top. It’s wonderful over buttery mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or a bed of simple buttered rice. Add a side of green beans, roasted carrots, or a crisp green salad to balance the richness. A warm dinner roll or a slice of crusty bread is handy for soaking up every last bit of that savory sauce, and if you enjoy wine, a small glass of the same dry red you used in the pot makes a lovely pairing.

Servings: 6

1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) beef coulotte roast, trimmed but with a thin fat cap left on

6 to 8 fresh thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon cold water (optional, for thickening sauce)

Pat the beef coulotte roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle it all over with about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon of the black pepper. Let it rest on the counter while you prepare the red wine mixture.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the dry red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and minced shallots until the tomato paste is mostly dissolved. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir again. This is your one mixture that will flavor the beef from top to bottom.

Optional but nice for extra flavor: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef coulotte roast for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. This step adds a deeper flavor but can be skipped if you’re short on time.

Lay the raw beef coulotte roast in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, fat side up. If you seared it, transfer it directly from the skillet to the slow cooker.

Tuck the fresh thyme sprigs around and on top of the roast in the slow cooker.

Slowly pour the entire red wine mixture over the raw beef coulotte roast in the slow cooker, letting it run over the top and down the sides so the meat is mostly surrounded by liquid. The thyme sprigs can float in the liquid or rest on top of the roast.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. Every slow cooker runs a bit differently, so start checking toward the earlier end of the time range.

When the beef is done, carefully lift it out onto a cutting board, using two spatulas or forks to keep it from falling apart too much. Tent it loosely with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing or shredding.

While the beef rests, remove and discard the woody thyme sprigs from the cooking liquid. If you’d like a thicker sauce, ladle about 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. In a cup, stir together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then whisk this slurry into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring, until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Slice the beef coulotte roast across the grain into thick slices, or shred it into large, tender chunks with two forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker or to a serving platter and spoon some of the red wine thyme sauce over the top to keep it moist and flavorful.

Serve the beef hot, passing extra sauce at the table so everyone can pour a little more over their meat, potatoes, or noodles. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions with some of the sauce for a future easy supper.

This basic method of pouring one flavorful mixture over a coulotte roast in the slow cooker leaves plenty of room to make it your own, so it really can hit a little different every time. For a heartier, stew-like meal, scatter 3 to 4 cups of chunked carrots and potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker before adding the roast and wine mixture; they’ll soak up all that flavor as they cook. If you don’t have shallots on hand, use 1/2 cup of finely chopped yellow onion instead and maybe a small clove of garlic, minced. You can swap the fresh thyme for 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves in a pinch, or mix in a pinch of dried rosemary for a woodsy note. For a richer, almost gravy-like sauce, stir in a tablespoon of cold butter at the very end, just off the heat. If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, replace the red wine with additional beef stock plus 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar for a bit of tang. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches piled onto crusty rolls with a slice of provolone, or they can be tucked into baked potatoes for a second easy dinner later in the week.