Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
30 mins
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Cook Time
6 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
905 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Description
The Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe features a 4 to 5 pound chuck roast seasoned and seared to develop a caramelized crust that enhances meat juices and flavor. Aromatics like diced onions and minced garlic are sautéed before adding tomato paste, which is carefully cooked to deepen its sweetness and complexity. The pot roast is then slow cooked in beef stock along with thyme and bay leaf, which infuse the dish with herbaceous notes over several hours.
Vegetables including baby potatoes, thickly sliced carrots, and button mushrooms are introduced a few hours before the end of cooking. This timing ensures they become tender but not mushy, providing a pleasing contrast to the meat's texture. The long cooking period results in meat that can be easily shredded with a fork, absorbing the rich flavors of the broth and seasonings.
This pot roast pairs well with its own cooking liquid, which can be thickened into a gravy. It's suitable as a comforting main course for family dinners and can be served alongside mashed potatoes or crusty bread. The recipe includes practical advice on reheating, freezing, and even deglazing for an added umami boost.
Preparation tips highlight the importance of searing the roast to lock in juices and maximize flavor, and the note on pinçage with tomato paste emphasizes its role in enriching the sauce. Adjustments to vegetable quantities and seasoning are possible to suit your slow cooker's size and flavor preferences.
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pound chuck roast
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 peeled medium diced medium-sized yellow onions
- 6 garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups beef stock
- 6 to 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 pounds baby potato I used a combination of Yukon gold and red
- 8 carrot peeled, thickly sliced, medium-sized
- 2 pints button mushroom rinsed
- salt coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
- black pepper coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper
Instructions
- Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper and briefly set it to the side.
- Add the oil to a slow cooker that’s been preheated on the sear function.
- Place the roast into the pot and sear it for 4 to 5 minutes on all sides or until it’s completely browned. Set it to the side.
- Add the onions and garlic, gently season with salt, and saute for 5 to7 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over low to medium heat until it becomes a rusty color. This is known as pinceing.
- Add in the beef stock, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. Place the seared beef roast back in.
- Slow cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours.
- With 2 ½ to 3 hours left in the cooking process, add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to the crockpot. It’s ok if some of them aren’t completely submerged in the liquid. Adding these later in the cooking process will ensure that they are perfectly cooked and not mushy.
- Remove the chuck roast, pull it apart, or serve it in chunks along with the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms.
Notes
- This pot roast can be prepared a day ahead by cooling and refrigerating, then reheated gently over low heat.
- Leftovers store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw thoroughly before reheating.
- Searing the meat is optional but improves texture and flavor by creating a caramelized crust.
- If your slow cooker lacks a sear function, sear and sauté ingredients in a skillet before transferring to the slow cooker, making sure to deglaze the pan to preserve flavor.
- Cook tomato paste until a rusty color (pinçage) to develop rich, complex flavors essential to the broth.
- Add vegetables halfway through cooking to ensure they stay tender without becoming mushy.
- For more flavor, consider deglazing the pot with red wine or adding Worcestershire, soy sauce, or balsamic vinegar to the braising liquid.
- To thicken the gravy, strain the cooking liquid and simmer with a slurry of starch and water until desired consistency is reached.
- The pot roast is done when the meat pulls apart easily with a fork, typically at an internal temperature of 190°F to 205°F.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 905 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 905kcal | 45% |
| Carbohydrates | 61g | 20% |
| Protein | 74g | 148% |
| Fat | 43g | 66% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 23g | 115% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 209mg | 70% |
| Sodium | 842mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 3290mg | 70% |
| Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 13762IU | 275% |
| Vitamin C | 59mg | 66% |
| Calcium | 149mg | 15% |
| Iron | 10mg | 56% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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