Slow Cooker Pot Roast (Printable)
Tender beef and root vegetables slow-cooked for hours in savory homemade gravy.
# What You Need:
→ Beef & Vegetables
01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
02 - 1.5 lb baby potatoes, halved
03 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
04 - 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Seasonings & Liquids
06 - 2 tsp kosher salt
07 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
08 - 1 tsp dried thyme
09 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
10 - 2 cups beef broth (gluten-free if required)
11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if required)
→ Gravy
13 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
14 - 2 tbsp cold water
# Directions:
01 - Season the beef chuck roast evenly on all sides with kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
03 - Arrange halved baby potatoes, carrot pieces, and onion wedges in the slow cooker; add minced garlic on top.
04 - Place the seared beef chuck roast atop the layered vegetables in the slow cooker.
05 - Whisk together beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce; pour this mixture evenly over the roast and vegetables.
06 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, until beef is tender and vegetables are fully cooked.
07 - Remove the roast and vegetables carefully, keeping them warm while preparing the gravy.
08 - Skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid remaining in the slow cooker.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth to form a slurry.
10 - Stir the cornstarch slurry into the cooking liquid and set the slow cooker to high; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
11 - Slice or shred the roast; serve with the cooked vegetables and spoon the thickened gravy over the top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The beef becomes so impossibly tender that even your skeptical dinner guests will ask for seconds.
- Everything cooks together, so you get vegetables infused with deep, savory flavor without any extra effort.
- A real homemade gravy that tastes nothing like the packet version, and it comes together in minutes.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step; it's the difference between good pot roast and transcendent pot roast, and it takes barely 10 minutes.
- Cornstarch needs cold water to activate properly; hot water turns it into a lumpy paste that's frustrating to fix.
- The longer, slower cook on low is infinitely better than the faster high setting; rushing pot roast defeats the entire purpose.
03 -
- A wooden spoon dragged through the braising liquid should leave a trail; if the gravy is still too thin, give it another minute on high.
- Pat your roast dry before searing so it browns instead of steaming—this small detail changes the entire outcome.