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. Just like my classic Pot Roast with Vegetables, I wanted to share some 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
- parsley , chopped, 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. As an alternative you can take the food out when done cooking, then add the leftover liquid to a small saucepan with the cornstarch/water slurry 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
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
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.
I love this recipe. The roast had so much flavor and it was so tender that you can cut it with a fork.
I love how it came out but the gravy came out just tasting like thick tangy beef broth from the process, is it suppose to taste like that? If not what can I add to enhance the gravy flavor?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. You can always add herbs like thyme, sage or chopped parsley to the gravy or even a splash of wine. Hope this helps for next time.
Best one I have ever made!
Excited to try this-So if I make this recipe but half the amount of all the ingredients, should I cook it for half the time?
I would suggest using a smaller crockpot and it should take about the same time.
I added mushrooms and onions and it turned out perfect. Very easy recipe to follow. I seared my meat in the stove top versus the crockpot.
Can you suggest another cut of beef besides chuck? How much I should buy for 8 people and how long should I cook it? Can I use rump roast?
You can use rump roast to make this recipe too.
Delicious!!! I used EVOO to add a little more flavor. Family loved it!
This was very tender. Everyone enjoyed it.
This looks amazing and super excited to try it tomorrow. One problem, I am in the mountains on vacation and don’t have access to dried thyme. I have oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves. What would you use to substitute for the thyme?
You can use use oregano.
I am using a blade roast for this, but I am hoping for same results. Thanks!
I have made this receipt about 1-2 times a month for the past 6 months and my husband and kids tear through it! Thank you this delicious recipe!
Fantastic!
Should the roast be submerged while it cooks? The bottom is just barely in the broth because of the veggies
It doesn’t need to be submerged. The roast will cook down and release liquid too. Enjoy!
Threw this together to use up this big ole roast in the freezer. As it sits in the crock pot, all I can say is — WOW — our house smells amazing, can’t wait till it is done! I’ve never seared meat before the crock, never seasoned it this way and I’m pretty excited. In advance of dinner, I’d like to say thanks for giving this gal a gold star for today’s dinner!
Thanks, Diane.
Hi. the roast looks great! The better than boullian link doesn’t seem to work anymore. Could you send me the link to it?
Better Than Bouilon
https://www.amazon.com/Better-Than-Bouillon-Premium-Roasted/dp/B072Q34VFD/ref=as_li_ss_tl?keywords=better+than+bouillon+beef&qid=1570726011&sr=8-5&linkCode=sl1&tag=dinnthendess-20&linkId=2ab380603012017a4e4236b39d4b3a05&language=en_US
I came across this recipe and decided I had to try it. It turned out amazing! I was nervous as it barely fit in my 6qt insert, but on high for 5 and a half hrs (my crock goes to warm for 2hrs after the timer is done) it was falling apart and so moist. I would add a bit more garlic (I did add about 5 smaller cloves) and maybe a bay leaf next time. Great recipe and my fiancée raved about it all evening. ?
Help! I was only able to find 2.5 lb bottom roasts! Will this cut of meat work? And do you suggest altering the cook time? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca,
The cut won’t be as tender as the marbling isn’t similar to a chuck roast. The size being smaller will alter the time a bit but the cooking will be more impacted by the cut than by the size of the roast. I would say you are good to cook it for 7 hours on low, just expect since it is a leaner roast it won’t be as tender.
I made this today and boy, was it good! It was such an awesome X-Mas meal! Thank you for providing it!
Is it okay to add celery and peppers as well?
Yes! The peppers will break down quite a bit but the celery will hold up well.
I have a question? Normally when I make my pot roast I normally put the Vegetables on top of the meat. But this recipe is saying to but the vegetables in first and the meat on top correct?
Yes, I place the meat on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker because I prefer for the vegetables to absorb the juices and cook evenly. Enjoy!
This was really good! Only adjustment was adding onion with the potatoes and carrots. So easy, too! I made the gravy on the stovetop. I will definitely make this recipe again!
I want to make this without the veggies, because we are having a vegetarian friend join us so I’m making mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables separately. How would I adjust the recipe if I’m just cooking the roast?
No changes necessary. 🙂 Enjoy!
This turned out so tender and flavorful, my family loved it! I did the cornstarch in the crockpot one hour before method and my gravy was perfect. I will definitely save this one and remake often.
My son said it was the best and he is picky! Besides the huge mess I made while searing the meat, everything else was easy peasy! I had to use 2- 2 1/2lb chuck roasts, did them 8 hours low. Thank you so much Sabrina!
I love it when I hear that kids love the recipe too. I know how hard it can be to please them. Yay!!
Did you half the ingredients since your roast was smaller, mine is 2.50 pds. also that’s why I was asking
Made this back in October and my husband said it was the best roast I’ve ever made! Cooked out on low exactly as stated on top of the vegetables which I was very worried about. Moist and flavored perfectly!! We’ll see if I can duplicate what I did again this week December 9th 2019 and see if the first was just lucky or my new go to recipe!!?
I made this today, I followed the instructions but added 1/2 cup of red wine to the broth. I added Lima beans that I saw in a suggestion. I also added wine to the cornstarch instead of water to give it body. It tasted amazing !!!
HELP!! I forgot to rinse the potatoes before I put them in the crock pot. Did I ruin my meal??
Uh oh! How did it turn out?
Did you cook it on low or high for 12 hours and how many pounds was your roast?
I used a 4-5 pound chuck roast and cooked in on low for 8-10 hours.
Hi
I plan to use two top sirloin centre roasts about 2 kg each. Does that change any of the other measurements?
Thanks
I’ve got a 2lb roast ( just me and my ??)Should I 1/2 the recipe . Ugh, had to use vegetable oil , forgot the canola.Next time , would adding brown onion or celery take away from your recipe?My husband has ??BP so did omit salt.Thanks for mentioning that.I didn’t shorten browning time or oil amt as the meat maybe small but, thick !
Hello,
I will be trying out this recipe tomorrow. I have a few questions.
I won’t be adding potatoes as I plan on serving it with mashed potatoes. Would the seasoning measurements change without the potatoes? If so, what measurements do you recommend?
I’m using a 2.20lb beef chuck roast. I plan on halving the recipe for it. I want to cook it on low and I want it to be very tender. How long do you recommend that I cook it for?
Thank you! The recipe looks great and I look forward to trying it. 🙂
I would recommend cooking on low 6-8 hours.
Hi. I have a 2.6# chuck roast cooking on low for 8 hrs. Please reassure me! I want it tender. Thx
Could I assemble the dish (with the browned roast) to cook at a later time? I’d like to put it all together, refrigerate, and then pop it into the slow cooker before I leave for work in the morning.
I don’t recommend partially cooking or even browning the meat to finish cooking later, sorry.
Can I add beef bouillon cubes for beef broth if so how many should I add for a 2.38 lb roast and how long do I cook on low?
You’ll need about 1 1/4 cups of broth so dissolve two cubes into 16 ounces of water and use 1 1/4 cups from that. Hope this helps!
I made this exactly as the recipe states…I used a 5 pound chuck roast and cooked on high 5 hours and it’s rock hard (making it as I type). I don’t know if I need to cook it longer? Or is it tough because I cooked on high?
Update: it was because it needed to cook longer! After about 5 hours on high, I turned it to low and cooked it for another 3.5-4 hours and it was perfect! I think it took so long, because my roast was so big. Thank you for the recipe!
I have a roast close to 6 lbs and was going to Set on high due to time. Do you think it will be in the 6hr range?
Depending on how hot your slow cooker runs, it might take 6-7 hours.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m excited to try it out! Is it ok to use baby red potatoes and baby carrots?
You absolutely can! I wouldn’t add them until halfway through since they are smaller and you don’t want them to be mushy.
What happens if i don’t have corn starch ? ?
Your gravy won’t be thick but you can try using a flour slurry instead. Mix flour with water in equal parts and add a bit at a time until you get the consistency you like. Hope this helps!
I didn’t use corn starch. I put the Vegas in first then added the meat and poured Lipton beefy onion soup mix on top. I cooked it in night for 3 hours then on low for 3. It was absolutely delicious! The Lipton beefy onion was key!
What timing would you use in an instant pot? Had to take my son to the doctor so didn’t start the slow cooker in time but I have everything I need to make this.
So sorry I didn’t see this earlier – my Classic Pot Roast has instructions for the Instant Pot. You just use the ingredients from this recipe.
Ok. So made this and it was awesome. Family wants to make again. Gravy was perfect. Added lima beans and corn on the cob that i cut into chunks. Definitely a keeper.. Ty so much for the recipe.
You’re so welcome! Glad you all liked and love the idea of adding lima beans, I definitely need to cook more with them.
This is my fifth time making this recipe over the last couple of months. It is absolutely delicious!!!
I’d definitely call that a winner! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
This recipe is amazing did everything step by step and came out delicious.
My husband didn’t stop eating it and even set some apart for lunch the next day. Thank you very much!!(:
I need to make enough for a big group, and the only size of roasts available were 2-2.5 pounds. Could i put 2 slabs of meat (each around 2-2.5 pounds) in the slow cooker? And cook on low for 9-ish hours?
It may work, I haven’t tested it but the meat may not be as tender because the cut isn’t as thick. The thinner cuts won’t take as long to cook.
Quite good! Had family dropping by on their way through town, so easy and delicious meal ready after work when they arrived. “Gravy” baffled me as it didn’t work in the crock pot, so I moved it to a saucepan as directed. Flavor not great so we enjoyed without.
I think the thing different from my usual is that the roast went on tops of veggies. Big improvement.
Loved this recipe when I made it in my crockpot, just got an Instant Pot and wanted to try it in there. Any idea how the recipe would change?
So glad you liked it! For the Instant Pot, I have instructions on my Classic Pot Roast Recipe but I’ll include them here too:
How to Make Pressure Cooker Pot Roast (Instant Pot):
Start by seasoning the meat with salt, pepper and thyme.
Peel and cut up your potatoes, carrots and garlic cloves and put them into your slow cooker.
Set your pressure cooker to sauté and heat up your vegetable oil.
Once it’s hot, sauté the roast in it until it is deeply brown on both sides, and then add in your vegetables
Pour in the beef broth, put on the lid, and set it to cook on high pressure for 60-80 minutes (60 for 3 pound roast, 80 for 5 pound roast).
Release pressure naturally for ten minutes then remove lid and serve.
This looks awesome! I am making this recipe tonight for my family. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Let me know how it turned out for you!
Looks sooooo good. Going to make it tomorrow. Will let you know how it comes out.
Sorry for the late reply, hope this turned out great!
Great recipe! I’ve decided to add sweet potatoes. How long should I leave in or put them in so that they won’t turn mushy?
I would add them in with the other vegetables. Everything still has a bite to them and won’t get mushy.
Thank you so much for sharing. As a busy mom, my daughter and I are always looking for quick prep meals. This is amazing! Thanks again!
You’re welcome!
I am making a 2.5 lb pot roast (but it looks HUGE) on high in the crockpot. How long should I cook it for in order to make it really tender?
I would cook it at least 3-4 hours.
If my roast is only 2.25 lb, how long would it need to cook on low? This looks sooo good!
I would cook it for 5-6 hour on low.
I just got all the ingredients into the crockpot and this home smells intoxicating!!
Hope it turned out good!
I used Johnny’s French Dip Au Jus. Used 3 water to 1 ratio. For spices I used 3 Tbs of Italian spice, and added 2 Onions. The Chuck was cut to 2 to 3 in squares and tenderized using Adolph’s. Salt can be used. Washed off the tenderizer, and seared in oil for 2 min on each of as many sides possible. Put a little more ground pepper also. That is my preference. Great starting recipe.
Sounds delicious! Happy to hear you were able to make it your own!
i usually do not write reviews but this recipe was phenomenal both my kids asked for seconds. I did a few things differently, added two stalks of celery and also added a bit more salt and pepper +a beef bouillon. I left it in the slow cooker for 12 hours. This was literally the best. Thank you.
So happy to hear that you all liked it. Thanks for coming back to let me know!
I just found your recipe upon googling 5 star slow cooker pot roast. I have my own recipe but was just looking for cook times and any possible secret ingredients that I may not have thought about. Seems as though we have the same taste! I do mine almost exactly the same..sometimes I sear it in a pan just like you and then I’ll deglaze the pan with a little bit of Marsala or red wine but still use the better than bouillon mixed with the Marsala wine or red wine as my liquid in the crock pot! I also like sometimes to sear it on the grill on very high heat to blacken the outside..sooo good! We do this recipe to make sandwiches and eliminate the vegetables..people go crazy for it and have had NUMEROUS friends and family members ask for my recipe! Dinner is on! You go girl ??
I meant You go girl”!!” Lol
Aw, thank you so much for this review! I’m so happy you liked it!
Made exactly as directed. The meat was over cooked, the vegetables under cooked and per my 6-year old, there was no flavor.
I’m so sorry that it didn’t turn out. 🙁 I’ve never had that result in the many, many times I’ve made it. If you want to troubleshoot, feel free to send an email at contact @ dinnerthendessert . com
I don’t believe his story. It’s not feasible or even possible. He’s just a mean old troll looking for attention.
Same. If he actually followed directions, the result would’ve been incredible. This is my favorite roast recipe out there. Thanks for giving us this, Sabrina!
This was so easy, smells great and tastes amazing! Thank you for taking the time to share so that I could give my German family a taste of my American home. I topped this over kale. It was delicious.
Thank you! This is how I make it just needed to make sure I was doing times and everything correct! Perfect! Now to wait….
The waiting is the hardest part haha! Let me know how it turns out!