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Slow cooker pot roast recipe.
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5 from 58 votes

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

The best pot roast dinner made easy in a slow cooker with meltingly tender chuck roast and vegetables infused in an aromatic broth. Watch the video below to see how I make it in my kitchen!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 hours 10 minutes
Total Time8 hours 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Crockpot Recipe, Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Slow Cooker Recipe
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Lisa Bryan

Equipment

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.
    Seared steak in pan.
  • 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.
    Preparing pot roast in slow cooker.
  • Remove and shred. Remove the sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and the bay leaves. Then remove the roast and shred or slice it up.
    Pot roast made in slow cooker.
  • 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.
    Adding slurry into pot roast.
  • Serve. Serve the meat and vegetables on a platter with some of the gravy (you can serve extra gravy on the side).
    Classic pot roast recipe.

Video

Notes

  • Storage tip: This can be stored in the fridge for 4 to 5 days or up to 3 months in the freezer.
  • 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

Calories: 685kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 1190mg | Potassium: 1791mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6942IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 7mg