Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Fork-tender beef chuck roast slow-braised for 8 hours with baby red potatoes, thick-cut carrots, and rich savory red wine gravy.
slow-cooker Timer
Set for 480 mins @ LOW (200°F / 93°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 6 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Hard-sear a 3 lb beef chuck roast in a smoking hot skillet for 3 mins per side.
Layer 1.5 lbs halved potatoes, 4 sliced carrots, and 1 sliced onion in bottom of slow cooker.
Place seared roast on top and pour over 1 cup beef broth, 2 tbsp Worcestershire, and garlic herbs.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until beef pulls apart with two forks.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Heavily season a 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast on all sides with 1.5 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet over high heat and sear roast hard for 3 minutes per side until deeply blackened and caramelized.
Searing builds the Maillard reaction that creates deep mahogany color and savory gelatin body in the slow-cooker gravy.
Layer 1.5 lbs halved baby red potatoes, 4 peeled carrots cut into 2-inch chunks, and 1 quartered yellow onion across the bottom of the 6-quart slow cooker.
Placing dense root vegetables directly on the ceramic bottom ensures they become butter-tender during the 8-hour braise.
Nestle the seared chuck roast on top of the vegetables. Whisk 1 cup low-sodium beef broth with 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried rosemary, and 1 tsp dried thyme. Pour over the roast.
Do not add too much liquid; the beef and vegetables release over 2 cups of rich natural juices as they cook.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4.5 to 5 hours). Do not open the lid. Transfer roast to a carving board; shred into succulent chunks with two forks and ladle rich pan gravy over meat and vegetables.
Keep the lid closed — opening releases trapped steam and adds 20 minutes to slow-cooker recovery time.
Always take 6 minutes to hard-sear the chuck roast in a screaming hot skillet before putting it in the crockpot. A grey, unseared roast produces pale, watery gravy; a hard sear yields deep, rich French-bistro level pot roast.
Tender shredded chuck beef and sweet slow-cooked carrots are a natural hit with toddlers. Mash potatoes with a fork and gravy.
- Warm crusty dinner rolls
- Steamed sweet corn
- Caesar salad
Reheat beef and vegetables in microwave for 90 seconds or simmer in a covered pot with gravy for 5 minutes.