Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

104 Comments

5 from 26 votes
10 Servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
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Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with a rich balsamic glaze and tender fall-apart beef. You’ll LOVE this meal prepped in one pot for dinner!

In this recipe, balsamic vinegar is the secret ingredient for perfectly tender and flavorful pot roast. Try my Cola Pot Roast and Red Wine Pot Roast for a similar recipes.

Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

This Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast is full of flavor from the balsamic vinegar, red wine and my secret: flavor enhancing beef base. I use Better Than Bouillon for my bases and they add a ton of flavor to dishes. I use them in anything where there is a sauce that requires a stock. This adds the same flavor without having to cook the stock down.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast Recipe

Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast with a rich balsamic glaze and tender fall-apart beef. You'll LOVE this meal prepped in one pot for dinner!
Yield 10 Servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Author Sabrina Snyder
Balsamic Pot Roast in the slow cooker with carrots on the side
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Ingredients
 

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 pound chuck roast , boneless
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion , diced
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon beef base (totally optional but it is awesome)
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3 carrots , chopped into 1-inch pieces (if you have room)
  • 12 baby gold potatoes (if you have room)

Instructions

  • In a large pot or skillet add 2 tablespoons of canola oil oh high heat.
  • Season the pot roast with the salt and pepper.
  • Add the pot roast to the pan and brown on both sides, 3-5 minutes on each side.
  • Add the meat to the slow cooker.
  • Add the onions into the pan you browned the beef in and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  • If you have space around the meat in the slow cooker add in some small potatoes and carrots.
  • Top the beef with the onions, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.
  • In a small cup add the beef base (if using) to the balsamic vinegar and whisk.
  • Top the beef with the balsamic mixture, red wine, and brown sugar.
  • Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  • Remove bay leaf before serving.
  • To make the sauce into a glaze, strain the liquid out after it is done cooking.
  • Spoon off the fat and discard.
  • Add the remaining sauce to a small pan and cook in a saucepan on medium heat until thickened, about 8-10 minutes.
  • If you want a stronger balsamic flavor, add in another 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the sauce before cooking it down in the saucepan.

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 645mg | Potassium: 1575mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3088IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 6mg

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Table of Contents

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Kitchen Tools and Ingredients

  • Slow Cooker: This recipe was made in a slow cooker with an insert for browning the meat. This way I don’t lose a bunch of the flavor by transferring the meat and leaving the browned bits behind. If you’re thinking of a new slow cooker, consider it if your budget is open.
  • Beef Base: I almost never buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken and vegetable version of Better Than Bouillon around. They come in handy all the time.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: I love cooking with balsamic vinegar as it adds a ton of flavor. I love Antica Italia Aged Italian Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP and the Trader Joe’s brand as well.

Cooking Tips

  • Season your pot roasts aggressively. It adds a ton of flavor to the roast and will also season your sauce.
  • Brown the roasts very well on both sides. Since we are adding liquids to the slow cooker it won’t have an opportunity to brown in there.
  • Try to keep the liquids minimal as the meat will also release quite a lot of liquids. This also makes for more flavorful sauces.
  • Let the meat rest for 10 minutes once you take it out of the slow cooker, this also gives you time to reduce the liquids to a thicker glaze/sauce.
  • If you have room in the slow cooker add vegetables to make this a truly easy meal. I add carrots and potatoes as they hold up well in slow cookers.

More Delicious Roasts

Balsamic Pot Roast Pinterest collage

Images used in a previous version of this post:

Balsamic pot roast image with title across the top

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Wow I’m eating this now and it’s full of flavor. This is my new favorite roast recipe. Thank you for the flavors.

    Reply

  2. Wow, this may be the best pot roast I’ve ever made. The meat turned out fall-apart tender, and the balsamic glaze added just the right depth without being overpowering. The instructions were easy to follow, even for a non-pro. I served it with carrots and potatoes, and it was a hit with everyone. I LOVE IT!!!

    Reply

  3. One of the BEST potroast recipes ever! It is now my favorite go to when we have guests over! DELICIOUS!!!!!

    Reply

  4. I have been making this for a few years. this is the only pot roast dish I will make. thank you so much for posting this for all to enjoy.

    Reply

  6. Dear Sabrina,
    I just want to thank you for this recipe and all your other delicious dishes! I am a pretty good cook, but you are a genius. I have been making this for about 3 years now. Perfect, easy and delicious.

    Reply

  7. Hi! If I am using beef better than bullion and no wine what do I sub for the liquid for the same results? Beef broth? Thanks!

    Reply