Slow Cooker Pot Roast (Printable)

Tender beef chuck slow-cooked with root vegetables and savory gravy for rich, comforting flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef & Vegetables

01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
02 - 1 ½ lb baby potatoes, halved
03 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
04 - 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Seasonings & Liquids

06 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
07 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
10 - 2 cups beef broth (gluten-free if required)
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if required)

→ Gravy

13 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
14 - 2 tablespoons cold water

# How to Make It:

01 - Season beef chuck roast evenly on all sides with kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried rosemary.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the roast on all sides, approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side.
03 - Place halved baby potatoes, carrot pieces, and onion wedges in the base of the slow cooker, then add minced garlic evenly over the vegetables.
04 - Position the seared beef chuck roast on top of the arranged vegetables in the slow cooker.
05 - Whisk beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl, then pour this mixture uniformly over the roast and vegetables.
06 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and vegetables are fully cooked.
07 - Carefully remove the cooked roast and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm while preparing the gravy.
08 - Skim off excess fat from the liquid remaining in the slow cooker to ensure a clearer gravy.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth, creating a slurry to thicken the gravy.
10 - Stir the slurry into the slow cooker liquids, set to high heat, and cook while stirring occasionally until the gravy thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes.
11 - Slice or shred the beef, plate with the cooked vegetables, and spoon the thickened gravy over the top before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your tongue, with zero effort on your part once everything goes in the slow cooker.
  • Your house will smell incredible for hours, which honestly feels like getting a bonus gift at the end of a long day.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, and the gravy that forms is pure comfort in a bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step—it takes five minutes but creates the flavor foundation that makes this taste like something that took actual effort.
  • If your gravy is too thin after eight hours, the cornstarch slurry is your friend, but if it's already thick and silky, skip the slurry entirely because not all slow cookers evaporate liquid the same way.
  • A 6-quart slow cooker is genuinely the right size for this recipe; smaller cookers will cause the meat to steam rather than braise, and larger ones spread the liquid too thin.
03 -
  • Pat your beef completely dry before seasoning and searing—moisture is the enemy of browning, and a good crust is what separates this from tasting steamed.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the roast after six hours; some models cook faster than others, and you'd rather catch it tender than overdone and stringy.

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