Pot Roast with Butternut Squash and Dried Plums

Pot Roast with Butternut Squash and Dried Plums is a slow roasted dinner that’s just as comforting as it is delicious. It’s a wonderful choice for a homemade Sunday supper, and it makes the BEST leftovers the next day! I also share instructions for both using a slow cooker and oven roasting, so you can use your preferred method.

Pot Roast with Butternut Squash and Dried Plums

Comforting, flavorful, and so tender is nearly falls apart when pierced with a fork… Those are just a few ways to describe this incredibly hearty dinner! Ideal for both fancy dinner parties and Sunday night dinner with the family, this slow roasted pot roast with butternut squash and dried plums is a celebration of sweet and savory flavors. The way that the sweet dried plums compliment the savory roast is mouthwatering!

Cooking a pot roast low and slow is really the only proper way to do it. The slow cooker method (whether you use a slow cooker or your oven) makes the meat incredibly tender and it practically melts in your mouth. When that tender consistency is combined with the complexity of perfectly balanced sweet and savory flavors, dinner goes from really good to absolutely unforgettable. Trust me – my family never forgets to ask for this pot roast for dinner.

I know that butternut squash and dried plums may seem like unusual additions to a pot roast, but I promise you’ll crave them with every roast you have after this! The butternut squash is delightfully tender and melts in your mouth alongside the meat. As for the plums, they provide a touch of natural sweetness that is complimentary and not at all overwhelming. Plus, if you have picky eaters at the table, they can easily pick around what they don’t like!

How to Make It

Prepare. Preheat oven to 350°F, or prepare your slow cooker.

Sear the meat. In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over med-high heat. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper. Add the roast to the pan and sear until golden brown, approximately 6-7 minutes. Turn the roast over and repeat searing until all sides are golden brown. Remove the roast from the pot and set aside.

Make it flavorful! Add the celery and onions to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in the red pepper and garlic cooking for one minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it becomes a deep burgundy color. Add the red wine and vinegar to the pan to deglaze scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove the brown bits. Stir in the cinnamon.

Cook it in the slow cooker. For the slow cooker, add the beef to the slow cooker at this point and pour the onion mixture over it. Add the bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and sage to the slow cooker. Add the beef stock. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. When the roast has one hour left, add the squash and plums. Cook for one more hour and then transfer to the roast to a platter to slice. Serve with the squash, plums and sauce.

Slow roast it in the oven. For the oven, add the roast back to the pan. Tie the herbs together with kitchen twine and add to the pot. Add the beef stock and cover. Transfer the pot to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Check the liquid level and add 1/2 cup of stock if needed (if the roast is less than half covered, add stock). Replace the lid and cook for another hour. Add the squash and plums (and more stock if needed). Cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 30 more minutes.

Enjoy! Transfer the roast to a serving platter and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the squash, plums and sauce.

Can I use raisins instead of dried plums?

Here’s the deal. When I first tried my hand at this recipe, I used raisins instead of dried plums, and guess what? They dissolved into nothingness! Dried plums are the best choice for this recipe since they’re large and sturdy, so they maintain their shape while they slowly cook.

What should I serve this pot roast with?

There’s really only one correct answer, and that’s Mashed Potatoes! Mashed potatoes are the perfect base for this dish since it really soaks up every last drop of that delicious savory sauce.

Nothing’s more comforting than slow cooked beef dinners!

• Easy Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
• Short Rib Ragu
• Red Wine Braised Crockpot Short Ribs
• The Best Mississippi Pot Roast

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Get the Recipe: Pot Roast with Butternut Squash and Dried Plums

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Pure comfort starts with a slow roasted Pot Roast and this one doesn’t disappoint. 

5 from 1 vote

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 3- pound chuck roast, tied
• ▢ Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• ▢ 3 ribs celery, diced
• ▢ 2 large vidalia onions, diced
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1/2 cup tomato paste
• ▢ 1/2 cup red wine
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ 3 bay leaves
• ▢ 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh sage
• ▢ 3 cups beef stock
• ▢ 2 cups 1/2-inch diced butternut squash
• ▢ 6 to 8 dried plums, cut in half

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (or prepare slow cooker)
• In a large dutch oven, heat the oil over med-high heat. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper. Add the roast to the pan and sear until golden brown, approximately 6-7 minutes. Turn the roast over and repeat searing until all sides are golden brown. Remove the roast from the pot and set aside.
• Add the celery and onions to the pot and cook until softened. Stir in the red pepper and garlic cooking for one minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it becomes a deep burgundy color. Add the red wine and vinegar to the pan to deglaze scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to remove the brown bits. Stir in the cinnamon.
• For the slow cooker, add the beef to the slow cooker at this point and pour the onion mixture over it. Add the bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and sage to the slow cooker. Add the beef stock. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7-8 hours. When the roast has one hour left, add the squash and plums. Cook for one more hour and then transfer to the roast to a platter to slice. Serve with the squash, plums and sauce.
• For the oven, add the roast back to the pan. Tie the herbs together with kitchen twine and add to the pot. Add the beef stock and cover. Transfer the pot to the oven and roast for 1 hour. Check the liquid level and add 1/2 cup of stock if needed (if the roast is less than half covered, add stock). Replace the lid and cook for another hour. Add the squash and plums (and more stock if needed). Cover and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for 30 more minutes.
• Transfer the roast to a serving platter and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with the squash, plums and sauce.

Serving: 0g, Calories: 509kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 47g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 156mg, Sodium: 514mg, Potassium: 1369mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 4130IU, Vitamin C: 16.5mg, Calcium: 95mg, Iron: 6.1mg

Author: Kellie

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American