Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
My daughter called me the other day and said she wanted my slow cooker pot roast recipe. I realized I had never shared this recipe with all of you. Here’s the deal, you know how popular the Instant Pot® is, right?
Well, let’s not forget how wonderful our slow cookers are. Do you love getting up in the morning and making dinner in your slow cooker? It brings me so much joy to smell my dinner cooking throughout the day.
I call it my set and forget dinner. This recipe is my favorite comfort food!
Mark and I ran to the grocery store to pick up a pot roast. Of course, I knew the prices were out of sight, but I wanted to put my recipe on the website.
We looked at several roasts and I took pictures, so you can see any of these roasts will work with this recipe. By the way, it makes its own gravy as it cooks.
Mark and I grew up in homes where the typical Sunday dinner included meat and potatoes. Mark often asks me what happened to those traditional meals since his mom made the best gravy. Not sure, but my gravy is a great match, or a very close second.
I smile when I call this meal a “slow cooker” meal. We’ve always called our slow cooker a Crock-Pot. We’ve owned many over the years with many different model names and by different manufacturers. Today’s meal was in a Cuisinart. It works great, as most have.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Types of Beef Roasts:
1. Beef Chuck Pot Roast
This type of roast is my favorite to use for this slow cooker recipe, but the only one the grocery store had was a 2-pound roast. The price of meat, wow, what can I say!!
2. Beef Chuck Boneless Rib Roast
This would be my second choice roast because it always turns out tender as well.
3. Beef Round Tip Roast
I settled on this roast, but after cooking it for 12 hours it was too tough for my liking. So I took the roast out and pressure cooked it for 40 minutes with one cup of water. I left the gravy in the slow cooker.
Here’s the deal, Mark would be fine with this roast, but I like it to “fall apart” so it’s super easy to chew. After 12 hours, it was easy to slice, if that’s how you like your pot roast.
This type of roast is a bit tougher but it still tasted fabulous! I should have gone with my gut and bought the small 2-pound chuck pot roast. But I wanted a little bit bigger roast. You will love this recipe either way. The gravy is so good, I could almost drink it!! LOL!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Step One: Gather Ingredients
Gather the ingredients.
Step Two: Put Roast in Cooker
Place the roast in your slow cooker. This particular slow cooker is a great size for Mark and me. It’s a 3-1/2 Quart Cuisinart.
Step Three: Combine Ingredients
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
Step Four: Stir
Stir until most of the mixture is smooth.
Step Five: Pour Mixture Over the Meat
Pour the mixture over the meat in the slow cooker. Place the lid on and set it on low for 12 hours. If you buy a flat chuck roast it will be the best slow cooker pot roast you have ever made. You can always do what I did with the pressure cooker if a round roast is cheaper. It’s so good!!
It’s amazing how a pressure cooker can solve so many meal preparation challenges. It not only cooks things faster, but as in this case, it makes the meat or other ingredients easier to eat if initially they are tough.
Finished Product
I love to shred my roast beef and serve it over mashed potatoes! When I was growing up my mom baked a pot roast in the oven with potatoes, carrots, and onions.
I had to admit the onions were my favorite! They were tender and juicy and cooked in meat drippings. Then my mom would make the best gravy. This recipe makes the gravy for you! This gravy is even better than my mom’s!
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
- 2-4 pound beef roast. (I used a 3 pound roast today)
- 1 10-3/4 ounce Franco American Beef Gravy
- 1 10-3/4 ounce can Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 tablespoons White Vinegar
- 2 tablesooons Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 package Dry Onion Soup Mix (I used the dry mushroom onion one today)
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Place your roast in the slow cooker. Combine the gravy, mushroom soup, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dry onion soup mix. Stir until smooth. Pour the mixture over the roast in the slow cooker. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook it on LOW for 12 hours or cook on HIGH for 7 hours. This will be the most tender roast you have ever had. Enjoy.
How do I store the leftover slow cooker pot roast?
I store what’s leftover in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay good for 3-4 days. I like to eat it cold too! We enjoyed our pot roast over mashed potatoes today. I wanted to mention that it also tastes good over bread toast if you want to eat a hot open-faced sandwich. It’s a quick meal, and still tastes delicious.
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Yes, you can freeze the leftovers. Place the leftovers in serving-size portions and freeze them in airtight containers. The pot roast will be good for 2-3 months in your freezer.
Do I need to brown the roast first?
I didn’t brown this particular roast, it’s so easy to just place it in the slow cooker, pour the mixture over it, and it’s ready to start cooking. No mess, no grease, no splatters, it’s so easy to make.
Do I need to add water?
No water is needed, the roast magically makes the best gravy with the ingredients poured over it.
What is the best cut of beef for the slow cooker?
Chuck steak or a chuck roast was made to be cooked in the slow cooker. They are juicy and tender.
What can I serve with this slow cooker pot roast?
- Mashed potatoes
- Steamed carrots
- Green beans
- Steamed asparagus
- Tossed salad
- Dinner Rolls
Can I cook potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can. Add your favorite vegetables about halfway through the cooking time so they don’t become mushy.
Final Word
There is something about cooking from scratch, and that means this slow cooker pot roast recipe is a perfect one for people to teach their families how to cook. It’s easy, has no fuss, and tastes so great!! Please keep prepping, we must. May God Bless this world, Linda
Yum!! Thank you1 Slow cookers really do a great job on pot roasts.
HI Cheryl, thank you for your kind words! The roast tastes so good!! Linda
OK, Linda! Now I’m hungry for this. LOL Its the first time I’ve been hungry since surgery. I do love my slow cooker, and my Instant Pot. I have to admit, I cook more in the slow cooker.
Hi Deborah, thank you for the 5 stars!! Oh, I’m glad you’re hungry now!! The slow cookers and Instant Pots are awesome! Linda
Hi Linda, your recipe looks delish! I do cook mine like your Mom, with carrots, celery, onions and cut up potatoes. We like the veggies really soft. The only thing I do a little different is, I will brown the roast on all the sides before putting it in the pot. That way it makes it’s own dark brown rich gravy (au jus) if you want to call it. Making some home made butternut squash soup right now! YUM.
Stay safe and God Bless…
Hi Bill, oh my gosh, homemade butternut squash soup is my favorite!! That sounds so good!! I remember my mom browning the meat and we had au jus on our meat and vegetables, too. Stay safe too! God Bless you! Linda
I can’t wait to try this recipe!!! It sounds so good!
Hi Alli, it’s so good, you will love it! Thank you for the 5 stars! Linda
I am looking forward to making your recipe with all the gravy ingredients. Sounds delicious!!! I do love to use the crock pot for meals like this even though many times I am the only one who will eat it. My husband’s food choices are very different these days. He will eat the meat later when it is cold; me I love it like you do over mashed potatoes or gravy bread as my mother-in-law used to call it. Everyone needs to know how to do the simple meal of bread and gravy over it with or without the meat for warm emergency food. I feel this is the type of thing, a comfort food to keep the belly full in a disaster. Thank you so much for your great posts and recipes! They are a winner in my book.
Hi Carol, thank you for the 5 stars! Boy, do I remember having gravy over bread, I love it! If we don’t have mashed potatoes we use bread too!! I remember growing up we had hamburger gravy over bread, very little hamburger, but it tasted great! It would keep the belly full for sure! Great comment, Linda
Linda:
Will have to check out some of the ingredients that you use an probably make a few changes but I think I will try it. It’s the pits when you have a doctor say you are allergic to modern life.
Hi Jackie, as long as you stay well, we have to listen to the doctors. Being allergic to modern life is rough! Hugs, Linda
At some point I’ll be sure to try yours–bet it will be equally good with beef shanks, which I also love! Have to admit I’m lazy–I may just pour some beer or red wine and some spices (and lots of onions) over the pot roast or shanks…
Hi Rhonda, thank you for the 5 stars! Beef shanks, I need to try those! Your recipe sounds awesome! And easy! Love it! Linda
Linda,
My recipe is simpler than yours but I’m going to try yours next time.
I always look for a chuck roast with the eye. Find that and you have a great piece of meat. I also always brown the roast before putting it in the slow cooker and adding chicken or beef broth. When I don’t use French Onion soup, I lay the roast on a bed of sliced onions–any will do, though I tend to favor Vidalias. I cook it for 8-10 hours and the last 2-3 hours I add peeled, sliced potatoes and carrots–usually fresh from the garden. When done right the meat has outstanding flavor and is so tender it falls apart while you’re taking out of the slow cooker.
Jane makes the gravy from scratch, and she can really make delicious gravy.
Hi Ray, the chuck roast is the best roast for the slow cooker, you are so right. When I went to the store I didn’t have too many to choose from. The way you cook yours is how I was raised. I love making gravy but when I’m short on time, this recipe works. Great comment!!! Linda
Ah, Linda!
The first newly-wed fight I had-back in 1969- was over how to cook a roast: on the stove or in the oven! My Grandma Mac (b. 1891 in Arkansas) cooked hers in an electric fry pan and served it up on Sundays with green beans boiled to death in bacon grease, and with creamed corn. Of course there was always bread and butter on her table. “Vittles” is what she called the meal.
Nowadays if I’m lucky enough to have a chuck roast (which used to be 87 cents a pound!) I would cook it in the crockpot with the dry onion soup on top and serve it with mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots and homemade cranberry sauce.
You got me going, Girlfriend! I doubt I have any roast in the freezer, but I definitely canned up leftovers the last time we had this slow-cooker meal.
Autumn is in the air!
Luvs from S. Oregon,
Shirley
Hi Shirley, I got the giggles over the boiled to death green beans in bacon grease!! LOL! Oh my gosh, that was the best comment! I was married in 1969 so you and I may have had many of the same experiences back then. I can’t even remember a chuck roast costing 87 cents. Wow, those were the days. My freezer is slim on meat right now. I refuse to pay those prices except for a post I’m writing like today. Crazy prices! Autumn is in the air! Stay well, Linda
Shirley, I forgot to say thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! Hugs from Utah! Linda
Wow! These were amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Heidi, thank you for the 5 stars! Glad you enjoyed it! Linda
I have a simple recipe for roast my niece gave me. You put your roast in a crock pot then add a jar of
pepper rings, juice and all. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. ( Depending on size). Shred and place on bun and
enjoy. I have put sliced onion in for the last hour before and that is also good.
Hi June, oh now I need to try this easy recipe!! Oh my gosh, it’s simple!! Thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! Thank you for sharing! Linda