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Home » American » Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon in white dress Jessica Randhawa
December 7, 2018
4.89 from 26 votes


Last Updated November 16, 2022 | 2 Comments

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5.8K shares
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This Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe is slow-cooked with chunks of carrots, celery, mushrooms, and potato. This perfect holiday supper is filled with the most tender, juicy chunks of meat and a finger-licking, no-fuss gravy.

White bowl filled with pot roast, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms, smothered in delicious gravy sauce.

Celebrate the holiday season and the cold winter months with a big pot of this delicious and easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast. Slowly cooked in sauce with fresh herbs, the result is juicy meat; tender vegetables; and happy, well-fed family and friends.

Ingredients in Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

  • olive oil
  • butter
  • chuck roast
  • onion
  • celery
  • carrots
  • potatoes
  • mushrooms
  • garlic
  • pancetta (optional)
  • fresh rosemary and thyme
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • beef broth
  • bay leaf
  • cornstarch
  • parsley

Browned roast in a cast iron skillet.

Before I get started, first things first…

What is Pot Roast?

A pot roast is a beef dish sometimes cooked with vegetables, in or over liquid. What sets a pot roast apart from other meat dishes is two things:

  1. The pot roast is a braised beef dish made by browning a roast-sized (approximately 4-5 pounds) piece of beef before slowly cooking it in a covered dish.
  2. Typically, pot roasts will call for the tougher cuts of meat such as chuck steak, boneless chuck steak, and short ribs. These tougher cuts make them unsuitable for oven roasting, but slow cooking tenderizes the toughness of the fibers. 

The end result is tender meat with a rich, comforting liquid that’s perfect as a gravy.

Fully cooked pot roast with carrots slow cooker.

How to make Slow Cooker Pot Roast

  1. Season the chuck roast. Season all sides of your chuck roast with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. If you’re sensitive to salt, feel free to skip the salt and just add pepper.
  2. Brown the roast. Add the olive oil and butter to large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the roast to the skillet and brown for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side. As with most extra steps, this is not a required part of this recipe. However, for best flavor results, don’t skip this bit. It helps give a beautiful caramelized flavor that you want. Trust me.
  3. Prepare the vegetables. As the chuck roast is browning, prepare the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and garlic and transfer to the slow cooker. Mix well to combine. This is approximately how many vegetables you’ll add. All vegetables vary in size, so make adjustments as needed if your slow cooker gets too full.
  4. Transfer the beef and cook the pancetta. Once all sides of the chuck roast have been browned, transfer the roast to the slow cooker and wedge between the vegetables. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the pancetta to the skillet. Cook the pancetta for 3-4 minutes, or until fully cooked.* Transfer the pancetta to the slow cooker.
  5. Add the spices and broth. To the slow cooker, add the salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, water, beef broth, and bay leaf.
  6. Cook. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for at least 5-6 hours. 
  7. Thicken. One hour before serving, mix the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and gently mix to combine. Alternatively, just before serving, you may remove the chuck roast and vegetables from the pot to a large serving plate and transfer the liquid to a small pot over medium heat. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and cook until thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  8. Serve. Serve the meat with vegetables and gravy, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Pot Roast on a white serving tray surrounded with carrots and potatoes.

Tips and Tricks for making the best Slow Cooker Pot Roast

  1. Brown the meat. After all, it’s part of what makes this pot roast a…pot roast.
  2. Cooking slow and low is best. Of course, there is nothing wrong with cooking this pot roast on high for a shorter period of time, but patience is key to really tenderize the meat and break down those fibers.
  3. Save time and prep the vegetables ahead of time!
  4. Speaking of vegetables, I really love vegetables. Which is why I always add as many carrots as possible whenever I make any kind of stew. If you feel that the potatoes are taking up too much room, boil them separately and add extra carrots and mushrooms to the slow cooker.
  5. If you are sensitive to salt, start with less. As a whole, I don’t think that I added too much salt to this dish, but I know many of you may disagree. So, if you’re not a huge fan of the stuff, start with less.
  6. Don’t feel like you have to add pancetta. It definitely isn’t traditional to pot roast. However, I thought it would be a delicious addition. Truth be told—after cooking for so long, I could hardly remember it was there!
  7. Make extra for leftovers! Pot Roast sandwiches, anyone?

Sliced and prepared pot roast on a white plate with carrots and potatoes.

If you try making this Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know how it turned out! I always love to hear your thoughts. 

For more slow cooker recipes, check out,

  • Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
  • Slow Cooker Harissa Lamb Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Jambalaya Stew
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Pasta
  • Slow Cooker Chili Verde Recipe
  • Best Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon (Beef Stew)
A slow cooker filled with meat and vegetables

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

4.89 from 26 votes
AuthorAuthor: Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon in white dress Jessica Randhawa
This Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe, is slow cooked in your slow cooker with chunks of carrots, celery, mushrooms, and potato. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Total Time 8 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 576 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4-5 pound chuck roast
  • 1 large onion - chopped
  • 3 stalks celery - chopped
  • 5 large carrots - chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 pound baby potatoes - halved
  • 6 ounces crimini mushrooms - sliced
  • 8 cloves garlic - minced
  • 4 ounces pancetta
  • 2 teaspoon salt - more or less, to taste
  • 2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoon fresh rosemary - minced
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme - stems removed
  • 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoon corn starch
  • 2 tablespoon cold water
  • Fresh chopped parsley - for serving
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Instructions
 

  • Season the chuck roast. Season all sides of your chuck roast with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
  • Brown the chuck roast. Add the olive oil and butter to large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot add the roast to the skillet and brown for approximately 4-5 minutes on each side.
  • Prepare the vegetables. As the chuck roast is browning, prepare the onions, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and garlic and transfer to the slow cooker. Mix well to combine.
  • Transfer the beef and cook the pancetta. Once all sides of the chuck roast have browned, transfer the roast to the slow cooker and wedge between the vegetables. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the pancetta to the skillet. Cook the pancetta for 3-4 minutes, or until fully cooked.* Transfer the pancetta to the slow cooker.
  • Add the spices and broth. To the slow cooker add the salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, water, beef broth, and bay leaf.
  • Cook. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for at least 5-6 hours. 
  • Thicken. One hour before serving mix the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and gently mix to combine. Alternatively, just before serving, you may remove the chuck roast and vegetables from the pot to a large serving plate and transfer the liquid to a small pot over medium heat. Add the cornstarch-water mixture and cook until thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes.
  • Serve. Serve the meat with vegetables and gravy and garnished with fresh parsley, if desired.

Jessica's Notes

  1. If you love vegetables like carrots and celery, I recommend boiling the potatoes separately to make more room for vegetables such as this. The potatoes can easily be added back to the crockpot after the meat is fully cooked.
  2. If you can't find pancetta, substitute with 1/2 pound of bacon. Or, skip the pancetta altogether. 

Nutritional Information

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1065mg | Potassium: 1276mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1473IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 6mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword Slow Cooker Pot Roast
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About Jessica

Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon in white dress

Chef Jessica Randhawa leads The Forked Spoon. A world traveler, Jessica developed her passion for culinary arts while adventuring. With her recipes making their way onto renowned platforms such as Women's Health, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, and Fox News, she's marked her presence in the culinary world. Jessica's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from the University of California.

5.8K shares
Profile photo of chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon in white dress

About Jessica Randhawa

Chef Jessica Randhawa leads The Forked Spoon. A world traveler, Jessica developed her passion for culinary arts while adventuring. With her recipes making their way onto renowned platforms such as Women's Health, Daily Mail, Al Jazeera, and Fox News, she's marked her presence in the culinary world. Jessica's academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from the University of California.

Comments

  1. Dale Smith says

    March 1, 2023 at 3:03 pm

    4 stars
    I followed the recipe, but omitted the pancetta. Unfortunately, not much flavor.

    Reply
  2. Dawna says

    December 21, 2022 at 11:10 pm

    5 stars
    I’m adding Coca-Cola. I want to a U C As well!! I will let you know how it turns out tomorrow but thought you might be interested

    Reply

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Chef Jessica Randhawa of The Forked Spoon

I’m Jessica, the chef behind The Forked Spoon, where I share my delicious recipes along with my kitchen tips and expert advice to transform your everyday cooking into a gratifying culinary experience. Learn more about me→

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