Published October 23, 2024. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Recipe provides a comforting meal without any babysitting. Featuring perfectly seared chuck roast and hearty vegetables simmered in a savory beef gravy, it fills your home with mouthwatering aromas as it slowly cooks throughout the day.
Making pot roast in the slow cooker is one of my favorite hands-off methods to prepare this home-cooked comfort food. With the easy-to-follow steps in this recipe, you’ll be left with irresistibly tender beef and veggies in a rich, luxurious gravy every time. Complete the meal with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Dinner Rolls for an unbelievably tasty Sunday dinner.
One-Pot Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Dishes like Hungarian Goulash, Mexican Picadillo, Beef Bourguignon, and this slow cooker pot roast recipe share a common goal: transforming a humble cut of beef into a memorable meal.
This slow-cooker pot roast recipe is prepared the same way as my Classic Pot Roast Recipe but swaps the stovetop for a crockpot. A large, inexpensive cut of chuck roast is first browned, then slowly braised in a savory liquid along with potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. The low, steady heat breaks down the meat’s connective tissues, resulting in fork-tender perfection, while the veggies absorb all of the mouthwatering juices.
I used a chuck roast here, but you can experiment with other budget-friendly cuts of beef like brisket or bottom round roast. The veggies are flexible, too! This “set it and forget it” slow cooker dinner makes this dish incredibly convenient regardless of your customizations. All you have to do is prep it in the morning and dig into the mouthwatering, ready-to-eat meat for dinner.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – A well-marbled beef chuck roast is your best bet for pot roast. The fat gradually breaks down while it’s slow-cooked, resulting in a richer flavor and meat that practically melts in your mouth. If you can’t find chuck roast, look for brisket, top, or bottom round roast instead.
- Olive oil – It’s used to sear the beef, give it a caramelized crust, and sauté the aromatics. You can substitute it with fats like avocado oil, clarified butter, or lard.
- Aromatics — Yellow onions add sweetness and depth, while garlic cloves are robust, aromatic. If you don’t have yellow onions, use white or red onions, shallots, or leeks instead.
- Tomato paste – A small amount adds a concentrated umami flavor and some subtle acidity.
- Stock – Beef stock makes up the liquid base of the gravy. You can substitute this with chicken stock, vegetable stock, or brodo if you’d like, or dissolve a bouillon cube in water for a quick alternative.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme sprigs and a bay leaf infuse the gravy with aromatic, earthy flavors.
- Vegetables – I used a combination of Yukon Gold potatoes, red potatoes, carrots, and button mushrooms. Don’t hesitate to mix and match these with your favorites—think sweet potatoes, butternut squash, turnips, parsnips, etc.
How to Make Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker
Generously season the chuck roast on all sides with salt and pepper.
Preheat your slow cooker using the sear function. Pour in the oil.
Add the seasoned roast to the slow cooker and sear on all sides until beautifully browned. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.
Add the onions and garlic to the now-empty slow cooker. Add a pinch of salt and sauté until they brown and become fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook over low to medium heat until it becomes a deep rust color.
Pour the beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper into the pot. Stir to combine, then add the seared beef.
Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot when there is 2 ½ to 3 hours of cooking time left.
Once cooked, remove the beef roast from the pot and shred it with two forks, or serve it in chunks with the tender, slow-cooked vegetables.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can roast this slow cooker pot up to 1 day in advance. Allow it to cool slightly before transferring it to a covered container and refrigerating. When ready to serve, gently reheat the pot roast over low heat until warm.
How to Store: Cover and refrigerate the leftover pot roast for up to 4 days. Or, transfer it to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.
How to Reheat: Heat as much of the pot roast and vegetables as you plan on eating in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Searing the meat is optional, though highly recommended. This step creates a caramelized crust that locks in the beefy juices, helping the roast stay moist and tender while adding a refined gourmet element to the final dish.
- If your slow cooker doesn’t have a sear or sauté function, you can sear the chuck roast and sauté the aromatics and tomato paste in a skillet before transferring everything to the slow cooker. Just be sure to deglaze the pan with beef stock, water, or red wine, scraping up any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Always take the time to cook the tomato paste. This technique, called pinçage, caramelizes its natural sugars to add a rich, complex flavor.
- The secret to melt-in-your-mouth pot roast vegetables? Add them to the pot halfway through the cooking time. This way, they’ll be perfectly cooked and not mushy.
- You can adjust the amount of potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to fit the size of your slow cooker.
- For added flavor, consider deglazing the crockpot with a splash of red wine before adding the stock and herbs. If you’re craving an umami boost, a splash of Worcestershire, soy sauce, or balsamic vinegar in the braising liquid is also welcome. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over the top before serving to contrast the rich flavors.
- For a more decadent, thicker gravy, strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan on the stove and heat it to a boil. Whisk in a slurry made from 3 tablespoons of corn or potato starch mixed with two tablespoons of water, then gently simmer until it’s thickened to your liking.
- You’ll know the pot roast is done cooking when you can easily pull the meat apart with a fork. Chuck roast typically shreds easily when it reaches an internal temperature of 190°F to 205°F.
More Beef Recipes
- Italian Beef Recipe
- Beef Wellington Recipe
- Homemade Salisbury Steak
- Homemade Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Chopped Steak Recipe with Onions and Mushrooms
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pound chuck roast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 peeled medium diced, medium-sized yellow onions
- 6 finely minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups beef stock
- 6 to 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds baby potatoes, I used a combination of Yukon gold and red
- 8 peeled thickly sliced medium-sized carrots
- 2 pints rinsed button mushrooms
- Coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper and briefly set it to the side.
- Add the oil to a slow cooker that’s been preheated on the sear function.
- Place the roast into the pot and sear it for 4 to 5 minutes on all sides or until it’s completely browned. Set it to the side.
- Add the onions and garlic, gently season with salt, and saute for 5 to7 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low to medium heat until it becomes a rusty color. This is known as pinceing.
- Add in the beef stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. Place the seared beef roast back in.
- Slow cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours.
- With 2 ½ to 3 hours left in the cooking process, add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to the crockpot. It’s ok if some of them aren’t completely submerged in the liquid. Adding these later in the cooking process will ensure that they are perfectly cooked and not mushy.
- Remove the chuck roast, pull it apart, or serve it in chunks along with the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe