Crockpot Roast Beef with Roasted Brussels and Sweet Potato Applesauce Mash

Since I made one meal for this week that I wasn't sure I'd like, I decided this second meal would be something I knew was delicious. I've posted this crockpot roast beef before and I will definitely be making it plenty of more times this year. It is extremely simple to make and tastes amazing! This time I used about 3.5lbs of beef roast and it took 4 hours on low in my crockpot until it was done. I paired it with some Brussels, which I roasted in the oven with some bacon fat and salt, and a sweet potato applesauce mash. I love making this mash when I need an easy way to mix up how I'm eating my sweet potatoes. Plus, I still had some extra homemade applesauce in my freezer that needed to be eaten. The recipe for the mash is also below. Anyways, this was a very typical Erika comfort meal that I absolutely loved!
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CrockPot Roast Beef
Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb beef roast, I used a top sirloin roast
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, adjust to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, adjust to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in the hot skillet, about 3-4 minutes on each side, until the meat has browned. Sear the sides as well as the top and bottom of the roast. Remove from the skillet and place in the crock-pot. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the center of the roast and place the lid on the crockpot.
2. Cook the roast on LOW until the temperature reaches 140 degrees. This took just 90 MINUTES for my roast. Depending on the temperature of your house and how hot your slow cooker cooks, it might take twice as long for yours. I set the alarm on my meat thermometer and couldn't believe it when it beeped so quickly!
3. Using meat forks or sturdy tongs, remove the roast to a cutting board and tent it (or cover it with a large mixing bowl turned upside down). Let the meat rest 20 minutes before slicing it as thinly as possible against the grain of the meat. Enjoy!

Original recipe found here

Sweet Potato Applesauce Mash
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds (1000 grams) sweet potato
• ½ pound (225 grams) apples or 1 cup unsweetened store-bought applesauce
• Generous pinch of sea salt
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) ghee, optional (I did not include)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Roast the sweet potatoes for about an hour. Let them cool.
3. If you’re making the applesauce from scratch, do this while the sweet potatoes are roasting. Peel and dice the apples. Put into a small pot with a 2–3 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until the apples are very soft. Remove the lid and cook until most of the water has evaporated.
4. Peel the skins off the sweet potatoes. Combine with the applesauce in a large bowl and mash with a hand masher until it’s to your desired consistency, or use a food processor.

​Original recipe found here