Slow Cooker Pot Roast

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Crazy tender, melt in your mouth slow cooker pot roast with carrots and potatoes. This super easy recipe requires little prep and the crockpot does all the work!

pot roast in slow cooker with carrots and potatoes.

I love using my slow cooker to make meals easier! I especially love using it to make tougher cuts of meat fall apart tender.

Growing up this was a staple at my house!  Mom always made pot roast at least once a week.

I would say 99% of the time she made it in the oven but I wanted to make a slow cooker pot roast to share with you.

That way I can still make it in the middle of the summer without heating up the house!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

  • This pot roast turns out super moist and melt in your mouth tender, exactly the way pot roast is supposed to be. No dry, tough pot roast here!
  • This recipe is SO easy! Just put everything in the slow cooker, turn it on, and forget it. Then just make a simple gravy at the end.
  • Pot roast can really be a budget-friendly meal. Chuck roast, specifically, is an affordable cut of meat, yet it comes out restaurant-worthy.
ingredients

Ingredients:

First, you will need a chuck roast. Look for one that has good marbling (fat) throughout, because this will make it moist and tender.

Then you will use onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, beef broth, and beef bouillon. In the end, you will need butter and flour to finish the gravy.

For the vegetables, you will need fresh baby carrots and potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes work best, but you can also use red or russet potatoes. If they are large, cut them into big chunks before cooking.

Top down view of roast, carrots, and potatoes on a serving plate.

How to make Slow Cooker Pot Roast:

  1. Sear the roast on high to medium-high heat and then place in the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with a little beef broth and add to the slow cooker.
  2. Season the roast with your seasonings.
  3. Add veggies to the slow cooker.
  4. Mix the broth and bouillon together and add to the slow cooker.
  5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
  6. When finished cooking, make the gravy. Remove 2 cups of broth from the slow cooker and set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then slowly whisk in the reserved broth and, while stirring, simmer until thickened.
Close up of roast on a serving plate with gravy.

Tips for making pot roast:

  • Be flexible with the vegetables. Growing up my mom always had a medley of carrots, potatoes, and onions. But I didn’t include onions in this recipe because my kiddos aren’t fond of large chunks of cooked onions and neither is my husband. Include what you like and leave out what you don’t.
  • Choose a chuck roast that is marbled with fat throughout for the most tender results.
  • Don’t rush the cooking time. The low and slow method is perfect for tough cuts of meat because it will allow for the connective tissue to break down and leave you with tender meat.
Close up of roast and veggies garnished with thyme.

FAQs

What’s the best cut of meat for pot roast?

Any tough cut of beef will work great. Pot roast cooks at a low temperature for a very long period of time, which breaks down all the connective tissue and makes for meltingly tender meat. Here are some good options:
Chuck roast: My first choice is always a nice chuck roast. It comes from the front portion of the animal. Look for any roast with the word chuck in it.
Brisket: Brisket also from the front of the animal, specifically the chest. It has long strands of meat so cutting it against the grain is best for more tender meat.
Rump Roast/Bottom Round: These are great options if you can’t find anything else. They don’t have quite the marbling of a chuck but they still work.

Why is my pot roast tough?

Your pot roast will be tough and chewy if you did not cook it long enough. The longer it cooks, the more the tissue will break down and become tender. If it is tough, just continue to cook it until tender.

Why is my pot roast dry?

Make sure to cook the pot roast on low (not high). Cooking on high forces too much water out of the roast and makes it dry. It is also possible to overcook your roast. Be sure to check after the 8 hours and if you use a roast smaller than 3 pounds be sure to check sooner. A 4 pound roast is perfect for this recipe.

Can I make pot roast for a crowd?

Pot roast is an ideal recipe for a crowd since it is economical and loved by all! If you are doubling the recipe, I recommend using two slow cookers so you don’t overcrowd them.

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pot roast in slow cooker with carrots and potatoes.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Course: Beef, Main Dish, Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef roast, chuck roast, crockpot, Easy, pot roast, slow cooker
Crazy tender, melt in your mouth slow cooker pot roast with carrots and potatoes. This super easy recipe requires little prep and the crockpot does all the work! 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 +
Calories: 244kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
Print Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 (4 pound)(2kg) chuck roast
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups (750ml) beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon (I like better than bouillon brand)
  • 6 whole carrots; peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 pounds potatoes; washed, peeled (optional) and cut into large chunks

GRAVY:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups beef broth (from the crockpot)

Instructions

  • Pat roast dry with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little oil and sear the roast on all sides. Place roast in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with a little beef broth scraping up all the browned bits and add to slow cooker.
  • Sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix remaining broth with the bouillon and add to slow cooker. Place carrots and potatoes around the roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. **I don't recommend cooking on high**
  • To make gravy, remove 2 cups of beef broth from the slow cooker and set aside. In a medium saucepan melt the butter over medium low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Slowly pour and whisk in the reserved beef broth. Simmer while stirring until thickened. If the gravy is too thick stir in a little more broth.

Notes

  1. Choose a chuck roast that is very marbled with fat for the most tender result. Other great choices are brisket, rump, or bottom round. 
  2. The carrots and potatoes will be quite tender at the end of cooking time. Thicker carrots will withstand the cooking a little better and not be quite so soft. If you prefer you can wait and add the veggies after the meat has cooked for 1 1/2 hours. 
  3. Add onions or omit any vegetables that you don’t prefer. 
  4. Gluten-Free: Use a cup for cup gluten-free flour or just make a slurry with cornstarch and water and omit the butter. 

Nutrition

Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 1152mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10424IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

78 thoughts on “Slow Cooker Pot Roast”

  1. Any suggestions on if you only have 6 hours to cook rather than 8? I put mine in this morning around 11 and then realized your directions day 8 hours 😂😂😂. Can I do low for 5 hours and turn up to high for 1.5? You think it would be cooked?

    Reply
    • So sorry I didn’t comment back sooner! I hope it turned out for you! If it happens again you could try cooking on high for a couple of hours then bumping it back down to low. The reason for cooking on low for so long is to make it tender.

      Reply
  2. I just put together this recipe exactly how you said. Can’t wait to have it! I’m wondering if it makes a difference which side is down for the roast in the slow cooker, Meaty side or silver skin side. I did the silver skin side down but I can turn it over if it makes a difference.

    Reply
  3. I basically followed your recipe, butI added a few other things as well. I seasoned the roast first, then added butter to the olive oil to sear it. After adding it to the slow cooker, I added a little more butter to the pan, then lightly sautéed a drained jar of pearl onions before adding to the SC. I also added a packet of Lipton onion soup mix, so I used about a half cup more of the broth and about a half cup of Pinot noir. I never cared so much for potatoes in with the roast, so I left those out and just made mashed potatoes to put the roast and gravy over the mashed potatoes. SO delicious!!!!

    Reply
  4. What would the temperature & cooking time be to fix this in the oven? I didn’t get started in time to do it in the crockpot! But I definitely want to try that next time!

    Reply
  5. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. It was perfect, and the gravy was so tasty. Made it today! My new Pot Roast Recipe. Merry Christmas! 🎄

    Reply
  6. 5 stars
    This was my first time cooking a pot roast in a crockpot. It can out perfect! I’ve always done them in the brown & serve bags. I followed your instructions to a T and everything came out perfect! Even my gravy came out. Great, I think I found my favorite Way to fix pot roast. Thanks for the great recipe.

    Reply
  7. My roast fills up the bottom of the crockpot so most of the veggies are on top of the roast rather than around it. Will they cook ok this way without them being down in the liquid?

    Reply
    • That is ok! Everything will cook just fine. However, if your roast is larger than what the recipe specified it may take a little longer for the roast to cook and become tender. Hope you enjoy!!

      Reply
  8. Do you add water and broth while it is cooking, in addition to the amount used from deglazing the pan? It seems like it might get dry.

    Reply
    • So sorry I didn’t get back to you sooner!! You can cook from frozen but it will take longer to cook than specified in the recipe. You will need to cook until the meat easily shreds.

      Reply
  9. I made this roast to take to church for a felliwship meal after Sunday morning classes and worship and there was not a speck of it left after the meal! I got so many compliments on it, I couldn’t believe it! Everyone said it was perfect and delicious!

    Reply
        • So sorry I didn’t get to your comment sooner! The potatoes will be very soft at the end of cooking time but I wouldn’t consider them mushy. You can always add them half way through if you prefer them to be firmer.

          Reply
    • Sure! I would say around 20ish baby carrots. But use as many or few as you like that will allow the roast to fit in the slow cooker.

      Reply

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