Low-Carb Southwestern Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 3 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed of visible fat
• 1 can reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 1/4 cups of your favorite salsa
• Steak rub or your favorite seasoning for steak to rub on meat before browning
• 2 tsp. olive oil for browning meat

Directions

1. Pour the beef broth into a small saucepan, skimming away any fat sitting at the top of the can. Set it over low heat and simmer until it has cooked down to 1/2 cup. While that happens, trim the chuck roast of all visible fat, cutting it into several pieces if needed so you can get to any large pockets.
2. Coat every side of the pot roast with Szeged Steak Rub Seasoning or your favorite steak seasoning. Warm the olive oil in a heavy frying pan; a pan that is not nonstick will help you get better color. Sear the roast thoroughly on every side, taking your time here, because that browned surface is where a lot of the flavor comes from, especially with slow cooker recipes.
3. Once the meat is browned all over, transfer the pieces to the crockpot and lay them out in a single layer. Pour the reduced beef broth into the frying pan, then use a turner to loosen the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the salsa, then pour the salsa and broth mixture over the pot roast.
4. Cook on high for 1 hour, then switch the slow cooker to low and continue cooking for 3-4 more hours, until the meat is very tender when you test it with a fork. You can also cook it for a longer stretch on low. If you do not have a slow cooker, use a heavy Dutch oven on the stovetop over the lowest heat for 2-3 hours.
5. Lift the meat out of the crockpot and pour the sauce into a small saucepan. If there is plenty of fat floating on the sauce, remove it with a spoon or a fat separator. If the roast was trimmed well, this may not be necessary.
6. Return the meat to the crockpot so it stays warm. Stir the final 1/4 cup salsa into the sauce and simmer until the sauce has reduced to about 1 cup.
7. For serving, cut the meat across the grain into slices, or cut it into pieces, and serve it hot with the sauce spooned over the top. This meat also works as a filling for tacos, burritos, or quesadillas made with low-carb tortillas.