Embark on a delightful journey through time, savoring the heartwarming embrace of this Crock Pot Roast Recipe. With its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, it's a flavorful ode to your grandma's kitchen, where cherished culinary traditions thrived. This all-in-one meal is the epitome of hassle-free weeknight dining, offering a treasure trove of delectable leftovers for conquering the following day.
Certain recipes hold a timeless charm, drawing us back repeatedly to their comforting embrace. This full-flavored slow cooker roast is undoubtedly among those cherished classics. Memories flood in of both my mother and grandmother preparing this dish week after week during my upbringing. Even now, it never fails to envelop me in a warm and cozy nostalgia. For another delightful crockpot recipe, explore my hassle-free Crockpot Lasagna—it's both wonderfully easy and convenient.
Ingredients you'll need for Roast Beef Recipe in a Crockpot:
- 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 it's cooked in a crockpot.
- 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. 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.
- Potatoes. I used small red new potatoes which are considered waxy potatoes. 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.
How to Cook A Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
- 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.
- Tie the Roast. Tying the roast prevents the roast from spreading out while it cooks and helps it to cook evenly throughout.
- Sear it on every side. 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. Cook for at least one minute without moving the meat around. Do the same on each side and then remove the roast from the pan.
- Deglaze the Pan. Add the dry red wine to the hot pan and scrape off all the cooking residue. You don't want to leave any of those beautiful brown bits (which are called fonds) at the bottom of the pan.
- Add the Beef Stock. 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.
- Make the rub and apply it to the seared chuck roast. 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.
- Add the First round of aromatic vegetables (onions with skins left on and celery stalks with leaves) and roast in the crock pot. This round goes in underneath the roast and cooks for about four hours before discarding them.
- Cook this Slow Cooker Roast on Low. 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.
- Remove the first round of vegetables. Carefully remove the roast onto a large plate. Then use a large slotted spoon to remove the onions and celery to discard them. Next, use a metal sieve and strain the liquid.
- Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. Add the potatoes, carrots, additional celery, and onions to the bottom of the crockpot. Pour the strained liquid over the vegetables and place the roast on top. This is about your halfway mark for slow-cooking this roast.
- Cook the roast on low for another four to five hours or until the vegetables are tender and the meat falls apart.
What are the Best Cuts of Meat for Slow Cooker Pot Roast?
Look for a well-marbled cut of beef with fat and a lot of connective tissue. These cuts of meat tend to be the best because when cooked low and slow, they become tender and full of flavor. Below are three of the ideal cuts for a crockpot roast.
- Chuck Roast: This is perhaps the most popular choice for slow cooking. It has a good balance of meat and fat, and the connective tissues break down during long cooking, making it tender and juicy.
- Brisket: Brisket is another excellent choice, known for its rich, beefy flavor. It's often used in barbecue and can benefit from slow cooking to become tender and succulent.
- Bottom Round Roast: This lean cut can be made tender and flavorful when slow-cooked. It's a good option if you prefer a leaner roast.
Do You have to Brown the Roast before Putting it in a CrockPot?
Searing is a fundamental step in creating a golden caramelized outer crust with the outcome of a truly flavorful roast. Although it's an additional measure, the end result is well worth the effort.
Can You Slow Cook a Beef Roast on High?
While cooking on high for four to six hours is an option, I prefer the low and slow method for a more tender and flavorful roast. Low and slow cooking gradually breaks down collagen for a more tender texture. High heat does not allow as much moisture retention, producing more of a dry roast.
Can you make gravy from the liquid?
Most definitely. To make the gravy simply heat 8 tablespoons of butter over medium-high in a medium saucepan until it sizzles. Turn the heat down to medium and sprinkle in a heaping one-half cup of all-purpose flour while whisking. Continue whisking 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.
What Can You serve with this Slow Cooker Beef Roast Recipe?
This roast recipe is an all-in-one complete meal that perfectly stands alone and is truly a convenient meal. You honestly do not have to serve it with any other side. But if you would like to, here are a couple of suggestions:
- Homemade Dinner Rolls. A classic family recipe handed down through the generations. This Best Dinner Roll Recipe creates soft and fluffy bread with golden highlights.
- Sweet Homemade Cornbread. There's nothing like a piece of piping hot cornbread right out of the oven slathered with a mound of butter and drizzled honey.
- Homemade Dill Bread. Gorgeous golden brown loaves of old-fashioned dill bread served piping hot out of the oven, smothered with butter, and sprinkled with coarse sea salt.
- A Simple Side or Ceasar Salad
How to Store Leftovers
This Crock Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. Let the roast sit out until it has cooled and place the beef and vegetables with its liquid in a large airtight container.
How to Reheat Leftovers
- In the Crock Pot. When ready to serve, cook on the low setting for three to four hours until heated through.
- In the Oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Wrap the chuck roast and the vegetables in foil with a little bit of the juice drizzled over them. Place in the middle of the oven and heat for about 30 minutes or until it is heated through.
Crock Pot Roast with potatoes and onions evokes feelings of family, home, and a comforting return to my roots. In the midst of a crazy world sometimes, we yearn for a taste of solace. It's a nostalgic recipe, a throwback to simpler, less chaotic times.
Looking for down-home cooking, check these recipes out.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
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PrintCrock Pot Chuck Roast
A fall-apart tender Crock Pot Roast is classic comfort food that will take you back in time to grandma's kitchen where you reveled in down-home cooking. This complete all-in-one meal is ideal for any weeknight dinner with plenty of leftovers for the next day.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Total Time: 9 hours
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Crock Pot Meals
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 5-pound boneless Chuck Roast
- Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, seasoned in stages
- 2 tablespoons Avocado or Olive Oil
- 3 large Yellow Onions, quartered, divided
- 1 Stalk of Celery, cut into large chunks and divided
- 1 cup Dry Red Wine
- 32 ounces of Beef Stock
- 6 large Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried Herb de Provence
- 1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh Thyme, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 6 large Carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 Β½ pounds small Red New Potatoes
Instructions
- Generously season on all sides of the roast with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Tie the chuck roast with kitchen twine. Check out this video by Test Kitchen.
- Heat a large heavy bottom skillet (a cast-iron works great) over medium-high, add 2 tablespoons of avocado or olive oil, swirl to cover the bottom of the skillet, and heat until its surface is shimmery.
- Sear each side of the roast for 1-2 minutes until it has nice caramelization. Make sure and brown the ends as well.
- Remove the roast from the pan and set aside.
- Add one cup of dry red wine (I used a Cabernet Sauvignon). Using a spatula make sure and remove all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add 4 cups of beef stock to the wine and stir. Set aside.
- Make a rub with 6 large minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried Herb de Provence, 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh rosemary and thyme, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Smear the rub on all sides of the roast.
- Add 1 large yellow onion, quartered with the skin still on, and 4 or 5 interior celery stalks with the leaves to the bottom of an eight-quart crockpot. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the liquid from the wine and beef stock over the onions and celery.
- Place the chuck roast on top of the vegetables.
- Turn the crockpot to low and cook for 4 hours.
- Carefully remove the roast. Also, remove the onions and celery with a slotted spoon and strain the liquid with a metal sieve.
- Add 2 large yellow onions, skins removed and quartered, 6 large celery stalks, 6 large carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks, and 1 Β½ pounds of small red new potatoes to the bottom of the crockpot.
- Pour the beef liquid over the vegetables and place the roast on top.
- Continue cooking the roast on low for another 4 to 5 hours or until the vegetables are tender and the meat falls apart.
- Serve with either the juice from the drippings or make a gravy. (see how to make gravy in the notes below).
- ENJOY!!
Notes
- 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.
- 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 producing a liquid that has a fuller mouthfeel and is richer in flavor than broth.
- You'll want to take the roast out of the refrigerator and sit for about an hour to come to room temperature. Right when you take it out of the fridge, generously season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. This gives it time for the seasonings to permeate into the interior of the roast.
- Tying the roast prevents the roast from spreading out while it cooks and helps it to cook evenly throughout. Check out this video from Test Kitchen.
- Searing is a fundamental step in creating a golden caramelized outer crust. This results in a truly flavorful roast.
- 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.
- This rub can be made ahead of time which makes it easier when ready to apply to 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.
- 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.
- It's much better to cook the roast on low for a long period of time instead of high for a quicker amount of time.
- You can either use the juice from the drippings 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.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10th of Roast with Vegetables
- Calories: 564
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 163 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 0 g
Keywords: crock pot roast recipe, slow cooker beef roast, crock pot roast with potatoes and carrots, chuck roast crock pot, roast beef recipe in a crock pot, slow cooker pot roast
Sharon Rigsby says
Oh my what a delicious looking recipe and just perfect for our cooler weather! I love that you add the vegetables in two stages and adding the wine is an awesome touch!
★★★★★
Kristy Murray says
Thanks so much Sharon. I agree about the vegetables. It does add another stage to the cooking process but it is well worth it in the end.
Carrie Tyler says
Kristy, you know I love me a slow cooker dinner!! And this could not come at a better time of year. That rub looks absolutely divine! I will definitely be trying it out. Thank you π
★★★★★
Kristy Murray says
Thanks so much Carrie. I do love a slow cooker meal in cold weather season. And I love the permeating aroma through the house.
ChefMimi says
This looks very good. Iβve made roasts, but they come out tender, but I think theyβre just not my favorite kind of meat. But I do love what you did with the rub, so I might try another roast... my husband will love it for sure!
Kristy Murray says
Thanks so much Mimi. The rub is what gives this meal amazing flavor. Would love to know what you and your husband think if you make this. Thanks for stopping by!
Eric says
This is comfort food at its best. I love all the spices and cooking the roast slowly with all the vegetables. Looks great.
★★★★★
Kristy Murray says
Totally agree! It doesn't get any more comforting than a pot of roast and potatoes.