Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner
Meat and potatoes crockpot cooking is the simplest Sunday dinner there is: chuck roast, baby potatoes and carrots in a hearty gravy. The roast turns fork-tender while you do something else.
6
servings20
minutes8
hoursA seared chuck roast cooks with potatoes and carrots in beef broth and onion soup mix. The juices thicken into gravy.
Ingredients
3 lb boneless chuck roast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 packet (1 oz) onion soup mix
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Directions
- Pat the roast dry and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Sear the roast in hot oil in a large skillet, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned.
- Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker.
- Set the roast on top. Whisk the broth, soup mix and Worcestershire and pour it over everything.
- Add the thyme sprigs.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
- The roast is done when it shreds easily with a fork and the potatoes are tender.
- Move the meat and vegetables to a platter, tenting with foil.
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water, whisk it into the liquid in the pot and cook on HIGH 10 to 15 minutes until thick.
- Shred or slice the beef and serve with gravy.
Notes
- Pork shoulder or a rump roast works. Large potatoes should be cut into 2-inch chunks. Leftovers keep 4 days and make good sandwiches. Reheat beef in gravy to keep it moist. Freeze the beef with gravy for up to 3 months.
Choosing the cut
Meat and potatoes in the crockpot is a classic for a reason. A chuck roast is the best cut. It has plenty of marbling and connective tissue, and eight hours of low heat melts that tissue into soft, juicy beef. Leaner cuts like round roast come out dry and stringy.
Searing the roast in a hot skillet first is worth the extra ten minutes. It builds a deep brown crust that flavors the broth and the gravy. Then the roast sits on top of the vegetables, so the juices drip down into the potatoes and carrots as they cook. The roast also makes excellent leftovers, so a big pot is a good plan for the week.
Ingredient notes
Boneless chuck roast: Buy a 3-pound roast with visible marbling. Trim only the thickest pieces of surface fat, and leave the rest. If your roast is very large, cut it into 3 or 4 big pieces so the heat reaches the center and the meat cooks evenly.
Baby potatoes: Halve them so they cook evenly. Yukon Gold and red potatoes hold their shape. Russets break down into the gravy.
Carrots and onion: Cut the carrots into 2-inch chunks and the onion into wedges. Smaller pieces turn to mush over eight hours.
Onion soup mix: One packet adds salt and a deep, meaty saltiness. Since it is salty, use low-sodium beef broth and taste before adding extra salt.
Worcestershire sauce and thyme: Together they add a meaty tang and an earthy note. Fresh thyme sprigs are best, and you can pull the stems out at the end. Garlic powder in the rub adds a mild, sweet garlic note, and the black pepper gives a little bite to the gravy.
Tips for the best result
Put the vegetables on the bottom: They sit in the broth and cook through. The roast on top steams and stays tender.
Do not lift the lid: Each peek adds about 20 minutes of cook time. Trust the timer, and test the roast with a fork at the end. Always cook the roast until it shreds. A roast that is only sliceable is not yet tender, and it needs another hour.
Rest before slicing: The most common mistake is cutting the roast right out of the pot, which lets the juices run out. Tent it with foil for 10 minutes, then pull it apart or slice it.
Gravy and swaps
Use the pot juices for gravy. Whisk the cornstarch with cold water, stir it into the liquid and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until it coats a spoon. Taste it for salt, and add a splash of broth if it is too thick. If you like a darker gravy, add a teaspoon of soy sauce or a spoonful of tomato paste to the juices before thickening.
A bone-in roast also works with an extra hour. Add parsnips or turnips for variety, and use red wine in place of half the broth. Do not add dairy or quick-cooking vegetables like peas at the start, because they break down over eight hours. Cut the vegetables a little bigger if you plan to cook on LOW for the full 10 hours.
What to serve with it
Serve with crusty bread to mop up the gravy, plus steamed green beans or a simple salad. Ladle extra gravy at the table. Mashed potatoes are a fine addition for gravy lovers.
Serving and reheating
Store the meat, vegetables and gravy together for 4 days in the fridge. Reheat covered in a skillet over low heat, with a splash of broth to keep the beef moist. The meat freezes for 3 months in the gravy, but potatoes get grainy after thawing, so leave them out for freezing.
Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by boneless chuck roast, olive oil, salt, black pepper
Tips for Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner
Pork shoulder or a rump roast works. Large potatoes should be cut into 2-inch chunks. Leftovers keep 4 days and make good sandwiches. Reheat beef in gravy to keep it moist. Freeze the beef with gravy for up to 3 months.
Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner FAQ
How long does Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner take?
Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner takes 8 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Meat and Potatoes Crockpot Dinner?
14 ingredients, led by boneless chuck roast, olive oil, salt, black pepper. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
