Perfect Slow Cooker Pot Roast
on Oct 31, 2024
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Chuck roast, onion, and carrots are cooked in a seasoned broth until juicy and tender. This slow cooker pot roast gives you a warm, cozy dinner that is easy to make!
Slow cooker pot roast is a staple recipe in my house! It is a great option for when you need an easy to throw together dinner, but still want something that is filling and delicious. The roast and vegetables are cooked on high in the slow cooker with a seasoned beef stock which lends plenty of flavor to the dish.
Searing the chuck roast, carrots, and onions beforehand add dimension and texture that take this meal to the next level! If you want a foolproof method to make a tender, savory roast, then this is the recipe for you.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You can customize this dish with a variety of veggies.
- It only takes 20 minutes to prepare.
- You’ll only need a few simple ingredients and seasonings.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chuck Roast—You can also use top or bottom round roast.
- Onions—Peeled and cut in half.
- Carrots—Peeled and cut into small sticks.
- Beef Stock—Helps cook the roast, keeping it tender, juicy, and flavorful!
- Olive Oil—To sear the roast and cook the vegetables!
- Salt and Pepper—Brings out the flavors in the roast.
- Herbs—We like to use rosemary and thyme. Dried herbs can be used in a pinch.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Step #1. Salt and pepper all sides of the roast well. Heat the olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is shimmering, add the roast and sear it well on all sides.
Step #2. Remove the roast from the skillet and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the two onions to the same skillet and sear them cut side down. Add them to the slow cooker.
Step #3. Place the carrots in the skillet and sear them, stirring often. Add 2 cups of beef stock to the hot skillet.
Step #4. Pour the carrots and the broth from the skillet into the slow cooker. Add more beef stock until the roast is half covered. Sprinkle the herbs into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high.
Recipe FAQs
While it is not absolutely necessary, searing is part of what makes this roast taste so incredible! Slow cookers are a wonderful tool and make many recipes easy to put together, but they are not known for adding a crispy exterior or coating to the food. Not only does it add texture, but it adds flavor and a beautiful color as well. Although it is an extra step, searing luckily doesn’t take long which means it will elevate the flavor of your roast with little time and effort!
The roast should be done within 4 hours if you cook it on high. If you are cooking a larger roast that is 5 or more pounds, you might need to add more time. To ensure the roast is fully cooked, insert a fork into the thickest part of the roast. It should be able to pierce through with no issue. You will know it is ready once the roast is very tender and can cut or shred easily. Alternatively, you can check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and make sure it is between 190°-210°F all the way through.
How to Serve and Store Slow Cooker Pot Roast
The great thing about this recipe is that it gives you a hearty main dish and vegetable right in one! On top of serving this roast with the carrots and onions, you can add a side of mashed potatoes or baked potatoes, gravy, and dinner rolls! We sometimes add a simple garden salad for a light and refreshing side.
Any leftover pot roast and vegetables can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge! Once cooled, transfer the roast and vegetables to an airtight container, along with some of the leftover broth to keep it moist. Reheat the food in the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals until warm throughout!
Expert Tips
- It is important to use big carrots that you have cut and peeled rather than baby carrots if you can! The bigger carrots will keep their texture better as they cook in the broth.
- The best way to season and transfer your roast is by using tongs. This will allow you to easily turn and move the meat without having to touch it!
- Try not to open the lid as your food is cooking, because it will cause the dish to lose heat and take longer to cook.
- You can use some of the extra broth left in the slow cooker to make a delicious gravy!
More Slow Cooker Recipes To Consider
Soups, Stews & Chowders
White Chicken Chili
Soups, Stews & Chowders
Slow Cooker Veggie Beef Soup
Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas
Slow Cooker Recipes
Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
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Perfect Pot Roast (Slow Cooker or Oven Cooking)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- salt, preferably coarse salt like kosher
- pepper
- 3 to 5 lb. chuck roast, could also use top or bottom round roast
- 2 onions, peeled and cut in half
- 6-8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sticks
- 2 cup beef stock
- 1 teaspoon dry crushed rosemary or 3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over high heat in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Salt and pepper all sides of the roast well. When the oil is shimmering, add the roast and sear it well on all sides (about a minute per side). Remove the roast from the skillet and place it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Add the two onions to the same skillet that the roast cooked in and sear them for one minute, cut side down. Add them to the slow cooker.
- Place the carrots in the skillet and sear them for another minute, stirring often. Add 2 cups of beef stock to the hot skillet to deglaze the pan (the liquid will help remove all the little cooked on bits of vegetable and beef from the pan which adds tons of flavor). Pour the carrots and the broth from the skillet into the slow cooker.
- Add more beef stock until the roast is half covered in stock (this might be up to another 4 cups of stock). Sprinkle herbs over the contents of the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for about 4-6 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (may need a little more time if you're using a 5-lb. roast). You'll know your roast is done if you can break off pieces of meat with your fork.
- Serve the meat with the carrots and onion slices over some steaming mashed potatoes with gravy on the top.
Notes
- To make this recipe in the oven, you can sear everything up in a large Dutch oven (6-7 quart) with a tight fitting lid. So follow the directions and instead of placing everything in the slow cooker, just place it on a cookie sheet and then when you are finished deglazing the pan with the broth, add the roast back to the pan and the onions and adjust the broth as needed. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake at 250 degrees F. for 3-6 hours depending on your oven and your roast.
- If you don’t have fresh herbs you can use 1 tablespoon each of dried herbs.
- You can use the leftover broth and juices from the roast to make gravy! You can use this recipe and just use the juices in place of the broth (and add additional broth as needed to get the amount needed in the recipe.
Always turns out perfect!
Made this today with a chuck roast and it was fork tender with the most delicious flavor from searing the vegetables too.
I agree with you that to use the larger carrots would yield a firmer result. I needed to use my large bag of the snacking size and they were too soft but still yummy as could be.
Make this & you won’t be disappointed.
I’m going to make it today it sounds wonderful. I’m curious why you don’t add potatoes to your recipe?
I serve them mashed on the side, I don’t add them to the pot because I think they get too mushy!
The flavor is AMAZING. I think I’m just going to fill the pot with carrots next time because they were to die for. Next time I’ll cook it a little longer, so the roast can be a little more tender.
I completely agree with you about the carrots! And yes, by all means, adjust the timing to your liking and what meat you have to work with!
My bottom roast is only 2lbs…thoughts on how long to cook?
I’d start the checking the temperature at 2 hours and then check it every 15 minutes after that until it’s cooked through. I’m not sure just how much time you’ll need but that’s a safe way to get a cooked but not overcooked roast. The potatoes will still take the full amount of time or slightly longer if you are opening and closing the lid a lot.
Had a rump roast to cook…..so here is where I bounced. Oh it turned out sooooooo good! I love the texture of the carrots, firm, yet tender and so flavorful. I turned the juice into gravy and it didn’t even need any more seasonings to be amazing. I made your pumpkin biscuits to go with it since the oven was available…..thought I would experiment a bit and put some thyme and black pepper into half of the dough….um nope….they were ok, but I love the pumpkin biscuits so much, the additional flavors didn’t take them up a notch. Why mess with a good thing! Thanks for the great recipes!!!!
Will this work if you cook it on law for six hours?
It might need a little longer than 6 hours to be really tender on low, depending on the size of your roast.
I’ve never made any roast in my crock using HIGH.. they are tender ? Maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong. Sometimes it’s 8-13 hours on low getting it tender I place my carrots & celery & potatoes last two hours
Thanks for the thoughts, always helpful to know what’s working with other cooks!