Slow Cooker Pot Roast

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 04/10/21
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings

The slow cooker is the optimal piece of equipment for making a pot roast since the low and slow cooking method results in a flavorful and tender piece of meat. The pot roast takes just 15 to 20 minutes of preparation before it's time to put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker; then set it and forget about it until dinner time.

The pot roast is first dusted with flour and browned in a skillet, and then placed on top of chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots in the slow cooker, and left to cook for several hours. If you like, you can make a simple gravy using the drippings with some flour once the beef is ready. This one-dish meal is perfect at the end of a busy day and comforting on a cold night.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
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Ingredients

For the Pot Roast:

  • 4 pounds beef chuck roast, or bottom round

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or vegetable oil

  • 1/2 cup beef stock, or water

  • 2 large onions

  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, about 5 or 6 medium-sized potatoes

  • 2 to 3 medium carrots

  • 1 to 2 medium bay leaves

For the Optional Gravy:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons cold water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for pot roast in the slow cooker
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Brown the Pot Roast

  1. Pat the pot roast with paper towels to dry; remove any excess visible fat.

    Pat dry and Cut roast
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and then dust on all sides with the flour. 

    Season pot roast

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Heat the oil in a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat.

    Oil in pan

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Brown the pot roast on all sides in the hot oil, then remove the meat to a plate.

    Brown pot roast
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the beef stock or water to the skillet; stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

    Add beef stock
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Slow Cook the Meat and Vegetables

  1. Cut the onions in half lengthwise. Peel and cut them crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Place the onions in the bottom of a 3 1/2-quart or larger crock pot.

    Add onion
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cut the potatoes into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces. Add to the pot with the onions.

    Cut potatoes
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck 

  3. Cut the carrots into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Add to the vegetables in the crock pot.

    Cut carrots
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Place the browned pot roast on top of the vegetables. If the pot roast does not fit comfortably in the pot, cut it into 2 or 3 pieces.

    Put roast on slow cooker
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Pour the juices from the skillet over the pot roast and vegetables.

    Pour juices on top of meat and other ingredients in slow cooker
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Season with a little more salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add the bay leaf.

    Season and add bay leaf
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Cover the pot and cook on the LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on the HIGH setting for about 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours. The roast should be almost falling apart, and the vegetables should be tender. For a shreddable roast, longer is better.

    Cover pot roast
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Remove the roast to a cutting board, and the vegetables to a serving platter, keeping everything warm until serving time.

    Remove roast from crock pot
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Gravy

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for gravy
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Skim off the fat or strain the liquids from the slow cooker into a fat separator.

    Skim off fat
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Pour the strained liquids into a saucepan. Bring the liquids to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced to about 1 to 1 1/2 cups. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

    Stir
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Combine the flour with the cold water; mix until smooth and well blended.

    Stir and combine flour with cold water
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Add the flour mixture to the reduced liquids, and continue cooking until thickened.

    Add flour
    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Serve the Pot Roast and Vegetables

  1. Slice the pot roast and place on top or next to the vegetables on the platter. Drizzle the gravy, if using, over the pot roast and vegetables and serve extra gravy on the side. Enjoy.

    Pot roast the slow cooker recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • The best cuts for pot roast are often labeled "pot roast." For the most flavorful and succulent beef, use a lean chuck roast, bottom round, or rump roast. A bone-in 7-bone roast is another excellent option, but it is quite large, so make sure your slow cooker is big enough to accommodate it. Or you could ask the butcher to cut it in half.
  • The caramelization obtained by browning the beef first can greatly enhance the flavor, color, and texture, but it is not absolutely necessary. If you are short on time, simply season the beef and place it directly in the slow cooker without browning. (Eliminate the flour and oil.)
  • Low starch potatoes, such as red-skinned or round white, are the best choice for slow cooker dishes because they hold up well. 

Recipe Variations

  • You can use parsnips, turnip, rutabaga, or other root vegetables in this dish. If you choose a more delicate vegetable, such as frozen peas or green beans, wait until about 30 minutes before the roast is ready to add to the slow cooker.
  • For some Italian flavor, add a 14 1/2-ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes to the roast along with 2 cloves of minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil.
  • Replace part of the water or beef stock with red wine for a richer flavor. Use a cabernet, merlot, or another good quality dry red wine.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
679 Calories
38g Fat
26g Carbs
59g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 679
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 188mg 63%
Sodium 261mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 59g
Vitamin C 10mg 52%
Calcium 68mg 5%
Iron 6mg 35%
Potassium 1280mg 27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)