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A rich slow cooker pot roast with tender vegetables served in a rustic bowl.

Classic Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This classic slow cooker pot roast recipe delivers tender, fall-apart beef with flavorful vegetables in a rich gravy, perfect for a hearty and comforting meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
  • Foil

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb Beef Chuck Roast
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 large Yellow Onion quartered
  • 3-4 Carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 3-4 Celery Stalks cut into large chunks
  • 1.5 lbs Baby Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes halved or quartered
  • 3 cups Beef Broth
  • 1 cup Red Wine optional, or more beef broth
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Dried Thyme
  • 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

For Thickening

  • 2 tbsp Cornstarch for thickening gravy
  • 2 tbsp cold water for cornstarch slurry

Garnish (Optional)

  • Fresh Parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Pat the chuck roast dry, then season generously with salt and pepper.
  • Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef for 3-4 minutes per side until browned.

Slow Cooker Setup

  • Place the quartered onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Transfer the seared chuck roast on top of the vegetables and scatter minced garlic around the beef.

Cooking

  • Whisk together beef broth, red wine (if using), Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf.
  • Pour the liquid mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.

Finishing Touches

  • Remove the beef and vegetables to a platter, cover with foil to keep warm, and discard the bay leaf.
  • Whisk cornstarch and cold water to form a slurry, then pour into the hot liquid in the slow cooker, whisking constantly.
  • Cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, or until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency.
  • Shred the beef, ladle gravy over the beef and vegetables, and garnish with fresh parsley if desired before serving.

Notes

For even more flavor, you can marinate the beef overnight in the braising liquid before cooking. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your taste. If you don't have red wine, simply use an equal amount of beef broth.