Slow Cooker Pot Roast is a classic wintertime meal.
The roast cooks low and slow all day long in the crockpot and becomes so tender and moist that it falls apart into perfect shreds and chunks. Carrots, potatoes, and onions are cooked alongside it and are so flavorful and filling. Finally, the broth the roast cooks in and produces is the base of our homemade gravy that we will use to sop everything up.
It doesn't get more comforting than that (or any easier).
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How to Make Slow Cooker Pot Roast:
- Prep: Rinse carrots and potatoes. Peel carrots and chop them into 2" chunks. Quarter onion. Lay carrots, potatoes, and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Lightly salt and pepper to taste. Tip: If using petite potatoes like I am here, leave the potatoes whole. If using large potatoes, cut them in half or quarter them.
If you are ever so lucky to find fresh pearl onions, use them! About a handful or two, peeled, should do.
- Season chuck roast with salt and pepper to taste and allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat - the oil should look shiny when ready.
- Sear both sides of the chuck roast until golden brown, starting with the fat-side down. About 3-5 minutes per side, or until meat releases from the pan without sticking.
Searing the chuck roast before placing into the crockpot helps to kickstart some intense beefy flavor at the same time as giving some color to the outside of the meat. You can sear your chuck roast first even if it has been previously frozen and hasn't quite thawed all of the way.
You can skip searing the meat if you're short on time. Just know that the final result may not have quite the same beefy flavor.
- Once the chuck roast is golden on both sides, place it on top of the carrots, potatoes, and onions in the slow cooker. (I used tongs to do this.) Then, pour pan juices over top.
- Pour over beef broth and sprinkle with thyme. Note: If you're feeling fancy, you could add some red wine here. I would keep the ratio to something like 3 cups of beef broth for every 1 cup of wine. If you want it to be more subtle, go with ½ cup of red wine for every 3 cups of broth.
You could also throw in a sprig of fresh rosemary if you have one growing in a garden, just fish it out before you go to serve.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours. You could also cook on high for 4 hours, but I personally think low and slow is the way to go for pot roasts.
For the Gravy:
- Siphon out most of the broth from the slow cooker and transfer it to a small-medium saucepan. Note: Be careful doing this so you don't get splashed with hot liquid.
- Set the saucepan on the stove over medium-heat. Bring to a simmer.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by combining equal parts of cornstarch with water in a small bowl. (I use organic cornstarch only.) Stir until well combined.
- Once the broth is simmering, slowly add cornstarch slurry while constantly stirring. Once combined, allow the broth to simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
To Serve:
- Set the slow cooker to warm. Tip: You can leave the vegetables in the slow cooker and dish them up from there, or remove them to a bowl and turn off the slow cooker.
- Remove the chuck roast from the slow cooker and set it on a plate. Use two forks to shred the meat, pulling with the grain. Discard any fat.
- Serve shredded roast with potatoes, carrots, and onion with gravy poured over top. Garnish with parsley for color.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast - Classic Winter Favorite, Naturally Gluten and Dairy Free
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Yield: 8 servings
Low and slow cooked tender, pulled chuck roast with carrots, potatoes, onions, and homemade gravy. A comforting classic that couldn't be any easier.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-5 lbs chuck roast
- 4 large carrots peeled and cut into 2" chunks
- 2 lbs petite whole gold potatoes whole, skins left on
- 1 yellow onion quartered, or 1-2 handfuls of fresh, peeled pearl onions
- 3 cups beef broth or stock
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- (optional) fresh sprig of rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
- parsley for serving
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil for searing
To thicken Gravy:
- 3 tbsp. organic cornstarch
- 3 tbsp. cold water
Instructions
- Prep: Rinse carrots and potatoes. Peel carrots and chop them into 2" chunks. Quarter onion. Lay carrots, potatoes, and onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Lightly salt and pepper to taste. Tip: If using petite gold potatoes like I am here, leave them whole with the skins on. If using large potatoes, cut them in half or quarters.
- Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper and allow it to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil in a cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat - the oil should look shiny when ready.
- Sear both sides of the chuck roast until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes per side), starting with the fat side down. This helps kickstart a rich, beefy flavor.
- Once the chuck roast is golden on both sides, use tongs to place it overtop of the carrots, potatoes, and onion in the slow cooker. Pour pan juices overtop. Then, pour in beef broth (and red wine if you're feeling fancy. See note.*) Sprinkle with thyme and (optional) add in a fresh sprig of rosemary.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4 hours if in a hurry. Note: Meat may not be quite as tender if cooked on a high setting.
- Remove the chuck roast from the slow cooker and set it on a plate. Use two forks to shred the meat into chunks, pulling with the grain. Discard any fat.
For the Gravy:
- Once the roast is fully cooked, siphon out most of the broth from the slow cooker and transfer it into a small-medium saucepan. Be careful not to splash yourself with the hot liquid.
- Set the saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by adding the cornstarch and water to a small bowl. Mix until well combined. Once the broth is simmering, slowly add cornstarch slurry while constantly stirring. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste. Tip: If you want a thick gravy, you can add another 1 tbsp. cornstarch to 1 tbsp. water.
- Serve shredded chuck roast with carrots, potatoes, onions, and gravy overtop. Garnish with parsley for color.
Notes
*If you're feeling fancy, you could add some red wine in with the roast along with the beef broth. I would keep the ratio to something along the lines of 3 cups of beef broth for every 1 cup of red wine. Or, ½ cup red wine to every 3 cups of beef broth for a more subtle flavor. Since this will deepen the flavor, you may not need to add as much salt or pepper.
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