Easy Crock Pot Pot Roast (with Gravy!)

This crock pot pot roast is the ultimate comfort food and it’s SUPER easy to throw together. The slow cooker does all the work and delivers a perfectly tender, juicy pot roast with tender-crisp veggies and an optional 5-minute stovetop gravy!

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

• The prep time is super quick! The best part about this recipe is that the slow cooker does most of the work! You just sear the roast, give the aromatics a quick saute, pop it all in the slow cooker, and head to work. By the time you come home, you’ll walk in the door to a delicious aroma and a tasty home-cooked meal that’s ready when you are.
• You’ve got easy lunches or dinners for the week! This slow cooker pot roast recipe tastes even better when it’s reheated making it one of our family’s favorites! It also freezes beautifully if you aren’t feeding a large family or want to deliver a delicious freezer meal to a friend!
• While this pot roast is almost a complete meal, you can easily throw together some quick garlic bread or a simple house salad and you’ve got a well-rounded dinner the whole family will love!
• You can still make a delicious brown gravy, even when you cook pot roast in the slow cooker! Just add a cornstarch slurry to the cooking liquid, simmer for a few minutes, and voila! Homemade gravy in just minutes that will perfectly coat the tender shredded beef, potatoes, and carrots!

Ingredients for Crock Pot Pot Roast

• Chuck Roast: I like to use a chuck roast for my slow cooker pot roast. See below for other cuts of meat that you can use instead.
• Onion & Garlic: Yellow onion and fresh cloves of garlic are the perfect aromatic flavor base for this roast. Slice the onion, smash the garlic, and saute and you’ll add TONS of delicious flavor to this roast.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is one of my favorite ways to add depth of flavor in just minutes. The color also makes the gravy a deeper brown which I love. You can omit this ingredient if I don’t have it on hand, but I highly recommend keeping a tube of tomato paste in the fridge for recipes like this and my taco meat and chili recipe!
• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a touch of sweetness that balances out the acid from the tomato paste. It also pairs really well with the aromatics of the roast.
• Herbs & Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves are my favorite herbs and spices for this pot roast. Feel free to use your family’s favorites.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is going to enhance the flavor of the beef and add some umami flavor as well.
• Beef Stock: You can use beef broth or beef stock. I find that the stock has a bit more flavor.
• Carrots: You can chop up whole carrots or use baby carrots. I find that freshly chopped carrots have more flavor.
• Baby Gold Potatoes: Try to find potatoes that are about the same size so they cook evenly. You can use baby red potatoes as well.

How to Make Pot Roast in a Slow Cooker

Season roast with salt and pepper and sear it in olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Place in slow cooker.

Saute onion, garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Deglaze with Worcestershire sauce and a couple splashes of beef stock.

Add the onion and garlic mixture, carrots, and potatoes to the large crock pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock. Add a few liberal pinches of salt and pepper. Nestle fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves into the veggies. 

Put the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours or until the roast shreds easily. Garnish with parsley and make brown gravy if desired!

How to Make Pot Roast Gravy

• If you want to make a delicious gravy for this pot roast, you’re in luck – it’s super easy!
• Strain the broth from the pot roast after it’s cooked and pour it into a saucepan over medium heat.
• Dissolve 3 tablespoons cornstarch in 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir the slurry into the broth.
• Simmer over medium to medium-low heat for a few minutes until the gravy thickens to your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Best Cuts of Meat for Pot Roast

While the term “pot roast” typically implies a chuck roast, you can also use a few other cuts of meat. My favorites, in order, are:

• chuck roast
• round roast (bottom round or rump roast)
• shoulder roast
• brisket
• short ribs

You want to look for a cut of meat with good marbling so that it will stand up to a nice slow cook. The slow cooking process will help render the fat and create a perfectly tender, juicy, fall-apart roast.

Tips for Making

• Cut the carrots uniformly, about the same size as the potatoes. This will ensure that all the veggies cook evenly and are done at the same time. I like to use baby potatoes that I don’t need to cut or that I just need to slice in half to save on prep time.
• Sear the roast in a large saute pan or large cast iron skillet instead of a large pot. The saute pan will have more surface area which means that you can get a great sear on the entire roast. It will also be easier to move it from the pan to the slow cooker.
• Don’t skip the sear or the saute! Searing the roast is going to add tons of flavor and make it even juicier. Sauteeing the aromatics is going to really deepen the flavors of the overall dish. It’s a little bit of extra work but it really makes all the difference!
• Check the slow cooker after 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low and see how things are looking. If the veggies are fork-tender but the roast isn’t shreddable yet, remove the veggies and let the roast cook until it shreds easily with two forks. Then you can pop the veggies back in once the roast is done to warm through before serving. All crock pots are going to cook slightly differently so the cooking time will vary.
• I find that a 6-7 quart crock pot works best for this recipe. Anything smaller and you likely won’t be able to fit it all in. If your crock pot is smaller and you can’t fit the roast in the crock pot as is, cut it in half and then just sear each half, and then cook them in the crock pot.

FAQ

Is it better to cook a roast on high or low in a crock pot?

Either will work just fine! Even if you set it on the high setting it’s still going to take a good 5-6 hours or more. The slow setting will take about 8-10 hours. It all depends on how much time you’ve got to cook the meal!

Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the crock pot?

Yes! It is totally worth the extra time and effort because it will make the overall flavor of the dish SO much better. Searing the roast before slow cooking allows that rich dark brown crust to form which means more flavor and a more appealing appearance.

How long should I leave my pot roast in the crock pot?

This roast cooks in the crock pot for about 5-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low. Every slow cooker will cook slightly differently and depending on the size of your roast it may take more or less time to cook the pot roast.

Should pot roast be covered with liquid in slow cooker?

Not necessarily! 32 ounces of beef stock is the perfect amount for this roast. The steam that’s trapped in the slow cooker will cook the meat and veggies, even without your roast being completely submerged in the cooking liquid. Depending on the size and shape of your roast, it may or not be covered by the beef broth and that’s just fine.

Make-Ahead Pot Roast

This recipe for pot roast in the slow cooker is one of my favorites because it’s a delicious make-ahead meal! I love to throw it together on a Sunday and then have an easy meal to warm up for quick lunches or simple dinners all week. The slow-cooked nature of the beef allows it to reheat beautifully without feeling like boring, dried-out, bland leftovers! And the gravy reheats well too!

Storing Leftover Pot Roast

Store leftover pot roast and veggies in an airtight container for up to a week. Store the gravy or juices along with the shredded roast so that it’s submerged. This will keep it from drying out.

Freezing Leftover Pot Roast

Freeze leftover pot roast in its juices or gravy in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Reheat leftover pot roast in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shredded beef, broth or gravy, and veggies to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Try these family favorites next!

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