Slow-Cooker Italian-Style Pot Roast

8 slices bacon, chopped

2 onions, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 inch thick

salt, and pepper

3 T tomato paste

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 T fresh oregano or 2 t dried

1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed and minced

1/2 t red pepper flakes

1/2 c water

1 lb cherry tomatoes, halved

2 bay leaves

1 (3 1/2 to 4 lb) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and tied at 1-inch intervals

1/4 c chopped fresh basil

Cook bacon until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.  Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Pour off all but 2 T fat from skillet.  Add onions, carrots, and 1 t salt and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, mushrooms, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir tomatoes and bay leaves into slow cooker.  Season roast with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until sharp knife slips easily in and out of meat, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.

Transfer roast to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, discard bay leaves.  Using large shallow spoon, skim excess fat from surface of sauce.  Stir in crisp bacon and basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove twine from roast, slice against grain into 1/2-inch thick slices, and arrange on serving platter.  Spoon 1 cup sauce over meat and serve with remaining sauce.