Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I’ve been making slow cooker pot roast as long as I can remember. But in the
beginning I was doing it all wrong.

We’ve all had the super easy, lazy slow cooker roast that skips the browning, but
once you try it browned you’ll never look back!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Video

Another mistake was using onion powder and garlic powder in place of the real
thing. Those have their place but not here. The fresh onion and garlic and so much
flavor.

And have you ever tried crock pot roast with fresh herbs? It’s so much better than
dried so it’s worth the splurge. You can often even find them bundled together in a
blended package.

Then last but not least the vegetables. I was always adding potatoes in cubes and
using Russet potatoes. How does that turn out in the end? Potato soup! Instead use
a waxier a potato (Yukons) and keep the potatoes whole. Then cut them up at the end
if you’d like, or just serve them whole no one will care.

Everyone will be too busy savoring each bite to care about the potato size details.
This is the ultimate pot roast recipe! Simple ingredients yet layers of rich,
satisfying flavor.

Ingredients needed for crockpot pot roast including chuck roast, yellow potatoes,
carrots, onion, garlic, herbs, Worcestershire, beef broth, garlic, and cornstarch.
Ingredients for Crock Pot Roast
Chuck roast – I like to use a wider shorter roast here, then the bed of vegetables
can just lay atop.
Olive oil – for searing the roast and sautéing the aromatics.
Salt and pepper – season roast with a fair amount of salt, otherwise it can taste a
little flat.
Yellow onion – I prefer to saute the onions before adding to slow cooker remove the
raw bite. Then I like to take the onion slices out after cooking since they do get
mushy but leave them if you like.
Garlic – be sure to use fresh garlic for best flavor here. Use a garlic crusher if
you hate mincing.
Beef broth – I know they say not to use canned beef broth but chicken broth just
doesn’t seem right here. I personally like the flavor just fine.
Worcestershire sauce – if you don’t have this you can skip it. It just adds a
little hint of depth.
Fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley – fresh herbs do taste best here but if you don’t
want to pay the higher price use 1/3 the amount listed of dried herbs.
Yukon gold potatoes (AKA yellow potatoes) – red potatoes will work great here as
well. I just prefer the appetizing color of the yellow.
Carrots – thicker carrots work better here as they won’t get mushy with this
lengthy cook time.
Cornstarch – this is optional but preferred for best results. It’s turns a broth
with an almost water-like consistency into a perfectly thickened gravy that clings
to the meat and vegetables.
Showing how to make crockpot pot roast, placing seared chuck roast in a slow
cooker.
How to Make the Best Pot Roast in the Crock Pot
Brown roast, add to slow cooker: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-
high heat.
Dab roast dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper.
Sear roast in pot until browned on both sides, about 4 – 5 minutes per side.
Transfer roast to slow cooker.
Adding sautéed onions and garlic over chuck roast in slow cooker.
Saute aromatics, layer them over roast: Add remaining 1/2 Tbsp olive oil to pot.
Add onion and saute 2 minutes, add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer.
Pour onion mixture over roast in slow cooker.
Make the most of those browned bits: Return pot to heat, pour in beef broth,
Worcestershire, thyme and rosemary and cook about 15 seconds, just long enough to
scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot, this will add lots of flavor to
the broth. Remove pot from heat.
Adding potatoes and carrots over chuck roast and pouring over beef broth mixture.
Layer vegetables into slow cooker: Layer potatoes and carrots over onion layer in
slow cooker, pour beef broth evenly over top then season with salt and pepper.
Cook low and slow: Cover slow cooker and cook on low heat until roast and
vegetables are tender, about 8 – 9 hours.
Remove roast and vegetables, shred roast, cut up potatoes if desired.
How to Thicken Gravy for Pot Roast
I don’t always thicken the broth if I don’t have time but I really do prefer the
thicker gravy. I’ve tried several different methods for thickening and I prefer the
cornstarch route since you don’t have to add extra fat (butter for flour) and I
prefer to thicken after cooking best.

If you try to thicken with flour or cornstarch from the beginning it doesn’t
thicken properly and can leave a floury or cornstarch flavor behind. It’s . Here’s
how you’ll thicken the gravy:

Whisk cornstarch with 3 Tbsp beef broth then pour into saucepan. Bring to a simmer,
stirring constantly, let simmer 30 – 60 seconds.
Plate roast and vegetables, pour gravy over the top and sprinkle with parsley.