Cracker Barrel Roast Beef
Cracker Barrel roast beef lovers, rejoice! It might be discontinued from the menu at the moment, but with this Cracker Barrel Pot Roast recipe, you’ll make slow-roasted, fork-tender roast beef from the comfort of your slow cooker or Instant Pot making it one of your favorite chuck roast recipes!
A proper I-95 road trip isn’t complete until the pit stop at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. For over 50 years, Cracker Barrel restaurants have welcomed travelers with warm hospitality, homestyle cooking, and a down-home country aesthetic.
The menu features country-style breakfast items and comforting Southern entrees and sides. My all-time favorite meal from Cracker Barrel is the slow-roasted roast beef, but at the moment, it’s discontinued -which brings us to this Cracker Barrel Roast Beef copycat recipe.
I cannot speak on how exactly Cracker Barrel gets their roast beef so tender, but I can say with certainty that you can achieve the same melt-in-your-mouth roast beef with simple ingredients in your Crockpot or Instant Pot!
As the roast beef cooks, fix a couple of your favorite Southern sides. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy a comforting roast beef dinner made entirely from scratch.
❤️ Why You’ll Love Cracker Barrel Roast Beef Dinner
- Cracker Barrel Copycat. You’ll make tasty and tender roast beef, just like Cracker Barrel!
- The ease. No complicated ingredients or instructions.
- Equipment options. Cook roast beef in your slow cooker or Instant Pot for a fall-apart juicy hunk of beef
- THE GRAVY. A simple pan gravy makes this roast beef the best!
🍖 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chuck roast – AKA chuck eye roast, chuck pot roast, and chuck roll roast. This cut contains a lot of connective tissue, so it’s best cooked low and slow (or pressure cooked) to soften the fibers and yield tender meat.
- Spices & seasonings – You’ll season the beef with salt, pepper, and dried oregano to enhance the succulent, beefy flavors.
- Cooking oil – To sear the meat and create a delicious browned crisp on the surface of the roast. Be sure to sure an oil that withstands high heat.
- Yellow onion & minced garlic – Enhances the roast with delicious savory flavors. If you have jarred minced garlic, that’s okay, but I’d rather you use fresh minced garlic.
- French onion soup (can) – A shortcut to boosting beef roasts’ rich, savory flavors! Progresso or Campbell’s condensed works perfectly. You can also use a packet of onion soup mix (i.e., Lipton or Knorr). Follow the package instructions, then use 1 to 2 cups of the prepared soup to make roast beef.
- Beef broth – Slow cooking and pressure cooking require liquid to keep the food from burning. You can also use beef bone broth or beef stock here.
- Corn starch – Creates a “slurry” to thicken the juices into a creamy beef gravy.
🥣 How To Make Cracker Barrel Roast Beef
1️⃣ Prepare to “slow-roast” beef: Set your chuck roast on the counter 15-30 minutes before cooking to bring it up to room temperature. Then, pat dry and season with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
2️⃣ Heat oil: Add cooking oil to a large skillet and warm over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. If using an Instant Pot, add the oil to the pot, and program it to SAUTE.
3️⃣ Brown chuck roast. Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat until the whole surface of the meat is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4️⃣ Saute aromatics. Add the onion to the same skillet (or Instant Pot) and cook until soft and fragrant. Then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
5️⃣ Slow cook OR pressure cook roast beef:
To slow cook: Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the Crockpot, then add the can of french onion soup and beef broth. Set the meat on top of the liquid and onion, and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
To pressure cook: Pour the canned soup and beef broth directly into the Instant Pot with the sauteed onion and garlic. Nestle the meat over the top. Then, close the lid, SEAL the pressure valve, and pressure cook manually on HIGH for 60 minutes. Once the timer stops, quick release or naturally release the pressure.
6️⃣ Shred roast beef: Once cooked, transfer the meat to a cutting board (don’t discard the juices!), and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Then shred the meat with forks or “meat claws.”
7️⃣ Thicken gravy. Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl until smooth. Add the “slurry” and stir together with the juices. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens.
8️⃣ Finish and serve. Finally, add the beef back in and stir well to coat in gravy. Keep warm in the slow cooker or Instant Pot until it’s time to serve. Enjoy!
💭 Recipe Tips
- Season in advance. The day before, season your roast liberally with salt, pepper, & oregano, then wrap it in plastic, and keep it in the fridge overnight. The next day, unwrap the roast an hour before cooking to dry out the surface and create a gorgeous crispy crust.
- Bring to room temperature. For the best results, do not start cooking the roast while it’s cold. Instead, set it on the counter 15-30 minutes beforehand to bring it to room temperature.
- Sear, then cook. Browning the meat in a hot skillet gives you a delicious crispy exterior and a soft, tender interior. Please don’t skip it!
- Let rest. After cooking, transfer the roast to a cutting board and leave it be for 5-10 minutes. The meat will retain more natural juices rather than spilling onto the cutting board as you slice it.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Make your roast beef a meal. Serve it with your favorite Southern sides! These are my personal favorites:
- Sauteed Mushroom & Peas
- Air Fryer Frozen Corn on the Cob
- Air Fryer Frozen Okra
- Sous Vide Glazed Baby Carrots
- Baked Brie Mac and Cheese
- Sous Vide Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Collard Greens with Black-Eyed Peas
- Green Chili Yellow Squash Casserole
- BBQ Baked Beans
Got leftovers? Today’s slow-roasted roast beef is tomorrow’s open-faced roast-beef sandwich!
🧊Storing & Freezing
Storing: Let the roast cool, then keep it in a shallow airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing: After cooling, transfer your roast beef to an airtight freezer-safe bag and freeze for 3-4 months—Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
❔FAQ
It looks like it’s been discontinued in most regions, but maybe you’ll get lucky, and your closest location still offers it. In any case, this copycat recipe will fulfill your roast beef cravings.
One serving has about 4 grams of carbs and 450 calories.
In most stores, sadly, yes. However, this Cracker Barrel roast beef copycat is just as juicy, tender, and DELICIOUS.
🐄 More Easy Beef Dinner Recipes
Air Fryer Frozen Burgers
Instant Pot Short Ribs
Instant Pot Hamburger Helper
Sous Vide Corned Beef
Sous Vide Chuck Roast
Paleo Hamburger Skillet
Cracker Barrel Roast Beef Copycat
Equipment
- large skillet
- slow cooker or Instant Pot
- meat claws to shred
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil vegetable oil, olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 1 can French onion soup
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Set the chuck roast out 15-30 minutes before cooking to bring it up to room temperature. Then, pat dry and season all over with salt, pepper, and dried oregano.
- Add cooking oil to a large skillet and warm over medium-high heat. If using an Instant Pot, add the oil to the bottom of the pot, and program to SAUTE.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast and sear for 2-3 minutes. Turn the meat over and sear the other side. Repeat until the surface of the meat is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet (or Instant Pot), add the onion and cook until soft and fragrant (5-7 minutes). Add the minced garlic and saute for an additional minute.
- Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the slow cooker, then pour in the can of french onion soup and beef broth. Place the meat on top, and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.Instant Pot: Pour the French onion soup and beef broth directly into the Instant Pot with the cooked onion and garlic. Place the meat over top. Close the lid, SEAL the pressure valve, and pressure cook manually on HIGH for 60 minutes. When the timer stops, quick or natural release the pressure.
- Once cooked, remove the tender beef and place it on a cutting board (don't discard the juices!). Let rest for 5 minutes, then shred the meat with two forks or "meat claws."
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Then, add the mixture to the pot with the leftover juices, and stir until it begins to thicken.
- Add the shredded roast beef back in and stir well to coat in the gravy. Keep warm in the slow cooker or Instant Pot until ready to serve.
