Cocoa-Crusted Slow Cooker Pot Roast

When I started this project, I asked almost every member of my family the same questions: What were your favorite meals growing up? What do you remember eating on a regular basis as a kid? What dishes do you remember from family gatherings back in the day? What do you look forward to eating during the holidays?

I have gotten a mixed bunch of answers. But one family member who takes a bit of abuse when it comes to cooking is my paternal grandmother, Mary Jane Martinez. I simply knew her as Granny and she was such an integral part of my childhood.

My Martinez grandparents lived just outside of Huntsville, Texas on a couple of acres we all referred to as "the Hill." And on that hill lived my grandparents, my Great-Grandmother Kyle, and several aunts/uncles/cousins! We all lived within sight of one another and that meant there was always someone to keep you company, to find some adventure with, or to cook up some trouble for our precious Granny to deal with. Granny never withered under the pressure of wrangling a wild brood of grandkids. She was well practiced after so many years as a school teacher and of course, from bringing up the first generation of the Grass-bur Hill Bunch (our parents)!

I've strayed a bit from my original focus ... when I asked all of those questions about my Granny, some of my cousins couldn't resist giving Granny a bit of a hard time. While I don't recall Granny being a 4 star chef, my memories do not include anything particularly bad either. I remember us always having food. And I recall looking forward to most meals, not dreading them. But a few of my cousins remember things differently. They're older than I am, so maybe Granny picked up some skills before I came into the picture.

But no matter what you remember, I guess you can say Granny was kind of a "meat and potatoes" kind of cook. And along those lines, a dish she often prepared was an oven roasted pot roast. I remember the house smelling so nice as the roast would simmer away in its oven bag, accompanied by a handful of red potatoes, carrots, and onions.

The recipe I'm sharing here is not Granny's recipe, but it IS a favorite enjoyed in our home. We prepare it in a crock pot because it is easy, but it could easily be put into an oven bag like Granny always did.

Cocoa-Crusted Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Stuff You Need:

• 3 lb chuck roast
• 2 Tbs cocoa powder
• 1 Tbs sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp habanero chili powder
• ½ dried oregano
• 1 Tbs grape seed oil (or olive oil)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 large onion, quartered

What To Do:

1. Combine the dry seasonings in a small bowl.
2. Rub the spice mixture over your roast and refrigerate for 30 minutes (over night is great, if you think about it before hand).
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan (I use a cast iron skillet) over medium hat.
4. Once the oil is hot (when it starts to shimmer, but before it begins to smoke) add your onions to the pan and let them cook until slightly browned.
5. Separate the onions and line the bottom of your slow cooker with them.
6. Add the broth and set aside.
7. Brown your roast on each side, until you have a nice crust, 2-3 minutes per side.
8. Transfer the roast to your slow cooker, place on top of the onions, and cook on low for 8 hours.

This comes out of the crock pot ready to fall right apart for you! It's juicy and tender and full of flavor.

We like to serve it with a side of taro root fries, snappy apple slaw, or just a fresh green salad.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as we have!