Crock Pot Pot Roast
This Crock Pot Pot Roast turns an inexpensive chuck roast into fall apart tender beef with carrots, baby potatoes, and a rich brown gravy. You sear the beef, layer everything in the slow cooker, and let it go low and slow for eight hours.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 545kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast about 1.5 kg, shoulder or neck cuts also work
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper use 1/2 teaspoon for a milder roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil for searing
- 1 large onion cut into thick wedges
- 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 medium potatoes cut into large chunks, or use baby potatoes whole
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a large bowl, rub the chuck roast all over with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. This step builds the flavor base for the whole dish.
- Place most of the onion wedges, carrots, potatoes, and minced garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Set the seared roast on top of the vegetables, then arrange the remaining vegetables around and over the beef.
- In a measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and cornstarch until no lumps remain. Pour the mixture evenly over the roast and vegetables. The liquid will not cover everything, and that is normal.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork and the vegetables are soft all the way through.
- Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Slice or shred the beef, arrange it with the vegetables, and spoon the warm gravy generously over the top before serving.
Notes
- Chuck roast is the ideal cut for slow cooking because the connective tissue melts down over eight hours. Shoulder or neck cuts work well too.
- Strain the cooking liquid before thickening if you want a perfectly smooth gravy.
- The liquid will not fully cover the meat and vegetables. That is normal, because slow cooking creates steam that cooks everything through.
- Swap the cornstarch for arrowroot powder or tapioca starch if you prefer. Mix it with cold broth first so it does not clump.
- For a thicker gravy, blend a small portion of the cooked vegetables into the liquid with an immersion blender before simmering.
- A 6 to 8 quart slow cooker is ideal. If yours is smaller, scale the ingredients down so it is not overfilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 545kcal