Make Pot Roast Richer And More Filling With One Fall-Favorite Canned Good

As far as the foods of autumn go, pot roast is already situated pretty close to the top of the list. The combination of fall-apart-tender beef, rich gravy, and loads of seasonal vegetables is a perfect meal for the season, and it also has the benefit of warming the home and filling the air with delightful aromas as it simmers away in the oven. To lean even further into fall, though — while also making your pot roast recipe a touch heartier — all you need to do is add a can of pumpkin to the mix.

There are many brands of canned pumpkin puree out there, so choose your favorite. You're looking for a can that is just pumpkin, not the pumpkin pie filling loaded with sugar and spices. After you sear the meat and vegetables for the pot roast and throw them in the pot with the braising liquid, simply stir in that pumpkin puree until it is well-mixed throughout. After that, follow the recipe instructions as normal and be ready for a richer, more filling pot roast than you're used to.

This trick can be worked into a wide variety of different pot roast recipes without altering the overall flavor. Pumpkin is fairly mild, adding just a bit of sweetness to the dish, which fits right in with many of the typical autumnal vegetables already in the mix. The big difference you'll find is that the gravy is thicker and richer, making it even better for ladling over mashed potatoes or sopping up with crusty bread.

Simply adding a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree for every 3 pounds of meat is a good step toward turning your pot roast recipe toward the autumnal, but there's no reason that you should stop there. The addition of pumpkin actually invites a whole slew of other seasonal flavors, and the complement of vegetables in the pot is a great place to start. Root vegetables, winter squashes, and other  often overlooked pot roast vegetables alongside a nice piece of beef fit the season perfectly.

The spices in the pot can also be used to alter a roast recipe for autumn. Herbs like rosemary and thyme are always a good fit for harvest-season meals, but the thick pumpkin gravy in this recipe is also a perfect vessel for a dash of warm spices that you might more closely associate with the sweet treats of fall. You don't want to overdo it, but a sprinkle of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, or even garam masala or Chinese five-spice powder can add aromatic intrigue to the dish.

A final place to tweak this pumpkin pot roast recipe is the braising liquid. Most recipes use broth or a combination of broth and wine, but you can give your pot roast a serious fall upgrade by using apple cider instead of wine. With the full complement of pumpkin, fall vegetables, warm spices, and sweet apple cider, that favorite pot roast recipe will be transformed into a warm, comforting dish perfect for the crisp evenings of autumn.