Home > Dinner > Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
by Nguyet Vo on (Updated July 16, 2023)
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This tender beef pot roast is slow cooked in a rich gravy with carrots and potatoes.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 9 hrs
Total Time: 9 hrs 20 mins
Every fall, I look forward to the first day when the weather gets cold enough to cook a classic pot roast. That day was slow in coming this year. Summer weather stuck around until almost late November so I had to wait an especially long time for the first pot roast of the season.
Even though I make my pot roast in a slow cooker rather than the oven, I still feel the need to wait for wintry temperatures. Somehow comfort food doesn’t feel like comfort food unless I can wear my favorite pull-over and wool socks. With the weather being gray and cold this week, I decided it was the perfect time to share my favorite pot roast recipe.
How to make the most tender pot roast
I wish I could say this is one of those slow cooker recipes where you can throw everything in the crock pot, ignore it for 8 hours, and then have dinner ready.
However, this one requires some work upfront and at the end. Why? In a word, texture. I have tried many, many pot roast recipes both in a slow cooker and an oven and have found that when everything gets thrown in all at once with no prep work, everything comes out with essentially the same mushy texture.
I think a pot roast needs to be melt-in-your-mouth-tender but still have some bite. And nothing is worse than vegetables completely lacking in color and form.
Therefore, I am a firm believer in tying the meat (I use boneless chuck roast) and searing it before braising it. You can go to the Epicurious website to view a video tutorial on how to tie a roast. The potatoes and carrots should only be added during the last 45 minutes of cooking so they don’t overcook.
1 – 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into halves or quarters if large
Instructions
Sear roast. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker; set aside.
Cook aromatics. Add onion, carrots, and celery to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and beef broths and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Stir in red wine. Pour onion and broth mixture over the roast in the slow cooker.
Slow cook roast. Cook the roast on low for 8-9 hours until meat is very tender. If possible, turn roast every 60 minutes while it is cooking.
Add vegetables. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, turn the slow cooker temperature to High and add carrots and potatoes submerging them in the cooking liquid as much as possible. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
Serve. Transfer roast to a cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in slow cooker to settle about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim fat off surface; discard thyme sprig. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pull apart meat into large pieces; transfer to serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with the roast. Pour some of the sauce from the slow cooker over the meat and vegetables. Pass around the remaining sauce when serving.
Introduction: My name is Jeremiah Abshire, I am a outstanding, kind, clever, hilarious, curious, hilarious, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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