This slow cooker red wine braised beef roast is the kind of dish that quietly steals the show on a holiday table, even next to the turkey and ham. It reminds me of the church potlucks I grew up with here in the Midwest, where someone would always bring a simple beef roast that vanished before anything else. The beauty of this recipe is that you just nestle a beef sirloin roast into your slow cooker, pour red wine right over the top, tuck in a few sturdy vegetables and aromatics, and let time do the work. With only six ingredients and almost no fuss, you end up with an elegant, deeply flavored roast that tastes like you fussed all day, even though the slow cooker did the heavy lifting.
Serve thick slices of the red wine braised beef roast with its juices spooned generously over mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles, the way we do on Sunday evenings. A simple side of green beans, roasted carrots, or a crisp green salad balances the richness nicely. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are perfect for soaking up every drop of the winey pan juices. For a special holiday meal, pair it with a dry red wine—the same kind you cooked with—and maybe a dish of glazed carrots or scalloped potatoes to round out the plate.
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Beef Sirloin RoastServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 3 1/2 pounds beef sirloin roast, trimmed
1 1/2 cups dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Place the beef sirloin roast in the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, setting it so the smoothest side faces up. This is the moment that reminds me of watching my mother settle a Sunday roast into her old crock, knowing supper was as good as done.
Scatter the sliced onion and crushed garlic around and on top of the roast. They’ll melt down during cooking and give the wine and beef a gentle, savory sweetness.
Sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper evenly over the top and sides of the roast. Don’t be shy here—this is your main seasoning and will flavor both the meat and the cooking juices.
Slowly pour the red wine over the beef sirloin roast, letting it wash over the top and run down into the bottom of the slow cooker. You should see the roast nestled in a shallow pool of wine with the onions and garlic tucked around it, just like that close-up shot of hands pouring wine over raw beef on a clean tile counter.
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 can be pulled apart easily with a fork. Every time you lift the lid, remember that each extra peek adds a little more time to the cook, so try to be patient.
When the roast is done, carefully transfer it to a serving platter, using two large forks or a slotted spatula to keep it from breaking apart. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm while you finish the juices.
Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Taste the juices and adjust the seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed. You can serve the juices just as they are, or let them simmer uncovered on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce slightly and deepen in flavor.
Slice or gently pull the beef into large chunks and arrange on the platter. Spoon some of the warm red wine and onion juices over the top and serve the rest alongside in a small pitcher or bowl so everyone can help themselves at the table.
Variations & Tips
If you’d like a more traditional pot roast feel, tuck 4 to 5 peeled carrots (cut into large chunks) and 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of halved baby potatoes around the roast before you pour in the wine; just know this will add ingredients beyond the basic six and make it more of a full one-pot meal. For a slightly richer sauce, whisk 1 tablespoon of tomato paste into the wine before pouring it over the beef, or add 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce for a deeper, savory note. If you prefer a thicker gravy instead of a brothy jus, ladle 2 cups of the hot cooking liquid into a saucepan, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water, and simmer until glossy and thickened, then serve over the sliced roast. You can also swap the sirloin roast for a chuck roast or arm roast if that’s what’s on sale; they’ll be a bit fattier but wonderfully tender. Leftovers reheat beautifully and make excellent shredded beef sandwiches the next day, especially piled onto toasted buns with a spoonful of the warmed wine juices.
