Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Of all the top crockpot recipes, classic pot roast is the one people make again and again. A chuck roast, a few vegetables and a long, slow cook produce a tender dinner with its own gravy.
Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes9
hoursA seared chuck roast cooks on a bed of onions with carrots and potatoes in beef broth. The juices thicken into gravy.
Ingredients
3 to 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
4 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
Directions
- Pat the roast dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the roast 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned.
- Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Set the roast on top.
- Whisk the broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce and pour it around the roast.
- Tuck in the thyme and bay leaf. Add the potatoes and carrots around the sides.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours. The roast is ready when it shreds easily and reaches about 195 degrees F.
- Move the roast and vegetables to a platter and cover with foil.
- Skim the fat from the juices, stir in the slurry, and cook on HIGH 15 minutes until thickened.
- Shred or slice the roast and serve with the vegetables and gravy.
Notes
- Chuck is best. Round and rump roasts turn dry. Add the potatoes and carrots in the last 4 hours if you like them firmer. Leftovers make great hot beef sandwiches. Store in the gravy for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
Why chuck roast wins
Chuck is full of connective tissue and marbling, and that is exactly what a slow cooker turns into tender, juicy beef. Lean cuts like round or rump dry out, but chuck melts into shreds that you can pull apart with a fork. Compare that with a roast cooked in the oven, which needs constant watching and a long rest. The slow cooker gives you the same result with less risk, and it keeps the meat moist because the lid traps every bit of steam.
Eight to nine hours on LOW gives you a roast that falls apart, a gravy rich from the vegetables and tomato paste, and potatoes that have soaked up all the flavor. It is the most dependable pot roast you can make. The vegetables share the pot, so the potatoes pick up beef flavor and the carrots turn sweet. By the time dinner is ready, the kitchen smells like Sunday supper, and all you did was brown the meat and chop a few vegetables.
Ingredient notes
Boneless chuck roast: Look for a piece with plenty of white marbling. Three to four pounds feeds eight.
Baby potatoes: Halve them so the pieces match. They are less likely to fall apart than large cubes.
Carrots: Cut into thick two-inch pieces. Thin slices turn to mush by the end.
Tomato paste and Worcestershire: They add a deep, hearty flavor that builds a gravy without any packet.
Fresh thyme and bay leaf: Remove the stems and leaf before serving.
Beef broth: Use low-sodium so you can control the salt. A cup and a half is enough, since the roast and vegetables release plenty of their own juice over the long cook.
Tips for the best result
Sear the roast: Brown all sides in a hot skillet. It takes about ten minutes and builds a richer gravy. Pat the meat dry first, and use a heavy skillet so the pan stays hot enough to build a dark crust.
Add vegetables by timing: If you want firm vegetables, add the potatoes and carrots in the last four hours. Large potatoes cut into chunks hold up better than small ones, so keep the pieces about the same size as the carrots.
Lifting the lid is the most common mistake: Each peek adds up to 20 minutes. Keep it closed until the roast is shredding tender, around 195°F. Check the roast with a fork. If it still resists, give it another hour, since chuck goes from tough to tender only once it has fully broken down.
Timing for the vegetables and swaps
Put the vegetables on the bottom if you like them soft, and on top if you want them to hold their shape. Swap the potatoes for parsnips or turnips, and add a cup of red wine in place of some broth. Do not use a lean roast, because the meat will stay tough and dry even after nine hours.
For a richer gravy, stir in a spoonful of butter at the end. For a lighter version, skip the cornstarch and serve the juices as they are, which gives a thinner but still flavorful sauce.
What to serve with it
Serve slices with the vegetables and plenty of gravy. Add a green salad or steamed green beans, and soft dinner rolls for the juices. Mashed potatoes or buttered noodles are also welcome if you want extra gravy on the plate, and a bowl of horseradish cream on the side is a good touch.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Store leftovers in the gravy for four days. Freeze for up to three months. Reheat in a covered pan with a splash of broth. Leftover roast makes excellent hot beef sandwiches. For sandwiches, shred the cold roast and warm it with a little gravy on toasted rolls. Keep the potatoes separate when freezing, since they turn grainy once thawed.
Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 9 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by to 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil
Tips for Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Chuck is best. Round and rump roasts turn dry. Add the potatoes and carrots in the last 4 hours if you like them firmer. Leftovers make great hot beef sandwiches. Store in the gravy for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.
Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots FAQ
How long does Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots take?
Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots takes 9 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make Top Crockpot Recipes: Classic Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots?
14 ingredients, led by to 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
