Simple, Scrumptious Slow Cooker Pot Roast

It’s the time of year for warm scents of a roast filling your home over the course of the day. As a full-time Anesthesiologist I admittedly don’t have a lot of time to make dinner for my family on working days, so I rely on people/spouses to help me and we utilize meal delivery services 3 days out of each week.

But I’ve made a pot roast several times now and even though I consider myself more of a baker and less of a gourmet chef, this is so simple and tasty that even I can do it and get slurpy head-nods of appreciation at dinnertime. It boosts my ego enough to make me want to make it again in short order! Here’s the slow cooker I keep raving about!

Simple, Scrumptious Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This easy set-and-forget meal is not short on flavor but it takes less than 15 minutes to prep in your busy morning before you head out for work or carpool.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 9 hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Equipment

• Slow cooker / Crock pot
• Skillet for browning (if slow cooker does not have a Sear function)
• cutting board
• tongs

Ingredients

  

• 3-4 lb chuck roast – choose the roast with the most marble for tenderness & flavor; for more servings choose a 4-5 lb roast and add an hour of slow cook time on low.3-4 lb chuck roast – choose the roast with the most marble for tenderness & flavor; for more servings choose a 4-5 lb roast and add an hour of slow cook time on low.
• 1 lb carrots, washed, peeled and chopped into large chunks – the key here is to make the veg all the same size and large rustic pieces so they still have some substance at the end of a long cook1 lb carrots, washed, peeled and chopped into large chunks – the key here is to make the veg all the same size and large rustic pieces so they still have some substance at the end of a long cook
• 3-4 sweet onions – alternatively: white onion, yellow onion, or package of frozen pearl onions3-4 sweet onions – alternatively: white onion, yellow onion, or package of frozen pearl onions
• 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, chopped – alternatively, can use russet2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, chopped – alternatively, can use russet
• 3-4 cloves garlic – I use whole cloves but you can mince3-4 cloves garlic – I use whole cloves but you can mince
• 3 c beef broth3 c beef broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
• 5 tbsp salt5 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp avocado or canola oil2 tbsp avocado or canola oil

Instructions

 

• After patting the roast dry, season chuck roast front and back with the salt and pepper liberally.
  
• Set the slow cooker to Sear (or skillet to Medium-High) after adding the oil. Brown the chuck roast on both sides 4-5 minutes per side until just browned. I like to get the sides too for thicker cuts.
  
• Take out of the cooker/skillet and transfer juices or browned bits as well if using a skillet. Add in the vegetables & garlic, place the roast on top of the vegetables.
  
• Pour in the beef broth
• If using fresh thyme, add sprigs on top of the roast, or sprinkle dried thyme over everything. Optionally, add your favorite dried/fresh herbs (rosemary, parsley, oregano are good choices).
• Set the cooker to LOW for 9 HOURS (add additional hour for larger cuts of meat) and walk away!
• In the last HOUR of cooking, you can add 2 tbsp of cornstarch or flour to thicken the sauce (whisk in 2tbsp of water first to prevent clumping)
  
• Plate and serve. Keep leftovers refrigerated up to 7 days and use on sandwiches!
  

Notes

For even more time-saving tips, prep your veg by chopping it all up the night before and throwing it in a ziplock bag in the fridge!

Keyword beef, pot roast, slow cooker

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!