Slow Cooker Pot Roast (Printable)

Slow-cooked beef and carrots with savory herbs create a hearty and comforting meal perfect for any day.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Vegetables

04 - 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
05 - 1 large yellow onion, sliced
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
08 - 1 lb baby potatoes, halved (optional)

→ Liquids

09 - 2 cups beef broth (gluten-free if needed)
10 - ½ cup dry red wine (optional, or substitute with additional broth)

→ Seasonings & Aromatics

11 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
12 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free option if needed)
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
15 - 2 bay leaves

→ For Thickening (optional)

16 - 2 tbsp cornstarch
17 - 2 tbsp cold water

# How To Make:

01 - Pat the beef dry, then evenly season all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until deeply browned. Transfer the roast to the slow cooker.
03 - Arrange carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and baby potatoes (if using) around the beef in the slow cooker.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together beef broth, red wine (if using), tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Pour this mixture evenly over the beef and vegetables.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
06 - Transfer the beef and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves from the cooking liquid.
07 - In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with cold water to create a slurry. Stir this into the slow cooker liquid and cook on HIGH for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
08 - Slice or shred the beef and serve it alongside the vegetables, garnished with the thickened sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it falls apart with a spoon, no knife work required at the table.
  • Everything cooks together, so the vegetables absorb all those savory, wine-soaked flavors while the meat stays impossibly moist.
  • You can literally throw it together in 20 minutes and then forget about it for eight glorious hours.
02 -
  • Searing the meat is not optional—it's where the actual flavor comes from, and skipping it leaves you with pale, one-note beef.
  • Low heat for the full eight hours genuinely matters. High heat shortens the time but makes the meat stringy and tough.
  • Bay leaves must be removed before serving. No one wants to bite into one.
  • Taste the liquid before you add it to the pot. If your broth is already quite salty, go easy on the added salt or you'll end up with something inedible.
03 -
  • Brown the roast in batches if your skillet is small. Overcrowding drops the temperature and you'll steam instead of sear.
  • Don't peek constantly. Every time you open the slow cooker lid, you're releasing heat and adding fifteen minutes to the cook time.

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