Dr Pepper–Braised Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast, patted dry
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 (20-ounce) bottle Dr Pepper
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced crosswise into 3-inch pieces
• 2 small fennel bulbs, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Mashed potatoes, for serving
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Steps

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper, and add to Dutch oven. Cook roast, turning once, until deeply browned on 2 sides, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer roast to a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker.
2. Stir together Dr Pepper, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, vinegar, mustard, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; pour mixture over roast in slow cooker. Nestle carrots and fennel around roast, submerging as much as possible in soda mixture. Cover and cook on low until meat and vegetables are tender but not falling apart, about 8 hours.
3. Transfer roast, vegetables, and 1/2 cup braising liquid to a large bowl; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Reserve remaining braising liquid in slow cooker.
4. Skim fat from remaining braising liquid in slow cooker using a ladle; discard fat. Transfer 1 cup braising liquid to a small bowl; let cool for 5 minutes. Adjust slow cooker to high. Whisk together cornstarch and cooled 1 cup braising liquid until combined; stir mixture into slow cooker. Partially cover slow cooker; cook until sauce reaches a simmer, thickens, and coats the back of a spoon, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Return roast and vegetables to thickened sauce in slow cooker, shredding meat into chunks (or cutting across the grain into thick slices) and stirring to coat. Serve roast and vegetables with sauce over mashed potatoes; garnish with parsley.