This slow cooker Amish-style allspice beef is the kind of practical, deeply comforting roast that turns a short ingredient list into a rich Sunday-supper meal. The warm, slightly sweet note of allspice is a traditional pantry flavor in many old-fashioned Midwestern and Pennsylvania Dutch-inspired kitchens, and here it gives beef an especially cozy aroma as it cooks low and slow until fork-tender.
Serve this roast with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or simple boiled potatoes to catch the savory juices. It also pairs nicely with glazed carrots, green beans, braised cabbage, or a crisp cucumber salad if you want something cool and bright alongside the warm spices.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Amish Allspice Beef
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 to 4 pound beef English roast
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 packet onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Directions
1. Pat the English roast dry with paper towels and place it in the slow cooker. Rub the ground allspice all over the surface of the beef so it is evenly coated.
2. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the roast, then add the brown sugar and pour the beef broth around and partly over the meat.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender and easy to pull apart with a fork.
4. Transfer the roast to a platter, slice or shred as desired, and spoon some of the cooking juices over the top before serving.
Variations & Tips
Add onions: If you want a fuller pot-roast feel, scatter 1 sliced onion under and around the roast before cooking. The onions soften into the broth and make the sauce taste even richer.
Thicken the juices: For more of a gravy, remove the cooked beef, then whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with a little cold water and stir it into the hot liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
Use the right cut: English roast, chuck roast, or another well-marbled braising cut works best here. Lean roasts can dry out, while a fattier cut becomes tender and flavorful during the long cooking time.
Balance the spice: Allspice is what makes this dish distinctive, but it should read as warm and aromatic rather than overpowering. If your tablespoon seems heaped, level it off for a gentler flavor.
Make leftovers count: Leftover beef is excellent spooned over noodles, tucked into sandwich rolls, or mixed with extra pan juices for open-faced hot beef sandwiches the next day.