Slow Cooker Classic Pot Roast
Chuck roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions slow cooked for 8 hours until fork-tender and falling apart.
slow-cooker Timer
Set for 480 mins @ Low (190°F / 88°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 8 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Season a 3 lb chuck roast with salt and pepper. Sear all sides in a hot skillet until deeply browned.
Place 1.5 lbs quartered potatoes, 1 lb carrot chunks, and quartered onion in the slow cooker.
Set seared roast on top of vegetables. Pour in 1.5 cups beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours until fork-tender. Shred or slice and serve with vegetables and pot liquor.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Pat a 3 lb chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. This step takes about 12 minutes total.
Never skip the sear. Browning the roast before it goes in the slow cooker adds layers of flavor that low-and-slow cooking alone cannot create.
Place 1.5 lbs quartered potatoes, 1 lb carrots cut into 2-inch chunks, 1 quartered onion, and 4 smashed garlic cloves in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Set the seared roast on top of the vegetables.
Always place vegetables on the bottom where they are closest to the heat source. The roast on top bastes them as it cooks.
Whisk together 1.5 cups beef broth, 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs. Pour over the roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until the roast is fork-tender and shreds easily.
Do not add too much liquid. The roast and vegetables release their own juices during cooking. You want a concentrated braise, not a soup.
Remove the roast to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain or shred with two forks. Arrange meat and vegetables on a platter and spoon the pot liquor over everything.
Save the pot liquor. It is liquid gold for gravy. Strain, skim the fat, and thicken with a cornstarch slurry if desired.
This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it Sunday dinner. Fifteen minutes of morning prep and 8 hours later you walk into a house that smells like a steakhouse. Pure dad magic.
Shred the beef and serve with the soft potatoes and carrots. The mild, savory flavor is a natural kid pleaser. Add a side of ketchup for dipping if needed.
- Crusty dinner rolls
- Steamed green beans
- Simple garden salad
Reheat sliced roast and vegetables in the pot liquor on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. The leftovers make incredible sandwiches.