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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My fiancé isn’t a big fan of pot roast, so when I said I was going to make a crock pot pot roast he was a little hesitant. I prepared everything before going to work so it would be ready when I got home. My fiancé said it was the juiciest and most tender pot roast he had ever had and he really enjoyed it, as did I! I skewered the onions (kabob/like) as he doesn’t like onions, which worked out wonderfully! Love this recipe and will be trying others off of this site soon! Thank you for a delightful dinner!
Get another BF.
D.A. – thanks for the wonderful tip about using a skewer for the onions, it’s brilliant! I have one picky eater in a 3-person household and onions and mushrooms are a particular issue. I’m going to use this trick from now on!
Marry him dear. The sooner the better, and just maybe keep him out of the kitchen.
I’ve never been known for my cooking skills but I wanted to have a few friends over for dinner and I followed this recipe. I shocked even myself when it turned out to be absolutely amazing. I will be making this pot roast again tomorrow for Sunday dinner for my father and brother. Looking forward to trying other recipes on your site.
It was perfection!
LOVE this recipe!
This is my go to!
Is there a recipe to make it in an instant pot?
Yes! I try to make this every Sunday for the family! 🙂
https://trustedhealthinsider.today/2018/04/12/instant-pot-pot-roast/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This was insanely good. So easy and everyone loved it. I will definitely make it again.
This pot roast was by far the best one I’ve made. I cooked for 5 hours on low in the crockpot. I could tell it needed to speed up so two more hours I cooked on high. IT WAS Perfect and the meat was tender. I did prep the meat overnight with salt, pepper, olive oil, and Worcester Sauce. This is as good as my Grandmothers and that’s hard to beat.
This roast was damn delicious by far. I served in a bowl as pictured it’s all about presentation too! The family loved it, the bowl was wiped clean. The gravy had a great taste very pleased. You will not be disappointed. p.s. used 1/2 cup more of beef broth and eliminated red wine.
This recipe was good. I didn’t have any dry red wine so I substituted red sherry cooking wine and a splash of balsamic vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Likewise I didn’t have any fresh herbs or bay leaf do I used dried basil and oregano for bay leaf and dried parsley, thyme, No Salt (salt substitute due to dietary restrictions) I’m sure these substitutes change the flavor profile slightly.
Second time I’ve followed this recipe. I seriously save this for special occasions or sudden celebrations. Today called for it. This recipe walked me through the steps, the process, to get to the final product. It’s now sitting in my Slow Cooker doing its thing. It already smells heavenly.
Pure deliciousness. The only change I made is that I added a couple of pepper flakes to the veggie stock mixture. I also added a bit of oregano and cumin to the seasoning of the meat before searing it. It was absolutely gorgeous to serve
Trying this for dinner tomorrow. I prepped everything in advance and threw the sauce and veggies in the crockpot and cooked the meat as stated in the recipes. I did wrap the meat in foil and then threw it in the fridge until tomorrow morning when I’ll put it all in the crockpot. Is it ok that I left the veggies and sauce in the crockpot together and I’m just letting it sit until tomorrow? Kind of worried I may have screwed up making in advance ♀️ First time making a pot roast.
Am I the only one who couldn’t fit the beef on top of everything else? I had to put it at the bottom and pile everything else on top or around it. I guess we will find out in 7 hours if it works!
I think I found my husband. I want to learn new recipes and this is the first one I picked. I made Angus steaks last night and he loved it. I dont want to cook the same thing unless he ask me. I want everyday with him to feel new and food is a way to open doors to more new and exciting experiences.
Do i have to do step number 7?
Found the recipe last night, and I’m making it this morning. Had everything except the thyme and bay leaf. Im sure it will still be delish…cant wait!
This was an excellent meal. I used a little bit of pinot grigio because I had no red wine. I cooked on high for 5 hrs and my chuck roast was only 2 lbs. I will definitely make again. I may use Guinness the next time. Delicious!
I must have done something wrong because after8 hours the meat was tough and I couldn’t shred it finally just cut it up. Do you think I got a bad cut of meat.
Another thing to consider is how old/what type your crock pot is. I was having a terrible time with roasts (especially beef ones) being horribly dried out until I started using my husband’s grandma’s crock pot from the 70’s. Turns out that modern crock pots cook with a higher temperature than older ones. So if you’re using a pretty new one, you might try either decreasing the cook time or using the warm setting. Just a thought.
Mine also came out dry and tough – 3.3 lbs, 6.5 hours on low. Such a bummer.
Mine was the same after 7.5 hours. Put it back for another 2 hours!?
I’m making this right now. Merry xmas everyone.
Great recipe. I replaced the wine with extra stock and a table spoon of apple cider vinegar. Instead of paste I used ketchup. Small Maine potatoes, baby carrots are and boiling onions instead were used as that is what I had on hand otherwise followed the recipe and came out delicious!
I made this for for Christmas Eve dinner and it was fabulous! I used a Pinot Noir. This will definitely be my go-to pot roast recipe going forwards.
Merry Christmas!