Go Back
Homestyle Pot Roast with Rice and Carrots - Delicious Slow Cooker Meal.

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Print Recipe
Tender pot roast with vegetables, made simple by using a slow cooker. 
Course Lunch or Dinner, Mains
Cuisine Melting Pot
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 482
Author María

Equipment

  • 8" chef's knife
  • cutting board
  • measuring spoons
  • measuring cups
  • large (12") skillet
  • tongs
  • slow cooker
  • fork
  • roux whisk
  • large spoon

Ingredients

  • 3-4 Lb chuck roast
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 Tsp kosher salt to taste
  • 1 1/2 Tsp black pepper freshly cracked, to taste
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 3 large carrots sliced into rounds
  • 4 celery stalks chopped roughly
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 4 C beef broth plus more as needed
  • 2 1/2 Lb red potatoes halved or quartered into evenly sized pieces
  • 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 Tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 Tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp beef seasoning I usually use Brass Cuisine's.
  • 1 Tsp molasses
  • 1 Tsp seasoned salt to taste
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

  • First off, grab that chuck roast and give it a good, generous rubdown with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Don’t skimp—and make sure to get the sides!
  • Heat your olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it’s nice and shimmer, about 2-3 minutes. If your slow cooker has a sauté function, feel free to use that instead. Now, lay that seasoned roast down and let it sizzle. You’re going for a nice crust here, so sear all the sides, even the edges. Take it out and set it aside for a sec.
  • To the slow cooker, add your chopped onions, celery, garlic, and thyme. I usually add my carrots and potatoes here as well, but if you'd like them with more bite, hold off and add them half-way into cooking time. Pour in the beef broth.
  • Stir in the tomato sauce, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, granulated garlic, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, beef seasoning, molasses, and seasoned salt. Give everything a good mix, then tuck the seared roast in, pushing aside the veggies so it's in the broth. The broth should come at least half way up the sides of the roast - add more if it doesn't.
  • Now, set your slow cooker to low for about 8 hours, or high for 4 1/2 hours. If you held off on adding the potatoes, throw them in halfway through. You’ll know it’s ready when the roast is so tender it practically falls apart when you check it.
  • Once that happens, give the gravy a taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. If you'd like the gravy to be thicker, make a cornstarch slurry: in a small bowl, mix your cornstarch with a few teaspoons of the broth until smooth. Make sure it’s smooth—no lumps allowed! Stir this into the slow cooker, then let it cook for another 15 minutes to thicken up that gravy. Dassit!

Notes

  • No molasses? No biggie—brown sugar works just as well to balance out the flavors without adding noticeable sweetness.