This crispy, flavorful shredded roast beef is cooked up in an electric skillet with a packet of onion soup mix – just like Granny made it!

My husband’s Granny was known for her cooking and baking skills. She even made our wedding cake! It had like a gazillion pounds of butter in it!
Many of my memories of Granny involve her standing in the kitchen with me as her sous chef. The first Thanksgiving I shared with Ty’s family she had me tearing up bread into a big stainless steel bowl for her famous sausage dressing recipe.
She had such a profound influence on so many of our family food traditions, and there is rarely a week that goes by that we don’t make a recipe she taught me or use a mixing bowl she gave me.
Even though I was not related by blood to her, she treated me as one of her own, and I am forever grateful for her love during the 25 years I knew her.
Those of you who are faithful readers of the blog know it is Granny who gave us our 100% Whole Wheat Bread recipe and our traditional Thanksgiving Dressing recipe. So, it is in honor of her memory that I share with you yet another “Granny recipe” – Granny’s Electric Skillet Roast!

Granny bought me an electric skillet from a thrift store so I could make this roast. We later replaced that skillet with a Saladmaster electric skillet just like the one she owned. Now I feel totally authentic!
NOTE: Saladmaster electric skillets are stainless steel with an oil core for even heat distribution. They have valves in the lids that flutter and act much like a pressure cooker. In fact, my Saladmaster cookware is the reason I have no need for an Instant Pot – they literally do the same thing.
Just so you know – I have made Granny’s roast from beef, buffalo, and deer meat. All have been fantastic!
You start by heating your electric skillet to 400 degrees. When it is fully heated, you place the roast in the pan and sear it on both sides. This helps to hold the juices in for a moist roast, and creates a flavorful crisp on the outside.
This step is imperative for creating the final mouth-watering results!

Granny noted that to get the right sear, you’ll need to wait until the meat starts to “lift” from the pan easily. I am terrible about not wanting to wait, but she’s right – it’s not the perfect sear until you can easily lift the chunk of meat and flip it over to the other side.
By the way, you can use a bit of oil to sear the meat in – especially if you are not using stainless steel cookware. Just don’t overdo the oil – you’re not frying – you’re searing.
The only other ingredients this recipe needs are a packet of dry onion soup mix and water.
Oh, and some TIME for the roast to simmer in the juices. But, thankfully, you don’t have to babysit this roast – it literally cooks itself to tender perfection!
Once you have seared the roast, mix the packet of dry onion soup mix into a cup of water and add to the skillet. Then simply add more water until it reaches halfway up the roast, lifting the meat to allow the soup mix and water to get underneath.
From here, you turn down the electric skillet to 250 or 200 (I do 250 for about an hour and then back it off to 200), and check on the roast every now and then to make sure the water hasn’t completed evaporated.
You can literally cook this roast all day long, but I’ve found that it is often ready after about 6 hours. I shred it (just like Granny did) and let it cook off the water and crisp up a bit. Yummy!

See those crispy bits in there?! Those are the best bites! You will want to grab them before the kids get them all.
Just sayin’
While your roast is cooking, you could do roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes, make some bread, or a fruit salad. The possibilities are endless because you aren’t tying up the oven or stovetop with your main dish!
By the way, this roast makes AMAZING sandwiches! I’ve even used it to top nachos!
Now my mouth is watering…
And since I know your mouth is watering too, here’s the recipe!
(And yay for another Granny recipe being added to the pages of this blog!)

Granny’s Electric Skillet Roast
Equipment
- Electric Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 beef roast We usually do a 4-5# chuck roast. Any red meat will work for this recipe.
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 1+ cups water
Instructions
- Heat electric skillet to 400°.
- When skillet reaches 400°, put roast in to sear. When meat easily "lifts" from pan, flip it over to sear on the other side.
- Add 1 packet of dry onion soup mix to 1 cup of water and mix well. Pour water mixture over roast.
- Add enough water to skillet to fill halfway up roast, lifting the meat to allow water to flow underneath.
- Reduce skillet temperature to 250° – 200°. You are looking for a slow simmering temperature. (In a Saladmaster skillet you will want the valve to flutter every so often.)
- Put the lid on the skillet and let the roast cook 6-8 hours, adding water as needed.
- In the last hour of cooking, shred the meat with two forks and allow the water to cook off, creating a nice "crisp" to the roast.
Chris G. says
I tried this tonight. Amazing! I did have to keep adding water because I only have a regular electric frying pan. Even so, it was just as delicious as you said it would be. The leftovers will become grilled sandwiches tomorrow, with some tomato soup. Thank you so much, and Granny, too.
Amy says
Yay! I’m so glad you tried it with such great results! Tomato soup sounds like the perfect pairing!
Susan says
How long did it take to cook in the electric frying pan?
Chris G. says
Susan: It took about 4-4 1/2 hours. I had a smaller roast to start with. 3 lbs., I think. I also had to watch it more closely because I couldn’t seem to keep the temperature adjusted. But if you are going to be in the kitchen for a while, this is a great tasting roast. I might try it in the slow cooker as an experiment. Hope this helps.
Robert Arnold says
Wish I could make this 6 stars. It is absolutely the best, most flavorful roast I have ever made. I just wanted to laugh and jump up and down. I’m 72 years old……….where have you been. I can’t wait to make it again. How ’bout some more recipes!
Lou Ann says
My mom used to make this on Sunday’s. She would add carrots and potatoes ?. Get home from church and the house smelled wonderful. I never felt comfortable doing it myself.
Armando says
My dad always made this, but would use onion powder and garlic powder instead of dry onion soup mix. And you’re right, the best parts were the crispy pieces!! I’m making this tonight
Kathryn Kadel says
I used to love simmering pork chops in dry onion soup mix with water I’d put potatoes carrots in, I always loved how the potatoes and carrots would taste they would get so much onion flavor.
Mimi says
I have been making pot roast this way for over 50 years! I received an electric skillet as a wedding gift many years ago and there was a recipe booklet with it that included similar instructions to cook pot roast. Being a new bride, I didn’t know there was any other way to make a pot roast. I put veggies around mine and cook it all afternoon. I add some spices and a little red wine and I’m good to go! My family loves this pot roast and requests it frequently. The gravy always turns out fantastic. This is the only way to cook a pot roast in my book! Try it. You won’t be disappointed!
Ellen J. says
This is how my mom does it except with the added onion, carrots, and potatoes. I think it takes a little magic sometimes too to get it just right. The first couple of times I tried cooking it like my mom it didn’t turn out. But really, it’s just making sure you have the correct roast, in my opinion, the right amount of water, and temperature. As far as seasoning goes, roasts are forgiving, I use garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Although, I have used dry onion soup mix before. My Mom just uses salt and pepper! I finally get it right like my moms when I use the correct type of roast, a chuck roast that is flatter. I was trying to use other roast parts before because I didn’t know any better and they barely would fit in an electric cooker if they did at all. Silly! And of course, they didn’t cook correctly. So, if anyone is having trouble with this recipe or cooking a roast in an electric cooker with these temperatures and times this is probably why. It is so worth it though when you finally get it right.
J Wilson says
I have always added cream of mushrooms soup. delish.
Jasmine Reed says
I have not yet tried this recipe, I will be making it tonight tho. But with my leftovers from other beef roasts that I have made l, I have used the shredded meat in corn tortillas rolled up to make taquitos, I have also used the meat to make meat, cheese and refried bean quesadillas. I just wanted to share my leftover ideas with everyone. Have a great day.
Glenda White says
Where can I find a Salad Master Electric Skillet? I have a small 8 inch skillet that I cook on for myself.. i’ve made egg, pancakes, grilled cheese, spaghetti meat sauce. I really want this Skillet. Is it still being made? thanks
Amy says
Sometimes you can find them at thrift stores, but usually you have to go through a Saladmaster dealer. You might also check ebay or looks for a cheaper verson.
Carolyn Ann Chapman says
GGGGRRRREEEEAAAATTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!