Slow Cooker Pot Roast
157 Comments
Nov 19, 2023
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There’s nothing like a classic pot roast recipe with meltingly tender chuck roast and chunky vegetables infused in a savory, aromatic broth. Oh, and did I mention that you just toss everything into a slow cooker? Yep, it’s that easy to make!
Simple Pot Roast – Made Easy In A Slow Cooker!
When it comes to classic comfort food, it’s hard to beat this slow cooker pot roast. It serves up juicy meat that’s fall-apart tender, along with chunky, good-for-you vegetables that fill you up in the best way possible — similar to this beef stew! If you’ve been following my recipes for a while, you know I’m all about using my slow cooker as a secret tool for the easiest dinners possible.
Pot roast is often a star addition to a holiday table between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But this version is such a set-it-and-forget-it type of meal (after you sear the big hunk of meat), which also makes it perfect for any weeknight dinner. So grab your Crock Pot and let’s make the perfect pot roast!
Pot Roast Ingredients
A classic pot roast doesn’t need much – just the right cut of meat, some veggies, and a meaty broth. But it’s the fresh sprigs of herbs plus searing the meat that gives this recipe a deep flavor boost. Here’s my take on it.
- Chuck Roast: I recommend sticking with beef chuck roast for a few reasons – keep reading to see why!
- Carrots & Celery: Just peel and slice into large chunks for a hearty vegetable mix.
- Potatoes: Typically, pot roast is made with baby potatoes, from white potatoes to Yukon golds. But small red potatoes are a great alternative.
- Onion: You can toss the large onion chunks into the slow cooker raw, or give it a quick saute in the skillet for a caramelized, toasty flavor.
- Garlic: Four cloves may seem like a lot, but trust me, there’s room for more if you love garlic as much as I do.
- Beef Broth: Make sure to grab low-sodium beef broth, as there’s plenty of salt on the beef.
- Red Wine: Cabernets or Pinot Noirs are great options, just make sure it’s a full-bodied wine on the drier side. And if you’re alcohol-free, swap the wine out for extra beef broth.
- Fresh Herbs: Rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves work beautifully together when seasoning beef – especially when they’re fresh, not dried.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
What’s The Best Cut Of Beef For Pot Roast?
Brisket or rounds are reasonable options for a good pot roast. But I think chuck roast is the way to go for a great pot roast. Not only is it economical, it’s marbling will add enormous flavor. Meaning, there’s plenty of fat that keeps the entire piece extra-juicy and tender as it cooks low and slow. Bonus – the fatty juices seeping through the meat will help create one mouthwatering broth.
How To Make Pot Roast In A Slow Cooker
Yes, you can make this in a Dutch oven, but a slow cooker or Crock Pot works just as well and cuts out a few steps to make the process a bit easier. Who doesn’t love that?
Season and sear. Heat some oil in a cast iron skillet, season the chuck roast with salt and pepper, then sear it on both sides before adding into the slow cooker. Trust me, taking this extra step will develop that nicely browned crust we all love on big chunks of meat.
Add everything into the slow cooker. Some people like to add the veggies below the meat, but I find that they get way too soft that way. So just add them on top of the meat, then pour the beef broth and red wine over everything. Let everything cook on low for 8 to 9 hours (I prefer cooking on low). But if you’re on a time crunch, bump it up to high for 5 to 6 hours.
It’s ready to serve! Remove the chuck roast from the slow cooker, then slice or shred it, depending on how you want to enjoy it.
How to Make a Thicker Gravy
If you find that the broth is too thin, you can create a slurry with either cornstarch or arrowroot powder and stir it back in. This will help create a slightly thicker consistency! But if you’d like it much thicker, remove some of the broth to a saute pan and add the slurry to that on medium heat. It will thicken as it heats up.
Ways To Serve Pot Roast
Although this is an all-in-one meal, you can get creative with pot roast leftovers! Give these delicious dinner ideas a try.
- Beef up your plate with traditional sides. I’m talking mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach, sauteed green beans, or roasted Brussels sprouts. Basically all the classic side dishes you’d serve on a holiday table.
- Shred the beef. Pile the shredded beef on top of butter lettuce leaves or your favorite sandwich bread. You could also top it on a rice bowl for a heartier meal.
Storage tips
Like every one-pot recipe, leftovers are more than welcome! Plus, they store extremely well for long periods of time. It’s like finding a pot of gold in the back of your freezer come winter.
- To store: Add leftovers into an airtight container and store in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze: Batch cooked meals always makes for the best freezer meals. Just store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. You can reheat this in the microwave for a few minutes for an individual serving, or on the stovetop in a pot for a big batch.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
If you haven’t hopped on the slow cooker bandwagon – I think it’s time. It’s the easiest way to cook all sorts of meats!
- Carnitas – Tender shredded pork full of Mexican flavor.
- Barbacoa – This juicy shredded beef recipe is a reader favorite.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork – My “go-to” pulled pork recipe year round.
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken – Yes, you can cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker!
- Slow Cooker Kalua Pork – This Hawaiian favorite is smokey and delicious.
This slow cooker pot roast is just what you need to gather friends and family around the table. If you make it, let me know how it turned out! I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Description
Video
Ingredients
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, *see note
- 3 ½ pounds beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 ½ pounds baby potatoes (white or yukon gold), quartered
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup red wine, *see note
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Optional to Thicken Gravy
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Sear the beef. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the oil on medium-high heat. Season both sides of the beef roast with salt and pepper, and sear for 4 to 5 minutes on each side to give it a dark brown crust. Transfer the roast to a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker.
- Add to slow cooker. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Pour the beef broth and red wine on top. Add the lid and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
- Remove and shred. Remove the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and the bay leaves. Then remove the roast and shred or slice it up.
- Thicken broth. If you'd like to thicken the broth to more of a gravy consistency, stir together the cornstarch or arrowroot powder and water in a small bowl. Pour it into the slow cooker and stir everything together until it starts to thicken.
- Serve. Serve the meat and vegetables on a platter with some of the gravy (you can serve extra gravy on the side)
Lisa’s Tips
- Avocado oil: Anytime I’m searing or using very high heat I prefer to use avocado oil as it has a higher smoke point. But if you don’t have avocado oil, you can use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Red wine: I’m using a pinot noir in this recipe, but a good cabernet sauvignon or merlot works great too. If you prefer to keep it alcohol-free, just add more beef broth.
- Arrowroot: This should always be added at the very end of cooking, as it doesn’t stay thick as long as cornstarch or regular flour. And always add it as a slurry, to prevent clumping or a gloppy texture.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally posted October 2021, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Hi Lisa, I don’t have a slow cooker. Do you have alternative ways to cook this roast? In a pot in the oven? In an oven cooking bag?
Score another family dinner hit! What an easy amazing recipe! I followed the recipe as written and the family loved it.
Glad I made two roasts for leftovers!
Great job on planning ahead, Kerri! This pot roast is a great meal to keep stored away in the freezer when you’re craving something warm and comforting.
It has been so cold in Ottawa Canada this winter and I just love this recipe!
Just what we need to keep us warm.
You can’t beat a warming pot roast on a cold winter day! Glad this kept you warm and cozy with a full belly, Laurie!
First time making any kind of roast and this was so good!! I did extra broth instead of red wine and added salt, pepper and garlic powder! Super easy! It fed two people with leftovers!
Congrats on your first ever roast dinner, Bella! You can never go wrong with a smidge more seasoning. Glad you both enjoyed this recipe.
I’ve made this several times now and love it!!!! Thank you Lisa
Wonderful! I’m so glad you’re loving this pot roast, Louisa.
This was such an easy and delicious crock pot meal. I used the red wine and loved the taste it left, along with thickening the broth- it was so good. I could definitely see myself using this as a freezer meal prep in the winter months.
This is such a great option for freezer meal prep, Amanda! Hope you continue to enjoy this recipe for the rest of the season.
My butcher did not have a chuck roast so I have to substitute stew meat. How will this change the recipe?
Hi David – no big change, other than your meat will likely be tender sooner. You can always check earlier and stop when your meat shreds easily with a fork. Enjoy!
Really good and tender! My picky eaters asked for seconds! Thanks Lisa
Wonderful! I’m glad everyone is loving this pot roast recipe.
Do you have to sear the meat or can you just put it in the crockpot?
Hi Irene – while you don’t have to sear the meat, it does add a huge amount of flavor that I think makes the recipe delicious.
I decided to make it easy on myself this Christmas. This recipe is perfect. My entire family enjoyed it very much.
This is a great holiday recipe. I’m so glad you enjoyed it for Christmas, Lindsey!
Normally, every Christmas I’m the one who makes the roast for our Christmas dinner. However, this year I’m not doing great health-wise, just had a bad flair of my illness, so I’m not able to do the cooking. I was pretty bummed because I really love the roast that I make. But, since I can’t cook, my mom has offered to make a pot roast… This one! And she will be making this recipe, which is one of our favorites. It’s absolutely delicious, just the perfect balance of so many flavors and it smells amazing while it’s cooking. Super easy too!! It really comes out perfect every time! I’m looking very forward to enjoying it again!
I hope you enjoy this pot roast recipe (again), and wishing you all the best for improved wellness! How nice of your mom to whip up this recipe for you. A very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Kristy!
Thank you, Lisa! Wishing you a Merry Christmas as well!!
Your recipe is pretty much identical to Mom’s minus the cabbage.
Absolutely delicious
So glad you enjoyed it, Brady! Hopefully it brought back fond memories of your mom’s pot roast as well. :)
Doe the patotas need to be submerged in the liquid in the crockpot for them to cook???
Most of the ingredients should be submerged in water.
Lisa after a period of time do you need to stir is some? Please let me know as I am in the process of making it now.
Thanks,
There’s no need to stir!
Lisa, love everything you do (have your cookbook, building a home and long for the day I can cook ALL of the things in my beautiful kitchen…second time making this in a week. However, I somehow always get this on TOO LATE in the day. I have put on “high” so I don’t have to wait 7 hours. Can I do that and still have the meat be tender? Will HIGH setting reduce time by half? I put on at noon and want it ready by 7pm. I do add flour to the meat when I sear. It gives it a nice crispy edge and automatically thickens the gravy a bit.
Hi Natalie – thanks so much! I’m happy you’re enjoying all of my recipes. :) And yes, you can cook this on high. The respective times are listed in the recipe card. Enjoy!
I made this pot roast today and it is delicious. I did change two things I used parsley instead of rosemary because I didn’t have any I also don’t care for the taste. I also live in a very rural area and can not find arrowroot except online. I will be adding this recipe to my other favorites.
I’m so glad you loved this pot roast recipe, Denise!
Holy WOW, just finished having night one of this, unreal. So so good. Easy to set up, love slow cooker recipes, and the flavor notes were perfect, nothing overwhelmed! Love your site!
I’m glad this post was helpful to make the perfect pot roast, Kristy!
Easy, solid recipe. Minimal seasoning and turned out delicious! Husband loved.
Thrilled to hear you and your husband enjoyed this pot roast recipe, Michelle!
Can’t remember where I first heard about this technique but when making pot roast or anything with gravy I use instant potato flakes as a thickener. Works great and adds a ton of flavor.
Excellent idea. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve made this recipe twice now, and it was fantastic both times. I add a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce to my serving, as I do with any stew or pot roast dish. The results are amazing!
Hi Theresa – Happy to hear you’re loving this pot roast!
Amazing. This recipe is fabulous. I made a huge triple batch so we would have one for dinner the next night and two for the freezer. I love having ready made home cooked meals in the freezer as it makes my life so much easier. This recipe is delicious, nutritious and easy to make. I also added some frozen corn for the last 10 minutes as it gives it a delicious flavour and adds some fun colour to the pot roast/stew.
Hi Sharon – This is the best meal for freezer prep! I’m glad you love this pot roast.
Easy and delicious. Cooked on high and it came out perfecto! Thank-you for another nourishing recipe, Lisa!
Hi Ann – Wonderful! I’m glad your pot roast turned out.
I can’t get fresh thyme or fresh rosemary. Can I substitute dry?
Yes, you can sub 1/3 the amount with dry herbs.
If you find your onion too strong, just slice it and then cover it with vinegar for about an hour. It will be just like a sweet onion..
Hi Lyle – Thanks for the tip!
Hi Lisa,
This might be a strange question but wondering if I could sear the beef the night before, refrigerate and then put in the slow cooker in the morning (I just don’t have time for much in the morning before work).
Thanks!
Hi Debbie – I wouldn’t recommend that, just from a food safety standpoint.
I have made this once before and it was absolutely fantastic! So glad its on my first whole30 journey. Thank you for all of your help.
Hi Catherine – Happy to hear you love this pot roast recipe!
Firstly, I love your recipes. My teenage sons request your carnitas often! To the point: I already have gluten-free flour…may I use this gf flour to thicken the broth instead of cornstarch or arrowroot powder? Much love and appreciation for you and all you do!
Hi Alexa – so happy you love my recipes! And yes, no problem at all. Feel free to swap in that flour. Enjoy!
Love all of your recipes! Made the beef tenderloin for Christmas (my first time hosting) and got so many compliments!
I love a good pot roast – but every time I make it, the leftovers always have hardened pieces of fat throughout the sauce, even though I remove all of the fat before storing in the container. It really deters us from wanting the leftovers. Am I just not leaving it out to cool long enough before putting in the fridge? Maybe I am describing this terribly – but it happens every time and almost feels like a waste to make it when I know leftovers should be amazing! Thank you!!
Hi Tracey – happy to hear you loved the beef tenderloin for Christmas, yay! As for the pot roast, those little hardened pieces of fat after it cools are totally normal. And as soon as you reheat the leftovers, they’ll meld back into the sauce and you’ll never know they’re there. Additionally, they provide extra flavor. :) Enjoy!
Have made this to roast 3 times. Love it and freezes well.
Thanks so much, Susan! And yes, it does freeze beautifully for meal prep. :)