April Showers Supper: Only 5 ingredients. I make it when I want a comforting dinner handled completely hours ahead of time.

This 5-ingredient slow cooker April supper is the kind of comforting, hands-off dinner I lean on when the weather can’t decide what it’s doing. It’s just chunks of hearty, fibrous beef simmered for hours in a rich, dark amber sauce until it’s glossy and tender enough to pull apart with a fork. Everything goes into the slow cooker earlier in the day, and by dinnertime the house smells cozy and dinner is already handled. It’s not fancy, just good, simple Midwestern comfort food that feels right on a rainy evening.

Serve the saucy beef spooned over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed rice so all that glossy dark gravy has something to soak into. Add a simple green side like steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or a tossed salad to freshen things up. Warm dinner rolls or buttered toast are great for swiping through the slow cooker at the end to catch every last bit of sauce.

Servings: 6

3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks (about 2-inch pieces)

Place the onion wedges in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This gives the meat a little lift and lets the sauce bubble around everything.

Add the beef chuck chunks on top of the onions, spreading them out so they are mostly in a single layer but still snug in the slow cooker.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, thick teriyaki or steak sauce, and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is glossy and deep amber in color.

Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the beef and onions, making sure all the pieces of meat are coated. Use a spoon to gently turn a few pieces if needed so every chunk gets some of that dark sauce.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay in.

Once the beef is tender, use a large spoon to skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce if needed. Then gently stir the beef in the slow cooker, breaking it into large, fibrous chunks so each piece is well coated in the thick, glossy sauce.

Taste a bit of the sauce and add a splash of water or a spoonful of broth if it’s thicker than you like, or let it cook uncovered on HIGH for another 15 to 20 minutes if you want it even more reduced and sticky. Serve the saucy beef hot, spooned over your favorite base with extra sauce ladled on top.

For picky eaters, you can cut the beef into slightly smaller chunks so it’s easier for little ones to manage, and serve it over buttered noodles, which usually feels familiar and friendly. If you prefer chicken, swap the beef for boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds) and reduce the cook time to 4 to 5 hours on LOW or 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours on HIGH, watching for tenderness. To lean things out a bit, trim extra fat from the chuck roast before cutting it into chunks, and be sure to skim the sauce at the end. For a bit of heat, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of your favorite hot sauce with the broth and teriyaki. If your family likes a creamier sauce, whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir that into the slow cooker during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking on HIGH to thicken the glaze even more. Leftovers reheat beautifully; I like to pile the saucy beef onto toasted rolls with sliced pickles for easy next-day sandwiches.