Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast is as luscious as you remember it, with meltingly tender beef and lots of vegetables. A crockpot does all the work, so you’re free to do other things until it’s time to make the gravy.

Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast marries the convenience of crockpot cooking with the flavors of a delicious oven-braised roast, but only if you spend a few minutes up front building flavor. As a classically-trained chef, I know how to utilize simple culinary techniques to ensure the best possible pot roast, even if you simmer it in a crockpot all day long.

The secret is to brown the roast in a skillet until it gets a delicious brown crust (we call this the “maillard reaction”). Then, I put flavor from that rendered fat to work on the vegetables, a simple combination new potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Finally, deglaze the pan with red wine. Be sure to scrape up all those browned bits of flavor at the bottom of your pot (the fond). Beef broth, tomato paste, and herbs and spices round out the flavors, and everything can go in to your slow cooker.

By spending this time up front building flavors, your slow cooker pot roast won’t taste like a hunk of meat that has been boiling all day. Instead, you’ll have a delicious, meltingly-tender roast to share with family and friends, or whomever is lucky enough to get a seat at your table.

Pot Roast Crock Pot Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

• Beef roast: Chuck roast is what I like the best for this dish. It’s also called shoulder steak or boneless chuck roast. Your butcher may also recommend brisket or round roast (another name: rump roast.) Every one of them excels at long, slow cooking. Choose a size that will fit in your Dutch oven. A 3.5-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If you’re sizing up to 6 quarts, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast.
• Carrots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, may be substituted for the baby carrots. You could also add celery if you love the flavor.
• Potatoes: Small red potatoes are low in starch and hold their shape well during the long cook time. Starchier potatoes, such as russets or even Yukon gold potatoes, will get mushy or may even dissolve.
• Red wine: I use a lighter, dry red such as Pinot Noir, but it can be anything. Just make sure you like it because you’ll have extra. If you don’t want to use wine, use extra beef broth, or even chicken broth for deglazing the bottom of the pot. Some people love the flavor of Worcestershire sauce, so feel free to add a teaspoon or more of that.
• Thyme: Or substitute your other favorite herbs like rosemary, sage, or parsley. Save some extra for garnish if you like a pop of bright green on your plate.
• Flour: Or thicken the gravy with cornstarch (it’s a gluten-free alternative).

How to make Slow Cooker Pot Roast

1. Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper all over. In a large skillet or dutch oven over high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Sear beef on all sides until a deep brown crust develops, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef to slow cooker.

2. In the same skillet, add carrots, onions, and potatoes and cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Stir in red wine, deglaze pan by scraping up brown bits. Add beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and bring to a simmer. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.

4. Cover slow cooker and cook on low until meat is fork-tender, about 5-8 hours. Remove beef and vegetables (discard bay leaf). Keep warm while making gravy.

5. To make the gravy, pour drippings into a bowl. Allow fat to rise to the top. Spoon off fat and reserve ¼ cup (discard any excess). In a large saucepan over low heat, pour in reserved fat. Whisk in flour to make a slurry and stir until mixture is bubbly. Set aside to cool.

6. Measure remaining meat juices and add water until it reaches 2 cups liquid. Add mixture to sauce pan, return to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter or serve the pot roast with vegetables right from the slow cooker.

Make This Crock Pot Roast in Advance

Pot roast always tastes better the next day, so plan on making it ahead if you have time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 325 degrees until hot, a slow cooker on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or in a pot on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Recipe tips and variations

• Yield: This recipe plans on feeding 12, with each person eating 3-4 ounces of protein in the meal.
• Vegetables: Some cooks recommend adding any vegetables into the pot midway through the cooking so they stay firm. But I prefer the flavor they add to the roast, and don’t mind the softer vegetables.
• Larger cuts: For better flavor, I recommend that you cut larger (5 pound or more) roasts into two smaller cuts to fit into the crock pot. That way there’s more surface area for browning.
• Slicing or shredding: If you prefer shredded beef, use two forks. If a hunk of meat is more your style, slice the roast against the grain.
• Oven-braised: Try my classic pot roast recipe if you want to make pot roast in the oven.
• Roasted pork: If you have pork in the refrigerator, try my Pork Roast with a delicious spice blend and potatoes, carrots, and onions roasted right along with it.
• Mississippi Pot Roast: Fork-tender and flavorful, this easy beef recipe comes together in your slow cooker with delicious pepperoncinis, and is delicious served in rolls, over mashed potatoes, or with buttered noodles.

How to Serve Pot Roast

Serve Pot Roast over buttered egg noodles or even with mashed potatoes. The recipe has new potatoes in the mix, but I never mind doubling up on America’s favorite spud! Pot Roast is tasty over fluffy white rice, too, especially if you need a gluten-free option, or serve with chunks of crusty bread or soft rolls.

Since Pot Roast has potatoes, carrots, and onions in the pot already, I like to offer other green vegetables on the side. Blanched Green Beans or Sautéed Asparagus are great choices, or try a simple garden salad with red wine vinaigrette.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To Freeze:

Leftover pot roast freezes beautifully for meal prep and last-minute lifesaving dinners. Freeze with the gravy, if desired, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as you like.

More slow cooker favorites

Stews and Soups

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

Sandwich Recipes

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken

Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

Stews and Soups

Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

Crock Pot Pot Roast

By Meggan Hill

This classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast is as luscious as you remember it, with meltingly tender beef and lots of vegetables. A crockpot does all the work, so you're free to do other things until it's time to make the gravy.

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings 12 servings

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Calories 381

4.94 from 16 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 (3 to 4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast (see note 1)
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 8 ounces baby carrots about 1 ½ cups (see note 2)
• ▢ 2 large onions thinly sliced, about 2 cups
• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (see note 3)
• ▢ 1 cup red wine (see note 4)
• ▢ 2 cups beef broth
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1 sprig fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried (see note 5)
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (see note 6)

Instructions 

• Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper all over. In a large skillet or dutch oven over high heat, heat oil until shimmering. Brown beef on all sides until a deep brown crust develops, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef to slow cooker.
• In the same skillet, add carrots, onions, and potatoes and cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in red wine, deglaze pan by scraping up brown bits.
• Add beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and bring to a simmer. Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Cover slow cooker and cook on low until meat is fork-tender, about 5-8 hours. Remove beef and vegetables (discard bay leaf). Keep warm while making gravy.
• To make the gravy, pour drippings into a bowl. Allow fat to rise to the top. Skim off fat and reserve ¼ cup. In a large saucepan over low heat, pour in reserved fat. Whisk in flour and stir until mixture is bubbly. Set aside to cool.
• Measure remaining meat juices and add water until it reaches 2 cups liquid. Add mixture to sauce pan, return to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter or serve the pot roast with vegetables right from the slow cooker.

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Beef roast: Chuck roast is what I like the best. It’s also called shoulder steak or boneless chuck roast. Your butcher may also recommend brisket or round roast (another name: rump roast.) Every one of them excels at long, slow cooking. Choose a size that will fit in your Dutch oven. A 3.5-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If you’re sizing up to 6 quarts, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast.
2. Carrots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, may be substituted for the baby carrots.
3. Potatoes: Small red potatoes are low in starch and hold their shape well during the long cook time. Starchier potatoes, such as russets or even Yukon gold potatoes, will get mushy or may even dissolve.
4. Red wine: I use a lighter, dry red such as Pinot Noir, but it can be anything. Just make sure you like it because you’ll have extra. If you don’t want to use wine, use extra beef broth, or even chicken broth for deglazing the bottom of the pot.
5. Thyme: Or substitute your other favorite herbs like rosemary, sage, or parsley. Save some extra for garnish if you like a pop of bright green on your plate.
6. Flour: Or thicken the gravy with cornstarch (it’s a gluten free alternative).
7. Yield: This recipe plans on feeding 12, with each person eating 3-4 ounces of pot roast as a meal.
8. Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ouncesCalories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 31gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 309mgPotassium: 906mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2646IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 4mg

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Meggan Hill

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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