Slow Cooker Pot Roast (Printable Version)
Classic tender beef with potatoes and carrots in a rich, savory slow-cooked gravy.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
04 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Vegetables
05 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
06 - 1.5 lb Yukon gold or russet potatoes, cut into large chunks
07 - 1 large yellow onion, sliced
→ Aromatics & Seasoning
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
11 - 2 bay leaves
→ Liquid & Gravy
12 - 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
13 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
14 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
15 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
16 - 2 tbsp cold water
# How to Make It:
01 - Pat the beef chuck roast dry. Evenly season all sides with kosher salt and ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the roast to the slow cooker.
03 - Arrange peeled and cut carrots, potato chunks, and sliced onion around and underneath the roast inside the slow cooker.
04 - Sprinkle minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves evenly over the meat and vegetables.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together low-sodium beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour this mixture over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
06 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft.
07 - Transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves.
08 - Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid remaining in the slow cooker. Combine cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry and stir it into the hot liquid. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 10 minutes until the gravy thickens.
09 - Slice or shred the beef. Serve with vegetables and spoon the prepared gravy over the top.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef becomes so tender it practically falls apart without any of the active cooking time a traditional pot roast demands.
- Everything cooks together in one vessel, so your vegetables absorb all those meaty, herb-infused flavors instead of just sitting on the side.
- You get a rich, silky gravy without any cream or fussy sauce-making, just a simple cornstarch slurry at the end.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step even though the slow cooker method is supposed to be hands-off; that browning creates flavors that eight hours of braising alone simply cannot replicate.
- If your vegetables are mushy but you wanted them firmer, add them during the last two hours next time instead of at the beginning; the cooking time is forgiving enough to adjust.
- The cornstarch slurry only works if you add it to hot liquid and let it cook briefly; cold liquid or skipped cooking time means your gravy stays thin and disappointing.
03 -
- If you want richer, deeper flavor, brown your aromatics (the onion and garlic) in the same skillet you use for the roast before adding them to the slow cooker; it only takes a few extra minutes and it pays off enormously.
- A splash of red wine whisked into the broth mixture adds complexity and sophistication without tasting boozy after eight hours of cooking, and it's the kind of thing that makes people ask if you made this in a restaurant.