Spoon orange marmalade over beef shoulder roast, alongside 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a glazed dinner that's always a yes in my house

This slow cooker orange marmalade beef roast is the kind of no-fuss supper that has earned a permanent place in my old recipe box. It leans on just five ingredients and a trusty slow cooker, with one simple, homey gesture at the heart of it: spooning sweet, sticky orange marmalade over a raw beef shoulder roast and letting time do the rest. It reminds me of the pot roasts my mother made on the farm, but with a bright citrus glaze that feels a little special without being fancy. Everything goes right into the slow cooker together, and by dinnertime you have a tender, glazed roast that always gets a yes at my table.

I like to serve this orange-glazed beef roast with buttery mashed potatoes or simple boiled potatoes, spooning plenty of the sweet-savory juices over the top. A pan of roasted carrots or green beans, or even a bag of frozen mixed vegetables warmed in a little butter, fits right in alongside it. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of country bread are wonderful for mopping up the extra sauce, and if you like a little contrast, a crisp green salad with a tangy vinaigrette balances the richness nicely.

Servings: 6

3 to 3 1/2 pounds beef shoulder roast

Place the sliced onion in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. This gives the roast a little bed to sit on and adds sweetness to the juices.

Set the beef shoulder roast on top of the onions. If there is a thicker fat cap on one side, place that side facing up so it can baste the meat as it cooks.

In a small bowl, stir together the beef broth and soy sauce until well combined.

Pour the broth and soy sauce mixture around the beef roast in the slow cooker, letting it settle down among the onions but not rinsing off the top of the meat.

Spoon the orange marmalade over the top of the raw beef shoulder roast, using the back of the spoon to spread it into an even layer that coats as much of the surface as you can. It is fine if some of the marmalade drips down the sides into the liquid.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.

Once the roast is done, taste the cooking liquid and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding a pinch of salt or a splash more soy sauce to deepen the flavor.

Transfer the beef shoulder roast to a serving platter. Gently spoon some of the orange marmalade glaze and onions from the slow cooker over the top of the meat.

Slice or shred the roast, discarding any large pieces of fat, and serve hot with more of the sweet-savory orange juices spooned over each portion.

If you like a little heat with your sweet, stir 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes into the orange marmalade before spooning it over the roast. For a more old-fashioned pot roast feel, tuck 3 to 4 peeled carrots (cut into chunks) around the beef shoulder roast along with the onions; they will soak up the orange glaze as they cook. You can also swap the soy sauce for Worcestershire sauce for a more traditional Midwestern flavor. If your marmalade is very thick, warm it in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds so it spreads more easily over the raw beef. To make a slightly thicker gravy, remove the cooked roast and set the slow cooker to HIGH, then whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir it into the hot juices, cooking until lightly thickened. Leftover meat reheats well and makes wonderful sandwiches on soft rolls, with a little extra marmalade glaze spooned on as a spread.