When it comes to comfort food, it doesn't really get much more comforting than Pot Roast. This has long been one of my family's favorite meals to enjoy. Especially on Sundays when you want to pull out the stops a little bit.
This slow cooker pot roast is hearty and delicious. Guaranteed to please all of the carnivores in your home, with plenty of tender, juicy beef, carrots, potatoes and a tasty gravy to ladle over top of everything when done!!
This version differs a bit from my usual pot roast which I cook in the oven. That recipe I have been making for years and years and is one I adapted from a packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix.
They call it Recipe Secrets Soup and Dip mix now, but it was always just onion soup mix before. I love using it to do pot roast and often use it for meat loaf, and only ever very rarely have used it for dip.
Normally I don't brown any of my pot roasts, but this time I decided to do so, with excellent results. It actually tasted better for having browned it, as if that is possible. And the gravy had a deeper color.
It makes sense really. I have only never browned it first because of laziness. Yes, I can be that lazy. I never thought that it made a difference, but somehow it does.
I also chose to use fresh herbs this time rather than dried. I have them in the garden and they will soon be dead from frost so I thought I might as well use them while I could. You can use dried if you wish. Just remember to use half the amount.
One of the things I really like about using my slow cooker for cooking a pot roast is that I don't need to keep an eye on it. I can get on with whatever my day holds and know that at the end of the day I will be rewarded with a delicious supper for everyone.
I do have a small batch Classic Pot Roast recipe here, for the smaller family, but where I have my own family around this weekend, I thought why not cook a full sized roast!
WHAT YOU NEED TO COOK A SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
Simple, natural, every day ingredients. There is nothing overly special here. This is a barebones recipe which you can certainly build on if you wish.
- 11/2 TBS light olive oil, divided
- 1 (3 pound/approx 1 1/2 kg.) beef chuck roast
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 TBS flour
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled, halved and cut into thick half moons
- 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) beef stock/broth
- 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 TBS minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 1/2 pounds medium to small Yukon gold potatoes, halved if medium, leave whole if small
- 5 medium carrots peeled, halved and cut into 2-inch lengths
There is no need to buy an expensive beef roast for this, and actually a cheaper chuck roast will give you the best flavor. If your roast is wide like mine, then you can just set the vegetables on top of it when cooking.
For Beef stock I use the condensed stock that comes in the little cartons. You need to reconstitute it with water. I probably use less water than recommended on the carton because I like a stronger beefy flavor.
If you are really keen you could add a touch of red wine, but only if you have it. It does add a certain amount of Je ne sais quois! I wouldn't add much more than 1/4 cup/60ml.
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER POT ROAST
Other than the browning this is a really simple make. You don't have to brown it, but I highly recommend doing so as it really adds flavor to the juices and the meat.
Wipe the roast and pat dry with some paper towels. Season with salt and black pepper all over and then dust with some flour.
Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large deep skillet. Sear the roast on both sides and then transfer to the slow cooker. Scatter the carrots and potatoes around the roast.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the onion. Cook for a few minutes without browning. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour this mixture over top of the roast and vegetables in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low until the roast and vegetables are tender. (8 - 9 hours)
Remove the roast and vegetables to a platter. Tent with foil and keep warm while you make the gravy.
Skim any fat from the drippings in the slow cooker. Pour them through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Cook on low for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve the roast torn into large chunks along with the vegetables and the gravy on the side.
You really don't need anything else. Sometimes I will add some rutabaga/swede/turnip to the slow cooker, or even parsnips. I will also sometimes cook some peas on the side.
If you are looking for the full roast experience, you could make Yorkshire pudding. That's my late father in law's recipe. He was an army cook and they are brilliant!
We also like to enjoy this with some horseradish and sometimes a tossed salad on the side to round out the meal. It was fabulously tasty. Tender and juicy.
Plenty for the family and a few leftovers to make a nice roast beef hash with the day after. In all truth I often enjoy the leftovers even more than the main meal! No waste here. Happy days!
Yield: 6
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 9 HourTotal time: 9 H & 25 M
This easy pot roast is the ultimate comfort food and comes in especially handy when you are having company for supper and don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. With basic, all natural ingredients. Delicious.
Ingredients
- 11/2 TBS light olive oil, divided
- 1 (3 pound/approx 1 1/2 kg.) beef chuck roast
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 TBS flour
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled, halved and cut into thick half moons
- 1 1/2 TBS minced garlic
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) beef stock/broth
- 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
- 1 TBS minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 TBS minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 1/2 pounds medium to small Yukon gold potatoes, halved if medium, leave whole if small
- 5 medium carrots peeled, halved and cut into 2-inch lengths
To finish:
Instructions
- Wipe the roast and pat dry with some paper towels. Season with salt and black pepper all over and then dust with some flour.
- Heat 1 TBS of the oil in a large deep skillet. Sear the roast on both sides and then transfer to the slow cooker. Scatter the carrots and potatoes around the roast.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Add the onion. Cook for a few minutes without browning. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Cook and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour this mixture over top of the roast and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low until the roast and vegetables are tender. (8 - 9 hours)
- Remove the roast and vegetables to a platter. Tent with foil and keep warm while you make the gravy.
- Skim any fat from the drippings in the slow cooker. Pour them through a fine sieve into a saucepan. Add the cornstarch slurry and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Cook on low for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve the roast torn into large chunks along with the vegetables and the gravy on the side.
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