Slow Cooker Pot Roast
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No-fuss, fall-apart pot roast made in your crockpot with the most tender vegetables! And the gravy is perfection.
Featured Comment
This is the absolute best pot roast I’ve ever had. I am glad to replace our family recipe using packaged onion soup mix with wine and fresh herbs. Thank you for this recipe! It is damn delicious!
why i love this recipe
- Classic comfort food. Sometimes you just need a classic comfort food dish that brings you back home. Something mom used to make, and something you can enjoy on a Sunday night with friends and family.
- Easy slow cooker recipe. This is the easiest pot roast recipe that can cook all day long in your crockpot. The pot roast also comes out unbelievably fall-apart tender with the most perfect gravy that you can make from the cooking juices. Not to mention, all the tender potatoes, carrots and celery that soak up all that lovely flavor.
- Freezer-friendly. Pot roast is a great dish to freeze for meal prep, for a new mom, a neighbor or a loved one recovering from surgery, keeping in the freezer for up to 3 months.
how to make the easiest crockpot pot roast
- Season the chuck roast generously, and sear on all sides until a nice crust forms
- Whisk together the beef broth mixture – beef broth, wine (or additional beef broth), flour, tomato paste and Worcestershire
- Add all the ingredients into a slow cooker, topping with the seared chuck roast
- Slow cook for 7-8 hours (the pot roast will be done when it’s fork-tender and falling apart)
- Make the gravy, skimming the fat (or else you’ll end up with greasy gravy)
- Shred the meat and serve with gravy
tips and tricks for success
- Sear the meat. Searing the chuck roast – top, bottom, sides, everything and all around – over medium high heat will add all the extra, deeper flavors here, sealing all the juices inside.
- Choose a wine you will drink. A dry red wine (cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir or merlot) is great here – it does not have to be anything fancy or overpriced. Just something you don’t mind sipping on since you will have an open bottle.
- Yukon golds hold up very well. Yukon golds hold up much better throughout the long cook time than russet potatoes, which tend to break down and fall apart. Red potatoes can also be used.
- Carrots and celery should be cut in larger pieces. The vegetables should be cut a little larger here as they will cook down quite a bit in the slow cooker (or else they will be overcooked, fall apart and turn to mush).
- Tomato paste adds so much flavor. Tomato paste is a key ingredient in pot roast, adding body and richness in small amounts without adding too much liquid to the roast. Opt for tomato paste in a tube, using up only what you need at a time without having to open up a whole can.
- Freeze as needed. Pot roast freezes like a dream! Freeze the shredded meat separately from the sauce, packing the meat tightly in freezer bags with a little bit of the cooking juices to prevent the meat from drying out. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking in the leftover gravy!
PRO TIP
Pot roast makes for great leftovers.
Use the leftover meat for sandwiches, soups and stews, stroganoff, tacos, burritos, quesadillas and casseroles.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH POT ROAST
Slow Cooker Pot Roast: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different cut of meat?
We recommend using chuck roast for the best results possible. Brisket or rump roast (bottom round roast) can also be used.
Do I have to use red wine?
Additional beef broth can be used for red wine as a non-alcoholic substitute. Broth will be less acidic and more mild in flavor than red wine.
Can I use dried herbs instead?
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Can I make pot roast in the oven instead?
Yes! Don’t have 7-8 hours to wait in the slow cooker? Here is our favorite pot roast recipe made in the oven.
How can I store leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Is pot roast freezer-friendly?
Yes! Pot roast freezes beautifully and can keep in the freezer for 2-3 months, perfect for quick and easy meals during those busy weeks ahead.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
No-fuss, fall-apart pot roast made in your crockpot with the most tender vegetables! And the gravy is perfection.
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless chuck roast, excess fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
- 3 carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Equipment
Instructions
- Season beef with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add beef and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, wine, flour, tomato paste and Worcestershire; set aside.
- Place potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in beef broth mixture; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with beef.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours, or until beef is fork-tender.
- Remove beef, potatoes, carrots, celery and onion from the slow cooker; shred beef, using two forks. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Strain cooking juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan over medium heat; discard solids. Skim any remaining fat from surface and discard. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until desired thickness, about 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve beef, potatoes, carrots, celery and onion with juices immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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Great recipe, easy to prepare and follow. I had a 2.5lb cut, seared it first on the stove and then nestled it in the vegetables and gravy in the Crock-Pot. Cooked on high for about an hour and then low for about 5 hours and it was done. My husband, who doesn’t really like roast but agreed I could make it, actually said it was tasty and satisfying. Our one beef (sorry) was that the gravy had a pronounced tomato flavor, and bordered on BBQ sauce flavor. Next time I will reduce or leave out the tomato paste to make a more traditional-tasting brown gravy. Thanks for a great, easy to prepare recipe!
Try using canned diced tomatoes or diced fresh instead of tomato paste. I use both canned and fresh. If cooked several hours, the tomatoes will break down and it will add richness and nutrition to the drippings without the “BBQ” taste. You can get canned diced tomatoes in regular flavor and with additional seasonings (like roasted garlic). I usually use the regular. low salt variety.
Did I read that right? Your husband ‘said you could make it?’ I had to have read that wrong. Show husband where the kitchen is where he doesn’t need permission to cook whatever he likes for the family.
I highly doubt she meant she had to get his permission. I took it that she was being considerate of him not caring for roast.
It was great. One thing I did was at the end. I did not strain the juices. I put them in my Vitamix and blended it until it was to the thickness I wanted. Absolutely delicious!!!!
Wonderful! Part of the quarantine cooking trend, I used this recipe today and it was the best. It was 2.75 lbs and cooked in 7 hours.
Didn’t have tomato paste so I used pasta sauce. Also used rosé in place of the red wine.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
This recipe was a 2nd attempt at slow cooked meat, and it was amazing! I actually left out the carrots, potatoes, and celery to dedicate the slow cooker to the meat alone. Roasted potatoes and brussel sprouts on the side instead.
The meat came out beautifully, falling apart easily with a fork. The gravy was similarly incredible, and produces a lot for leftovers or other dishes.
I’ll be recommending this recipe to family and friends.
I used a 2.75 flat piece of Chuck.. and cooked it 8 hrs on low and it still was not tender at all. Had to raise to high and cook two more hrs ..
Do not love cooking in slow cooker . Rather just make beef stew .. in a regular pot.
I have never really liked pot roast before. The meat is pretty flavorless and always dry.
But my husband asked for it, so I found this recipe. I added about 2 pounds more beef, 1.5 cups more broth, mushrooms (my favorite part), and leeks. I also marinated the beef for two days before making it in red wine, water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, chopped onion, and garlic.
This was so good. No one could believe I’ve never made it before. The gravy was a little too thin even after I added more flour, but very flavorful. The beef was perfectly tender and moist and just so tasty. The veggies were super flavorful. Just very good overall. I love the addition of the fresh, bright green parsley at the end. Thank you so much for the delicious meal.
We also had green salad and garlic bread. I may try to grill the meat instead of pan sear it before adding it to the crock pot next time.
Very delicious and tasty! Thank you!
Thank you for this recipe! Since I do not own a crockpot, could this be made in a roasting pan or dutch oven instead? Also, would brisket work instead of boneless chuck roast? Thank you in advance!!
Hi! I’m trying this recipe tomorrow for easter dinner. We only have 1.32 lbs of chuck roast (only my husband and I are eating) and have a rice cooker that also turns into a slow cooker on hight. This is my first time to make a pot roast. I have a few questions hopefully someone will answer. Do I have to half the recipe? We do like gravy a lot! And how long should I cook this if it is high?
Thank you! Im very excited to try this!
My family loved this dish! This recipe will be going into our regular rotation for sure. It was delicious!
Best roast we have ever had!
Another amazing recipe! I didn’t have all the ingredients for my usual recipe and chose to make this instead on the fly. Easy, simple and delicious! The roast was fall apart tender and the gravy was perfect!
I wanted to give this a lower rating because of how mine turned out but wanted to give it 5 stars because it was my fault how it turned out. The flavor of the gravy, to die for! Soooo good! I had a slightly smaller roast so had already planned to check it well before the suggested 7-8 hours. However, after only 3.5, mine was well done and not tender at all. I did it on the low setting. I have high, low and warm. I guess next time, I’d do it on the warm setting. Anyway, after discovering it was well done and not tender, I turned it to warm and also took the potatoes out. It was sort of salvageable but only because of the veggies and gravy. I would try again and just be so much more careful about the settings and not to overcook it. Again, the gravy, amazing!!!
I think the problem may have been the short cook time. Pot roast will look done based on the color quite quickly. The tenderness comes from the long slow cook. What was tough at 3.5 hours could have been meltingly tender by 7-8 hours. Hopefully you’ll try it again. 🙂
Agree with Melinda: Just because something ‘looks’ done doesn’t mean it IS done. Recipe times are for a reason. The gravy will get richer and the roast will be done and tender if the timing is followed. Suggest making it again and no peek until the timing suggested is done.
Excellent! Only thing I did differently was liberally salted/peppered the check roast the night before, and the next morning seared in on my GRILL instead of in a pan on the stove … that (in my opinion always takes meat to the next level). Sear at 450 degrees for 5 minutes, turn 90 degrees or so and sear for another 5 minutes. Flip after the first 10 minutes and repeat.
You wont regret it!
First, I don’t own a slow cooker of any kind. I used my Le Creuset Dutch oven to brown the meat and then just threw everything in. I bake at 350 F for about 3 hours. A couple changes, I did not use the celery, as I didn’t have it on hand. I used ketchup instead of tomato paste, because that’s what I had on hand. Just used a heaping table spoonful of flour. This was AMAZING and everyone liked it. Even my MIL complimented it! Thanks for such a great recipe!! There’s not one recipe I’ve tried from this site that I haven’t liked and is one of my go to sites for recipes.
You too good for a slow cooker?
The flavor of this roast and vegetables and gravy was wonderful, and it was so aromatic as it cooked.
However, the vegetables took on the brown-burgundy color of the beef broth and the wine; the Angus chuck roast was not quite “fork tender.”
I used a 7.5 qt. newer Cuisinart, and cooked it for 8 hours on low. I followed the recipe exactly.
Perhaps the next time I will put the roast in the crock pot first, then the vegetables on top, unless there is any other advice?
Did you sear the roast before putting it in? Could affect the level of cook. I also try to put celery down first, leave potatoes a little bigger and add them next then nest the beef in there and put the Carrots around the outside. Pot roast tend to turn out best if they start out partially in the liquid. Definitely try playing around with the layering till you get it how you like
Delicious. I marinated the beef overnite in Lawreys Italian marinade, washed it off next morning and browned beef! I added more carrots and potatoes, garlic and did everything else in recipe. Did not add wine!! Cooked on high for an hour, turned to low when I left house!!
Very tender and good!!
I follow the basics, pot roast (seared), potatoes, onion and carrots, except I put two cups of water in the crock pot and add one envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, instead of the sauce mentioned. When I make the gravy with the meat juice, I use Kitchen Bouquet.
It is so simple and tastes like my Mother’s recipe!
So you didn’t make this recipe. Thanks for wasting our time with your “review.”
Absolutely delicious. The gravy is the best
Great recipe. My 2.5 lb roast was fork tender in about 6.5 hours. I put the potatoes on the bottom, and the carrots & onions on top. I browned the roast on my gas grill (try it; it’s easy and one less skillet to clean) with a little baking soda rubbed in to promote the Maillard reaction and gave it a generous splash of balsamic vinegar once in the crock pot.