My Mama's Kitchen - Crockpot Edition

This morning I spent exactly 10 minutes throwing pot roast into the crockpot for tonight's dinner.

This crockpot


came from my mama's kitchen and I expect that it is about 40 years old. Still works great.

On to the pot roast. I take the lazy approach.

2 or 3 pound pot roast - I used bottom round sirloin (I think). I don't like the meat that is commonly marked "pot roast" in the stores. Sometimes I use eye of the round roast. Use whatever meat you want. You'll love it.
2 or 3 large white or yukon gold potatoes, cut up - I used 6 small yukon gold potatoes and left them whole
5 or 6 scrubbed carrots, not peeled (only because I'm a lazy cook) but cut into 3-inch chunks
1 diced rutabaga - don't skip this. Rutabagas are WONDERFUL and cheap. Sort of a pain to peel and chop but WORTH IT.

1 pkg seasoning - you can use "pot roast" seasoning packet or Lipton onion soup packet or you can use an onion, salt, pepper and whatever herbs/spices you want. Again, I use a packet of stuff because it's easy. Did I mention this is not a "health food" pot roast? Not organic, not free range, just regular food with maybe some better living through chemistry thrown in for good measure. Don't be hatin'.

1-1/2 cups water. If you don't use a mix or Lipton soup, you could use beef broth if you have it. Water works great and most people have it.

You can sear your pot roast if you want to before throwing it in the crockpot, but I didn't and it will be great. Pot roast on the bottom, cut up/whole vegetables on top of that. Then the water and mix stirred together and poured over the top. Top on and 8 hours later you have pot roast. I don't thicken the juice (gravy) usually but you could if you prefer. My crockpot (thanks Mama!) has an automatic setting that cooks on high for "a while" then switches to low, so that's what I use. YMMV. Serve with some kind of bread - Yankee cornbread? I have a recipe for that too.