My grandma swore by this 5-ingredient meal for her weekly gatherings when the weather was still chilly. The meat falls apart completely and makes the whole house smell incredible.

When the wind still has a bite and the fields look a little gray, this 5-ingredient slow cooker pot roast is exactly what I turn to. My grandma served a version of this every Sunday when the weather was chilly and cousins crowded around her old oak table. It’s the kind of meal that perfumes the whole house for hours, with beef so tender it practically stirs itself into shreds and carrots that soak up all that rich, dark gravy. With just a handful of simple pantry staples, you can tuck everything into the slow cooker in the morning and let time and gentle heat do the rest, just like she did.

I like to spoon this falling-apart pot roast and its dark gravy over a big mound of creamy mashed potatoes, the kind you whip with plenty of butter and a splash of milk. Buttered egg noodles or plain white rice are also good, especially if you want to stretch the meal to feed a crowd. Add a simple green side—steamed green beans, a tossed salad, or even just sliced cucumbers in vinegar—to balance the richness. A basket of warm dinner rolls or crusty bread is perfect for sopping up the last of that gravy in the bottom of the bowl.

Servings: 6

3 to 3 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast

Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and trim any thick, hard pieces of fat from the outside, leaving some marbling for flavor.

Lay the carrots in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. They will act as a bed for the meat and soak up the juices.

Place the chuck roast on top of the carrots in the slow cooker.

In a bowl, whisk together the dry onion soup mix, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth until mostly smooth. It will be thick and creamy.

Pour the mixture evenly over the roast and carrots, making sure the top of the meat is well coated.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until the roast is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork. (For a quicker version, cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, but low and slow gives the most tender result.)

Once the roast is done, use two forks to gently pull the meat into large shreds right in the slow cooker, mixing it into the rich gravy and carrots.

Taste the gravy and add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed, keeping in mind the onion soup mix is already seasoned.

Serve the shredded pot roast and carrots in a vintage-style serving bowl or deep platter, spooning plenty of the dark, rich gravy over the top so it pools around the tender meat.

If you like potatoes cooked right in with the roast, you can tuck a few whole small red or Yukon gold potatoes around the meat, but know that will take you beyond the 5 base ingredients. For a deeper flavor, brown the chuck roast in a hot skillet with a little oil for 3 to 4 minutes per side before placing it in the slow cooker; Grandma didn’t always bother, but it does add a nice richness. You can also swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of chicken if that’s what you have on hand, though the flavor will be slightly different. If you prefer a thicker gravy, ladle a cup of the cooking liquid into a small saucepan, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch, simmer until thick, then stir it back into the slow cooker. Leftovers reheat beautifully and can be turned into open-faced hot beef sandwiches the next day, spooned over toast with extra gravy and served with whatever vegetables are lingering in your crisper.