Give Pot Roast A Rich Fall Makeover With One Canned Ingredient

What better way to celebrate the autumn season than with a warm and flavorful pot roast dinner? The combination of slow-cooked beef, glazed carrots, creamy potatoes, and rich gravy tempers the new and unexpected chill in the air. Fortunately, there's a simple way to make this traditional meal even more delicious. Instead of cooking your pot roast as you normally would, try a new combination of ingredients and transform your beef into a seasonal specialty with canned pumpkin. With the right spices and additional extras, this simple, shelf-stable ingredient is an easy way to give your pot roast a delightful, fall-friendly upgrade.

Canned pumpkin, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling, is cooked pumpkin and sweet-tasting squash that's been blended into a puree. This versatile food has a mild, earthy taste that can accommodate a variety of extra ingredients. What's more, canned pumpkin has a rich, thick consistency that can make any pot roast meal heartier and more filling.

The key to incorporating this canned fall staple into your pot roast recipe is to whisk it directly into your braising liquid, which can consist of beef broth, red wine, and butter. Whether you're cooking your pot roast in a slow cooker or a heavy-duty Dutch oven, all you need to do is prep your veggies, sear your roast, and then mix some pumpkin puree into your braising liquid before slow-cooking everything together.

Once fall hits, besides buying canned pumpkin, if you also add the best store-bought apple cider to your cart every time you go to the grocery store, there's no reason why you can't include some of this sweet beverage in your pot roast recipe. All you need to do is skip the red wine and build your braising liquid with it. If you still want to include a small amount of alcohol, deglaze your pan with a splash of bourbon for a complex, caramel-like taste. In either case, some chicken broth serves as a mild, savory base against the sweet flavors of pressed apples and cooked pumpkin.

Another impactful way to give pumpkin pot roast a more fall-inspired taste is to add whole warming spices to the combined ingredients before slow-cooking. Luckily, when it comes to choosing the best seasonings for pot roast, anything goes, so feel free to get creative with your selection. In this case, you can't go wrong with whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, or star anise pods. These spices are also visually appealing, which makes for a delightful meal presentation.

Speaking of presentation, feel free to hollow out and roast a whole sugar pumpkin to serve as a makeshift pot for your cooked roast and veggies. Lastly, enjoy this seasonal dish with some roasted pumpkin seeds for a solid amount of crunch in every bite.