This slow cooker Amish-style honey beef roast is the kind of simple, honest supper that has fed farm families for generations. Just four ingredients, including a good beef chuck roast and raw honey, go straight into the slow cooker for a hearty dinner that everyone asks for. The method is as old-fashioned as it gets: place the raw roast in the crock, drizzle it with raw honey, add two more pantry staples, and let time and low heat work their magic. It reminds me of Sunday afternoons on the farm, when the house slowly filled with the smell of beef and sweetness while we were out doing chores.
Serve this tender honey beef roast sliced or shredded with its juices spooned over the top. It’s lovely alongside buttery mashed potatoes or egg noodles to catch the sweet-savory gravy, with simple sides like buttered corn, green beans, or a crunchy coleslaw. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of country bread are perfect for sopping up the juices, and a crisp green salad balances the richness for a complete Midwestern-style family meal.
Slow Cooker Amish Honey Beef RoastServings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast
1/2 cup raw honey
1 cup beef broth
1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
Directions
Place the slow cooker crock on a stable surface, such as a beige laminate countertop. Set the raw beef chuck roast into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Drizzle the raw honey slowly and evenly over the top and sides of the raw beef chuck roast, letting it run down into the bottom of the crock.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the honey-coated roast.
Pour the beef broth around the sides of the roast in the slow cooker, trying not to wash the honey and soup mix off the top of the meat.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Once cooked, carefully remove the roast to a cutting board. Skim excess fat from the top of the cooking juices in the slow cooker, if desired.
Slice or shred the beef, then return it to the slow cooker and gently stir to coat with the honey-beef juices. Let it sit on WARM for about 10 minutes so the flavors soak in.
Serve the honey beef roast hot, spooning some of the cooking juices over each portion.
Variations & Tips
For a slightly less sweet roast, reduce the raw honey to 1/3 cup and add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar along with the broth for a gentle tang. If you’d like more vegetables in the pot, tuck thick chunks of carrot and wedges of onion around the roast before drizzling on the honey; keep in mind this will add moisture, so do not increase the broth. For a creamier gravy, after the roast is done, remove the meat and whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, then stir this slurry into the hot cooking juices and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened before returning the meat. You can also use a low-sodium beef broth and a reduced-sodium onion soup mix if you’re watching salt. Always keep the roast refrigerated until you’re ready to cook, and do not leave raw meat sitting out on the counter. Make sure your slow cooker is set to the proper temperature and cook the roast until it is fall-apart tender; beef should reach at least 145°F internally, though chuck roast is best when cooked well above that for tenderness. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and reheat thoroughly before serving. If you choose to use unpasteurized raw honey, be aware it is not recommended for infants under one year of age, though it is safe for cooking in this recipe since it will be heated for many hours.
