This Slow-Cooker Pot Roast combines slow-cooked tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef chuck roast with onions, carrots, baby potatoes, and a perfect blend of flavorful spices in a rich brown gravy.
Slow-cooker pot Roast is an easy beef roast recipe that yields delicious results every time. Even the novice chef can handle it. The easy-to-make gravy mixes right in the crock after the vegetables and beef are done. If you like this tasty dish, you will love my Swiss Steak, Beef Tips and Gravy, and Hamburger Stew.
What is Slow Cooker Pot Roast?
Slow-cooker Pot Roast and Vegetables are tender, flavorful, slow-cooked chuck roast, onions, carrots, and potatoes smothered with creamy beef gravy seasoned to perfection.
This is such great comfort food and close to heavenly when served with warm rolls and sweet cream butter. It takes just a few minutes to throw in the crock pot to enjoy one of my favorite meals ever, with wholesome farm-fresh ingredients.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Meat: chuck roast or rump roast
- Vegetables: onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes
- Spices and herbs: kosher salt. freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
How To Cook a Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker
A Pot Roast Recipe is easy to cook and one of my family’s favorite meals. It is a dump-and-go recipe of beef, vegetables, herbs, and spices slow-cooked in the crock pot or a Dutch oven.
When the roast is finished, use the juices to make a simple gravy. You can add everything at once, or if you don’t want your vegetables to be pretty soft, add them two hours before the roast is complete.
Preparation Tips
- Cook this recipe in a crock pot or Dutch oven. It is a little faster in a Dutch oven but not by much.
- A Dutch oven is a large, heavy pot with a lid suitable for both the top of the stove and inside the oven. So you brown your roast right in the pan on the top of the stove, add all your goodies, put the lid on, and pop it in the oven. It is fantastic for anything slow-cooked; brisket, ribs, chuck roast, pork roast, and even soup and chili. The Dutch oven is inexpensive and works like a charm.
- Chuck roast is by far my favorite cut of meat for this recipe, followed by rump roast.
- If using a little red wine, choose a dry, bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Make sure it is a wine that you would enjoy drinking.
- A lot of recipes call for throwing in the potatoes and carrots at the beginning with the chuck roast. I find it better to let the roast cook for a while and then add the potatoes and carrots. This keeps the veggies from getting too soft and turning to mush.
- Season with fresh or dried herbs. The rule of thumb is to use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh herbs.
What Cut of Beef is Best?
I personally think chuck roast is the best choice for this recipe because of its flavor and tenderness. Chuck roast has fat and cartilage, which makes it so tender after it is slow-cooked in a crock pot or Dutch oven. Rump roast is a great second choice.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
To freeze, first cool completely, then store the roast and veggies in a sturdy freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop over low heat.
Got big eaters? You can easily increase the size of the chuck roast and throw in another onion and a couple more carrots. You will not need to change any other part of the recipe.
More Crock Pot Recipes
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 lbs chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 onions quartered
- 4 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
- 2 cups beef broth
- ½ cup dry red wine optional see notes
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 large carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 lbs baby yellow potatoes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Salt and pepper both sides of the chuck roast. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chuck roast and sear it on both sides. Remove the roast and place it in the crock pot.
- Add the onions to the skillet over medium heat and cook until browned on the edges. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add the onions to the crock pot with the beef.
- Add the beef broth, wine if using, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves to the crock pot. Cook on high for 2 hours.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and cook on high for an additional 2-3 hours.
- Remove the chuck roast and vegetables and place them on a cutting board. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Whisk the cornstarch with water. Slow whisk the mixture into the crock pot, cover and cook on high for 10 minutes. Slice the chuck roast against the grain. Serve with the vegetables and gravy.
Video
Notes
- Cook this recipe in a crock pot or Dutch oven. It is a little faster in a Dutch oven but not by much.
- A Dutch oven is a large, heavy pot with a lid suitable for both the top of the stove and inside the oven. So you brown your roast right in the pan on the top of the stove, add all your goodies, put the lid on, and pop it in the oven. It is fantastic for anything slow-cooked; brisket, ribs, chuck roast, pork roast, and even soup and chili. The Dutch oven is inexpensive and works like a charm.
- Chuck roast is by far my favorite cut of meat for this recipe, followed by rump roast.
- If using a little red wine, choose a dry, bold red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Make sure it is a wine that you would enjoy drinking.
- A lot of recipes call for throwing in the potatoes and carrots at the beginning with the chuck roast. I find it better to let the roast cook for a while and then add the potatoes and carrots. This keeps the veggies from getting too soft and turning to mush.
- Season with fresh herbs or dried herbs. The rule of thumb is for every tablespoon of fresh herbs, use 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
Nutrition
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Joann
What if I don’t have a crockpot and want to use my oven? What temp do you think?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can in a covered casserole dish. Bake the roast at 300 degrees for 3-1/2 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Beth Pierce
You can remove your juices and finish the gravy on the stove-top in a saucepan. If you have a dutch oven you can do the whole thing in there.
Alice
I’m in the works of making this roast. My only question is do you stir everything once added or if any time in the process
Beth Pierce
No I do not stir everything when I add it to the crock pot. You can stir it when the recipe is complete.
Temperance Black
Can I keep the veggies in while mixing the gravy or should I do it separately as stated?? But so far it smells so I’m excited to try it!!!
Beth Pierce
I love the smell of that cooking in crock pot. I think you could try it. That might be something I would try because of time shortages. I think if you don’t mind things being not too perfect …it might break up some of the veggies stirring them around. I don’t mind if things aren’t perfect.
Brianna Harvey
What kind of mash potatoes are those?
Beth Pierce
Just good old mashed potatoes with a little milk, butter, salt and pepper.
Charlene Stoffel
This recipe sounds delicious! Unfortunately, I often don’t plan far enough ahead to use a crockpot. I would more likely use an instant pot and put it in the crock pot mode until my daughter gets home from work. Have you ever tried this with an instant pot? If so how long would you pressurize it? I could follow the timing in the manual, but sometimes people come up with different times.
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much!! I am sorry Charlene I do not have an instant pot. Perhaps one of the readers know this answer to this.
Amanda
Hello,
Not sure if you’ll see this since it’s been two years since the last comment!
If I were to make this recipe in a Dutch oven what temperature do you recommend using?
Beth Pierce
Sorry about the delay. My knee has been bothering me lately so I am a little behind! Cook at 325 degrees for about 4 hours or until fork tender. I love my Dutch Ovens! They make the best meals!
Reshanda Taylor
Hey i have a 7 quart crock pot and I would like to get a roast about the size of my crock pot do I need to add more seasoning or just keep everything the same.
Beth Pierce
I would add more seasoning and make sure that the beef broth is enough to cover it. Happy cooking!
Billie
Do you cook the taters with the meat or by its self to do mashed taters?
Beth Pierce
If making mashed potatoes please cook separately.
Cindy martinez
Thank you for the recipe.
De Simmons
This was a fantastic pot roast! I started with potatoes and carrots cooking with the roast and noticed they were getting done so I removed them. Added them back with the roast when I put the beef back in the gravy. I enjoyed being able to do other things while my dinner cooked. The taste is scrumptious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much. I am so glad that you liked it!!
Kathryn
I to love to cook. I will be trying this recipe tomorrow. Sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. Thanks so much! Cooking is just so therapeutic.
DeBora Borsos
This Chuck roast recipe turned out great. The husband wanted to know if there were leftovers for lunch the next day. Tasted just like my Mom’s way of preparing years ago. Thanks for the flavorful memory.
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you liked it and that it brought back nice memories of your Mom.
Judy Schillick
In all my years of cooking pot roast, i have never used red potatoes. I love using my slow cooker, so do I peel or leave skins on?
My husband is diabetic and the red potatoes are better for him. Looking forward to more of your recipes.
Thank you,
Judy Schillick
Brackettville, Tx
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much. I leave the skins on. Much better that way!!
steve
I usually put in a second set of veggies for the least 90 minutes of cooking. Typically, this is carrots, mushrooms and redskin potatoes.
In the end, I discard the first set of veggies(usually onions) because they’ve turned to mush after all the cooking time.
Other than that, I cook this dish pretty much like you do, except usually just 6 – 7 hours on low. I don’t see any any real advantage to cooking on high at the start..
Beth Pierce
Thanks for the heads up Steve. I will give it a whirl!
victoria
Ah, good to know! K, will forego the balsamic vinegar experiment this go-round, but thank you so much for your insight and advice!
victoria
Hey! I am in the process of working up your pot roast recipe right now, and it sure does smell heavenly! I was just wondering about the addition of the balsamic vinegar to the mix… Does one do that as a flavor enhancement, or is it more of a meaty textural thang, or… I sure would love to glug some in there, but not at the cost of hearing, “Uhhhhhh… Ma? Why does this smell like Easter eggs?”. My family. Sigh…
Thank you so much for posting such a terrific recipe, and thank you, too, for your response! Hopeful response, anyway….
vtw
Beth Pierce
Sorry I have been out shopping for furniture with my son. I do love to cook with balsamic vinegar but I am not sure this recipe would be the one to add it to. If you decide to add some I would go very light like one to two teaspoons. If you try please let us know what you think.
Nancy
Excellent, easy and sooooo delicious! A Perfect winter meal!
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed. I love this meal!!
Kristen
This was the best recipe for crock pot chuck roast I’ve found! So easy and simple. I’m not a much of a cook, but this turned out great. I will use it again and again. Thank you !
Beth Pierce
My pleasure. So glad that you liked it and thank you for leaving such a nice comment.