Pot roast is Sunday dinner food, and this slow cooker version starts with a well-marbled chuck roast, seared hard and left for eight hours in beef broth with tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme. A cut that tough needs the time, and the collagen in chuck breaks down over those eight hours into a silky cooking liquid you can’t rush.
Skip the searing to save a few minutes? You can, and you will taste it, because that dark crust is where the flavor of the whole pot starts. The Yukon Gold potatoes and carrots go in during the last few hours so they stay intact instead of dissolving. Pour the cooking liquid through a strainer, skim the fat, and reduce it on the stovetop, and you have a gravy without buying anything extra. I would happily put this in my Sunday rotation.
Sear the Roast
Season the chuck roast all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the roast for 4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all sides. The crust should be dark brown, almost mahogany. This makes a real difference. Transfer the seared roast to a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the quartered onion and smashed garlic cloves in the bottom first, then set the roast on top.
Build the Braising Liquid
In a bowl, whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture around the roast in the slow cooker. Tuck the rosemary and thyme sprigs around the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours. After 5 hours, add the quartered potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover and cook for another 3 hours on LOW, or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft.
Shred and Serve
Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Shred or slice the beef, discarding any large pieces of fat. Arrange the beef and vegetables on a platter and spoon the cooking liquid over the top. If you want a thicker gravy, strain the cooking liquid, skim the fat, and reduce it on the stovetop until it thickens. Serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
- Total Time: 500 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
A seared chuck roast cooked 8 hours on low in beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, with potatoes, carrots, and celery added for the last 3 hours. Strain and reduce the cooking liquid for gravy.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the roast 4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all sides. This step is not optional — it builds the flavor base.
- Place the onion and garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Set the seared roast on top.
- Whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour around the roast. Tuck the rosemary and thyme around the meat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery during the last 3 hours of cooking on LOW (or last 2 hours on HIGH).
- The roast is done when it shreds easily with two forks. Transfer to a cutting board and shred or slice. Serve with the vegetables and cooking liquid spooned over the top.
Notes
- Searing the roast before slow cooking is the single most important step. Skipping it produces a gray, flat-tasting braise.
- Chuck roast is the only cut worth using here. It has the fat and connective tissue that break down into gelatin over low heat.
- The cooking liquid makes an excellent gravy — strain it, skim the fat, and reduce on the stovetop until concentrated.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 480 minutes
- Category: Main Course
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 24
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 48
- Cholesterol: 130
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook the vegetables for the full 8 hours?
You can, but they will be very soft and may start to break down. Adding them in the last 3 hours keeps them tender but intact.
What if I do not have fresh herbs?
Use 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme. Add them to the braising liquid instead of tucking in sprigs. Dried herbs work, but fresh herbs add more flavor.
How do I store leftovers?
Store the beef, vegetables, and cooking liquid together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. The beef stays moist when stored in its braising liquid.
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