Tulo

Crock-Pot Pot Roast Recipe

A chuck roast surrounded by potatoes and carrots in a slow cooker crock, sitting in a thickened brown gravy with a serving fork resting beside it.
Photo by Nano Erdozain on Pexels

A tough, well-marbled chuck roast has hours to break down low and slow in the crock, turning connective tissue into gelatin so the meat shreds with a fork instead of needing a knife, while the vegetables simmer in the same broth and pick up all the flavor.

Prep
20 min
Cook
480 min
Total
500 min
Servings
6

Ingredients

Servings6
  • 3 lb chuck roast
  • 1 1/2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
  • 1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 leaves bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

Nutrition per serving

Calories
724
Protein
60g
Carbs
36g
Fat
39g

Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.

Need different units or a different yield? Try our Conversion Calculator →

Instructions

  1. 1Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
  2. 2Heat a splash of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast 3-4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. This is optional but adds real flavor, skip it only if you're short on time.
  3. 3Arrange the potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic in the bottom of the crock-pot insert and set the seared roast on top.
  4. 4In a bowl, whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves, then pour over the roast and vegetables.
  5. 5Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the roast shreds easily with a fork.
  6. 6Transfer the roast and vegetables to a platter and tent loosely with foil. Discard the bay leaves.
  7. 7Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the liquid in the crock.
  8. 8Cover and cook on high for 10-15 minutes more, until the gravy thickens slightly. Shred or slice the roast, spoon the gravy over the top, and serve.

Tips & variations

  • A 6-quart crock-pot fits this amount of meat and vegetables with room to spare; in a smaller 4-quart model, cut the roast into two pieces so it cooks evenly.
  • Swap 1 cup of the beef broth for dry red wine for a deeper, slightly tangy gravy.
  • Brisket or bottom round can stand in for chuck roast, though chuck has more marbling and shreds more easily.
  • Add a splash of soy sauce along with the Worcestershire for extra savoriness without adding more salt.

Storage & reheating

Store the shredded roast and vegetables in their gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a covered saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of broth if the gravy has thickened too much. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Cutting the potatoes and carrots into similarly sized chunks keeps them from turning to mush before the roast is fully tender.
  • Resist lifting the lid to check on things partway through; every peek lets out heat and can add 20-30 minutes to the total cook time.

FAQ

Do I really need to sear the roast first?

No, the roast will still cook through and turn tender if you skip searing, but browning the surface first builds a layer of savory flavor that plain slow cooking can't replicate.

What size crock-pot works best for this recipe?

A 6-quart oval crock-pot comfortably holds a 3-pound roast plus the vegetables; if using a 4-quart model, cut the roast in half so everything fits in a single, even layer.

Can I put frozen roast directly in the crock-pot?

It's not recommended. A frozen roast spends too long in the temperature danger zone before the crock heats through, so thaw it fully in the refrigerator first.

Why is my gravy still thin after cooking?

Slow cookers trap steam under a sealed lid, so liquid never reduces the way it does on the stovetop; stirring in a cornstarch slurry near the end and cooking uncovered-lid-ajar for the last 10 minutes is what actually thickens it.

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