A fall-apart tender Slow Cooker Roast is classic comfort food that will take you back in time to grandma’s kitchen where you’ll revel in down-home cooking. This complete all-in-one meal is ideal for any weeknight dinner with plenty of leftovers for the next day. I promise you will be singing its praises.

There are some recipes you return to over and over because they are time-honored. This full-flavored Slow Cooker Roast is definitely one of those. I remember both my mom and my grandma making this at least once a week while I growing up and to this day it has never disappointed.

What I love about this Recipe

The meat itself is infused with a rub made of garlic, herbs, and spices. The flavors are amazing not only in the roast but are interspersed throughout the vegetables as well.

It cooks low and slow in the crockpot for about 10 hours creating a perfectly tender roast. This meat literally falls apart once your fork touches it.

This hearty yet healthy dish is loaded with nutrients because of all the vegetables but fully satisfies a hungry soul.

It’s a recipe that makes a ton and is quite an inexpensive meal choice. I appreciate recipes that spill over into the next day.

The prep is quite easy with only a little bit of chopping, searing, and deglazing. The crockpot itself does all the hard lifting after that.

Ingredients you’ll need for this Slow Cooker Roast

Chuck Roast works great as it’s a tougher and leaner cut of meat which is ideal for low and slow cooking. Also chuck roast has a lot of connective tissue that ultimately breaks down into collagen tenderizing the meat when cooked in a crockpot. Brisket or Round is also a good choice.

All three of these cuts are relatively inexpensive which makes for a great economical meal decision. And because it’s cheaper, it’s a good idea to purchase a larger roast, at least five pounds to give you leftovers the following day. Now that’s a win-win situation.

Potatoes. I used small red new potatoes which are considered a waxy potato. These are low in starch and high in moisture meaning they will hold their shape when cooked.

Carrots, Onions, and Celery. When chopping these vegetables go with big chunks. They tend to cook down a little bit over time.

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

The Rub – Garlic Cloves, Herb de Provence, Fresh Thyme and Rosemary, Ground Cumin, and Red Pepper Flakes. This rub is where a lot of the robust flavor comes from, not only for the meat but it permeates the veggies as well.

Dry Red Wine. I went with a cabernet Sauvignon because it has a deep, rich flavor that always pairs well with beef whether for cooking or drinking.

Beef Stock. Whether it’s chicken, vegetable, or beef, my preference is always “stock” over “broth.” Stock is created from simmering animal bones over a long period of time which releases gelatin and produces a liquid that has a fuller mouthfeel and is richer in flavor than broth.

How to MAKE THIS Slow Cooker Roast

#1 Generously Season with Salt and Pepper.

Take the roast out of the refrigerator and generously season it with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Let it sit out for about an hour to come to room temperature. This gives it time for the seasonings to permeate into the interior of the roast.

#2 – Tie the Roast.

Tying the roast prevents the roast from spreading out while it cooks and helps it to cook evenly throughout. It’s quite simple. I just use basic kitchen twine and tie one string lengthwise and four or five others around the width of the roast. You can get fancier if you like, but this seems to works just fine. Check out this video from Test Kitchen.

#3 – Sear it on every side.

Searing is a fundamental step in creating a golden caramelized outer crust with an outcome of a truly flavorful roast. Although it’s an additional measure, the end result is well worth the effort.

Use a large heavy-bottom skillet, a cast-iron one works great. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat and coat the bottom of the pan with avocado oil. Heat until the surface of the oil is shimmering then place the roast in the pan. When the meat hits the hot oil, it will sizzle and possibly smoke a little bit. Cook for at least one minute without moving the meat around. Do the same on each side, not forgetting the ends. Remove the roast from the skillet and let it sit while you deglaze the pan.

#4 – Deglaze the Pan.

You don’t want to leave any of those beautiful brown bits at the bottom of the pan. This is where the deglazing process comes into play. Deglazing is a flavor-boosting technique where a liquid, in this case, dry red wine, is added to the hot pan and all the cooking residue is scraped off.

#5 – Add the Beef Stock.

Adding beef stock generates a luscious au jus or a rich gravy in the end, whichever one you choose. Once you’ve deglazed the pan, add the beef stock and stir. This will be your braising liquid. Pour the liquid over the aromatic vegetables (see below) before you place the roast on top. Don’t pour the liquid directly over the roast as all the herbs and spices will run off.

#6 – Make the rub and apply it to the seared roast.

This rub can be made ahead of time which makes it easier when ready to apply to the roast. I wish I could convey in this post how amazing this rub is and how much flavor it adds not only to the roast but the vegetables as well. I guess you’ll just have to try it yourself to know just how fantastic it is.

I used my hands and rubbed it all over the meat before I placed it in the crockpot over the aromatic vegetables. It’s a little messy, but again well worth it.

#7 – Add the First round of Onions and Celery Stalks with the Roast.

There are two rounds of vegetables. The first round is called aromatic vegetables that infuse the meat and the liquid with a wonderful flavor early on. These are quartered onions with the skins left on and celery stalks with leaves. This round goes in underneath the roast and cooks for about four hours before discarding them. You can eliminate the first round if you’re not going to be home to change them out.

The second round of vegetables is the actual ones that you eat alongside the meat. These are potatoes, carrots, more onions, and celery which tend to become mushy if overcooked. That’s why I like to add them about halfway through the cooking time.

#8 – Cook the Slow Cooker Roast on Low

It’s much better to cook the roast on low for a long period of time instead of on high for a quicker amount of time. This is what provides the meal with fork-tender meat. The aroma of this delectable dish will fill your entire house which makes it much more difficult to wait. But it’s well worth your patience.

I used an eight quart crockpot for this five pound roast. If you’re using a six quart, you may want to choose a smaller roast and cut down a little on the vegetables.

#9 – Remove the aromatic onions and celery and strain the beef stock. Add potatoes, carrots, celery and onions.

Carefully remove the roast. Then using a large slotted spoon remove the onions and celery and discard. Next, use a metal sieve and strain the liquid. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and onions to the bottom of the crockpot. Pour the liquid over the vegetables and place the roast on top.

This is about your half-way mark. It can feel like a waste when you chuck the onions and celery that have been in the crockpot so far. But they were only a place holder creating amazing flavor from the beginning. They’ve done their job and are ready to hand the baton to the next stage of vegetables.

#10 – Cook the roast another 4-5 hours or until the vegetables are tender and the meat falls apart.

This is the stage where your senses will overtake you and you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven. The bold and savory fragrance permeating your home at this point will release such temptation as to ditch the rest of the cooking time. Oh, but don’t. Give it a few more hours. You’ll not be disappointed.

You can either use the au jus itself over the meat and vegetables or make a velvety gravy for them.

To make gravy: Heat 8 tablespoons of butter over medium-high in a medium saucepan until it sizzles. Turn the heat down to medium and vigorously stir in a heaping cup of all-purpose flour. Whisk for a couple of minutes until there are no lumps. Add five or six cups of the pan drippings slowly and stir continually until it thickens.

This Slow Cooker Roast is an all-in-one complete meal that perfectly stands alone. You honestly do not need any other dish to go with this, except maybe some crusty bread and butter. So convenient. So easy. And so very yummy.

Slow Cooker Roast with vegetables reminds me of family and home and always calls me back to my roots. We desperately need a taste of comfort in this crazy world we live in right now. It’s a throwback recipe to the days when life was a little simpler and less chaotic.

If you love some down-home cooking, check these recipes out.

Easy Crockpot Lasagna

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

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