My Ultimate Slow Cooker Pot Roast is the best recipe for mouthwatering, flavorful tender chuck roast with potatoes and carrots. Try it today!
A pot roast is classic American comfort food. This slow cooker version of tender chuck roast is slow-cooked with carrots and potatoes in a rich beef broth. Check out my entire Pot Roast Catalog for more mouthwatering versions like French Onion and Indian Butter.
Table of contents
Ultimate Pot Roast
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
This pot roast is near to my heart and one I’ve been sharing even before I started this website. It’s actually a pared-down version of a recipe I adapted for clients whose children were going off on their own. They wanted easy meals they could make that would remind them of the meals I had made for them. This dish delivers on that promise offering a warm, hearty, delicious meal with little cooking knowledge needed. Even without searing the meat, the roast will come out mouthwateringly tender.
The great thing about this Slow Cooker Pot Roast is that it is a whole meal made at once, with veggies, potatoes, and meat. It only takes a little effort in the morning and you come home to the most amazing dinner. You could even prep it the night before to save time in the morning.
Ingredients
- Chuck Roast: This juicy cut is perfect for slow cooking due to its marbling, which breaks down into tender meat.
- Vegetable Oil: This is used to sear and ultimately caramelize the outside of the meat which adds incredible flavor.
- Seasonings: You don’t need much to season this dish, just some dried thyme, minced garlic, salt and pepper. You can use 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder or twice as much fresh thyme.
- Root Vegetables: The potatoes and carrots add delicious earthy flavor plus they turn a roast into a full meal. Feel free to add more root veggies – check out my Variations for ideas.
- Beef Broth: You want to use a good quality broth. My secret ingredient is Better than Bouillon concentrate (with water) and I always add an extra scoop for super beefy flavor.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the rich gravy. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry before adding it to the pot to avoid clumping.
Step by Step Instructions
Time needed: 8 hours and 15 minutes.
- Season
Pat the roast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle it with thyme and season with salt, and pepper.
- Brown
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with the oil. (If you have a slow cooker with the ability to brown, you can use it.) Once it’s hot and shimmering, place the roast in the pan. Sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side until it’s deeply browned.
- Cook
Place the peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the minced garlic. Lay the browned beef on top of the vegetables. Pour the beef broth over the meat and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker and set cook time for 8-10 hours on low, or on high for 5 hours.
- Thicken
An hour before it’s done, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, remove the meat and vegetables when done, transfer the liquid to a small saucepan, add the slurry, and cook on high for 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound carrots , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- minced parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast with the kosher salt, pepper and thyme (if you are sensitive to sodium, adjust to your taste or you can even leave the salt out altogether since you're adding broth).
- Heat your pan (or if you can brown in your slow cooker, do it in that insert to medium high.
- Add the vegetable oil and when it ripples and is hot add in the roast and brown, deeply, for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- In your slow cooker add the carrots, potatoes and garlic.
- Lay the beef on top, then add the beef broth and cover, cooking on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.
- In the last hour, mix your cornstarch and water and add it to the slow cooker to thicken the sauce or you can take the food out when done cooking, and add the leftover liquid to a small saucepan with the cornstarch/water slury mixture and cook on high for just 2-3 minutes until the liquid is thickened into a gravy.
- Pour the gravy over the meat and garnish with parsley if desired.
Nutrition
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Chef’s Note: Switch up the Veggies!
This roast is easy to adapt for the season and what veggies your family likes. I love swapping in root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, and sweet potatoes. If I have onions or shallots on hand, I’ll pop them in for some more flavor. In the fall, I love different squash like butternut squash, acorn squash or pumpkin.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
You can season the meat and prep veggies ahead of time and store them separately overnight. However, I want to point out that FDA Food Safety Guidelines recommend against searing meat and cooking it later. Once it starts cooking, meat must reach a food safe temperature before it can be stored or consumed.
Nutritional Facts
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Searing: Browning the beef in a pan before adding it to the slow cooker is a step I would not skip if possible. That brown crust adds a delicious depth of flavor and you don’t want to miss it.
- Seasoning: Yes it looks like a lot of salt, but you also have to remember you have 3 pounds of vegetables under the meat you are seasoning too.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the liquid you’ll need some cornstarch. I usually add this in the last hour of cooking. You could also thicken the juices on the stove top with the cornstarch but for me, that’s just one more dish to wash.
- Yukon Potatoes: I love the buttery texture of Yukon gold, you can alternately use russet potatoes here without any problems too.
- Look at the Thyme: If you have fresh thyme, by all means, use it, I just like how easy this recipe is and pantry friendly so I normally use dried thyme unless I already have fresh on hand.
How to Store
- Storing: Keep covered when not serving. You can keep it on Warm for 4 hours or up to 2 hours at room temp. Place any leftover pot roast in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a slow cooker, covered on low, until hot. You can also heat it on the stove top, in the microwave or oven. Stir occasionally to make sure it heats up evenly.
- Freezing: Store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Frequent Questions
Yes, you can substitute the chuck roast with top round, bottom round, or rump roast. You don’t want to use a premium cut, tougher cuts do better with the long cooking time.
Mash together 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl until it makes a paste. Slowly add the cooking liquid while whisking to keep the gravy smooth, until it’s about ½ cup total. Stir that mixture into the crockpot to thicken the gravy.
Overcooking can cause them to get too mushy. Cut them into large chunks. You can even place the veggies on top of the meat if you prefer firmer vegetables. They’ll cook in the broth steam instead of being submerged.
Variations
- Italian Style Roast: Replace thyme with 1 teaspoon of dried oregano and 1 teaspoon of dried basil. Add a can of diced tomatoes (drained) into the broth. No additional cooking time is needed.
- Garlic and Rosemary Roast: Increase garlic to 4 cloves and add 2 sprigs fresh rosemary directly to the broth. Use red potatoes for a slightly different texture. Cook according to the recipe and remove the rosemary sprigs before serving.
- Mexican-Inspired Roast: Add 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika. Add an optional can of diced green chilies for spice and a cup of salsa. Slow cook per instructions.
Related Recipes
More Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
This is our go-to pot roast recipe. Everybody loves it and there are never leftovers! Thank you for sharing it!
My roast is approximately 2 pounds. How do you suggest I alter the cook time?
Plan for 4 – 5 hours but at 3.5 hours use your meat thermometer to check the thickest part of the roast for inner temp of 165 degrees. It’s frustrating for us that we can change ingredients using the Yield bar but it doesn’t automatically change the cook times. We are reviewing this with our IT team!
I added an quartered onion to the crockpot. I also deglazed the pan after browning the meat with the beef broth. I then added dried rosemary leaves on top before turning on the slow cooker. I made the gravy in a sauce pan with a flour slurry.
I followed the directions – for the most part. I added onion and celery in w/the vegetables and put some onions on top of the roast. I seasoned and browned the roast in a cast iron skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. I did sample the roast before putting it on top of the vegs, it is going to be delicious. I used vegetable Better Than Bouillon, as mentioned above for the beef bouillon. I can’t wait for dinner!
Cab u use red wine in it I love the flavor of red wine in beef but I don’t drink so I cook with it but never in a crock pot so wasn’t sure if it was a good idea
I haven’t tested this recipe using red wine.
I just made this for the second time. It’s great!!!! I added only one thing and that was 1 packet of Lipton’s Onion dip mix. Wonderful!!!!!!
Thanks! I was scrolling through the comments and found yours…exactly what I was looking for about adding veggies last! best idea ever!!
Who wants mushy veggies, right?
This recipe proves that a simple recipe can deliver a most delicious dinner.
I used Better than Bouillon Beef, and instead of the corn starch water I just added one packet of McCormick brown gravy. High for 5hrs . Soooo good. Thanks!
You’re welcome!
So delicious. The vegetables were soft and flavorful, the seared slow cooked meat fell apart nicely and was juicy. Thank you. I never need to look for a pot roast recipe again! I cooked for 6hrs on high in the crock pot.
Easy and good tasting!!!!
Last recipe I’ll need crockpot
Pot roast.
So delicious. The vegetables were soft and flavorful, the seared slow cooked meat fell apart nicely and was juicy. Thank you. I never need to look for a pot roast recipe again!
Quick question don’t have anyway to pre cook due to kitchen being redone any suggestions?
Brown the beef in the slow cooker insert on high with a little oil and then follow the recipe from there without removing the juices made from browning the beef. It will add yummy flavor. Good luck with your kitchen remodel!
Even after dry brining the meat overnight this was a very bland recipe that lacked depth of flavor. Needed red wine, bay and other seasonings. Disappointing.
I’m glad you were able to make the recipe work for you after all.
Perfect it was for a birthday party and everybody loved it and asked for the recipe
We just had this delicious chuck roast recipe. It was outstanding. We added onions because we love onions. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’m just now trying this recipe for the first time. I added a chopped onion, a few mushrooms, deglazed the pan with red wine and added that, and also a tbs of Worcestershire sauce to it. I used 4 cloves of garlic too instead of two. (I love garlic!). We’ll see how it turns out! This is totally different from how I make it. I’m excited!
This was wonderful!!! No need for knife, so tender.
This was wonderful! The meat was so tender and the vegetables as well. The only thing I would do differently next time is to add onions to the vegetables. It was missing that onion flavor.
Excellent. Recipe was right on. Bought boneless bottom blade roast – it’s not chuck where I live.
This was perfect pot roast. We don’t call it chuck roast in Canada – I bought a boneless bottom blade roast. The recipe was right on (I just used olive oil because it’s what I had).
This was perfect pot roast. In Canada we don’t call the cut chuck roast. I bought a boneless bottom blade roast, which was a great choice. Everything about this recipe was a win.
Excellent!!!!! I added 2 portabello mushrooms and a Vidalia onion, Xtra garlic, and used a whole qt of beef stock. Used Xtra thickener. Served over noodles. The hubs loved it! Thanx!!!!!
Came out absolutely perfect! Thank you very much for your recipe. I will be making this again for sure.
Roast had really good flavor. I used the little mini yellow potatoes, baby carrots, and a 3.54 lb roast. After 5 hours the roast tasted phenomenal but still needed maybe another hour to tender up and fall apart but we were too hungry to keep waiting lol. I’m guessing I just had a really fatty roast because there were so many juices that I ended up with 7 tbs of water and starch which still ended up making a great sauce to use so I’m not complaining. I ended up putting the roast back in to go another hour to try and get it a little more tender but like I said it was already delicious and juicy.
Ps. My wife doesn’t like roast but she loved this!
Absolutely delish!
Had a slightly smaller chuck roast so 7 hrs was perfect. It was delicious.
Delicious meat was moist vegetables were tender. No mess no fuss. Ideal in the crock pot. Mine was 3 lbs. Done in 6 hours.
Can’t imagine you’ll get this in time!! I just browned my meat and put it in the oven to cook overnight as my slow cooker is broken. If I leave it in for 8 hours, do you think I should set my temp at 200°F or 225°F???
I have about 8 lbs in there!! ?
Thanks!
oh no, you’re right, I didn’t see this in time. And how did it turn out using the oven?
Fabulous recipe. Used a 6.1 pound boneless blade roast. Didn’t have enough time to cook it all on low, so did it on high for 2.5 hours then on low for 5.5 hours. Added a large onion cut into chunks. Thank you!
If I’m cutting the recipe in half, do I cook the meat for less time?
Hi Annie, I know this response is super late, my apologies. If you hover over the word Yield on the recipe card and use the bar to decrease the yield 50% the recipe will automatically update the ingredients and recipe for you!
When you cut the recipe in half by using the yield button it doesn’t ch@ngr the cooking time. That was her question. How long do you cook a 2 1/2 pound roast?
Thank you Cher for bringing this to our attention.
Slow cooker roast beef cooking times
2-3 lb / 1-1.5kg on LOW: 7-8 hours on HIGH: 3-4 hours
Good base recipe, I was trying to find an old school pot roast recipe with tomato paste. I added a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste along with a tsp of sugar and blended that with the beef broth and a tbs of sugar. Also added yellow onion. Just a tip if you coat the roast in flour before browning, cornstarch is not necessary for the gravy.
Good idea!
Great simple recipe. However, yellow onions are a staple to any proper roast in my humble opinion.
Delicious and will make again. Thank you.
I love the recipe however my chuck roast is just barely 2 lbs hopefully I can swing it! If you get this message quickly send me what you think ?
Thank You!
I’m so sorry I missed this, I would still make it in my crockpot, just add more veggies to keep the liquid level high enough or use a small slow cooker.
How much cornstarch to roast? Cup teaspoon ?
That will depend how much liquid is left after roasting – try adding a teaspoon at a time until the sauce reaches the desired thickness.
Best roast I have ever tasted! Very moist and flavorful
very good recipe but i am wondering why onions are not part of the ingredients. i use them. also i add a bit of red wine.
New go to!! Needed a new recipe that didn’t have cream soup, and now I wish I found this sooner!! So delicious! This is the only recipe I use for pot roast. But I do cut back on the salt and use low sodium broth. This recipe is a keeper! Thanks for sharing!
Crap. Throw a turd in the slow cooker for eight hours it tastes just as good.
Don’t recommend putting the slow cooker on the stove to brown the meat. Mine split right in half as soon as I added the meat in. Big hot oil mess
That wasn’t what the recipe meant–if you can brown “in” your slow cooker (e.g., it’s like an instant pot that can sear or the slow cooker has a sear function) then do it. Do not put the cooker on the stove top! Very sorry you did that.
That’s only if you can brown in your slow cooker. I can’t with mine.
I cant believe you put a slow cooker over the stove! Really? You maybe should not use fire or electric when you cook. That could of been way worse than a oil mess. Just… wow!! Lmao
If I use 2 1/2 pound roast. Less water, same time?
Marie –
I’m making this today and my roast is 2-3/4 lbs. I adjusted the servings (default is set to 8) on the recipe and all of the remaining ingredients adjusted.
This recipe is amazing! We had the most tender beef ever, almost like slow roasted pulled pork! We had a 1.6kg roast and lightly floured and seared the roast. I changed the recipe by using 3 cups of broth, adding leeks, fresh thyme sprigs, 1/2 cup of red wine and 2 tbsp of Worcester sauce!
Haven’t rated yet because I just put it in the crockpot. So excited to taste it. Simple and great for a Fall day.
I’ll do a follow up after dinners taste test.
Haven’t rated yet because I just put it in the crockpot. So excited to taste it. Simple and great for a Fall day.
I’ll do a follow up after dinners taste test. ??
Making this today for my second time.
My husband and I love this recipe!
I do agree that using Better than Bouillon is a great addition for the taste.
I also agree that seating the roast before putting it in the slow cooker adds great texture.
Have made this several times and really love it. I think Better Than Bouillon is key. i made a couple tweaks: i cook meat, broth and herbs together with a chopped onion plus the garlic cloves. Gotta have onion! then the last 30-45 minutes (cooking on high) is when i add the potatoes and carrots.
I deglazed the pan I browned the meat in with a little variety and about 1.5 cups of Pinot Grigio and added to the broth. I also added half an onion with the veggies. Turned out great thank you! Will follow you and try other recipes!
The recipe for the pot roast was good, the gravy, not so much.
I put 4 Tbs of corn starch in the leftover stock and STILL only had au jus. I finally had to find another recipe using flour as a thickener to get the stock to the right consistency to get gravy. And a quarter cup of flour at that.
Haven’t rated yet because I just put it in the crockpot. So excited to taste it. Simple and great for a Fall day.
I’ll do a follow up after dinners taste test. ??
Why canola oil? It’s essentially motor oil…
Can you tell people a healthier oil? Extra virgin olive oil, grassfed butter, coconut oil….
AGREE!
Imagine coming here just to comment something like this. If you want a different recipe just find one. Not everyone has access to or can afford grass fed organic butter or fancy oil. This recipe is accessible and that’s what’s important. If you’re so concerned just sub that in yourself.
Agree! I rolled my eyes at that comment so hard, I was sure they would be stuck. It’s a free, easy, online recipe… Why complain? You have options.
Just an average pot roast.
Cooking it now. It’s a standard recipe. I do like to add other stuff, even a little cream of mushroom sometimes.
TIP: After searing, use some of the broth to deglaze the pan to get that good stuff and pour it in the pot. 😉
I don’t know what planet you live on but finding a 4-5 pound pot roast is almost impossible. I pad 13$ for a two pound and smidge over Yukons forget it,.fresh thyme, good luck.
Lives on my planet. I found a 4 1/2 pounder and it wasn’t even the biggest one available. What rock do you live under?
Lives on my planet. I found a 4 1/2 pounder and it wasn’t even the biggest one available. What rock do you live under? Ever heard of a butcher? They work too. Or just ask nicely at your local grocery and they just might accommodate you.
This is obviously highly dependent on where you live. Not everyone has a butcher near them, and grocery stores often just sell prepackaged meats and wouldn’t have someone FOR you to even ask nicely for special favours.
If you use 2 2lb pot roast it will be 4 lbs of meat??? Just use this as a start and adjust it to whatever you would like it to be. I don’t understand why people have to complain about everything. This is a good recipe…