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Crock pot filled with pot roast, potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms.
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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast that has crazy tender melt-in-your mouth beef and the perfectly slow cooked potatoes and carrots! The best comfort meal if there ever was one!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Crock Pot, Pot Roast, Slow Cooker, Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 568kcal

Equipment

  • Crock Pot

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds chuck roast
  • 1-2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, peeled and sliced into thick chunks
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, 4-5 cloves
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 1/2 cups beef broth, unsalted or low-sodium
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 1 pound carrots, sliced thick
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced into chunks
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more or less, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, more or less, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

Homemade Gravy:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, whisked with 1/4 cup cold water

Instructions

SLOW COOKER:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Using a few paper towels, dab both sides and edges of roast to remove any excess juices. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Once oil is hot, add the roast to the pot to sear for 4-5 minutes before flipping to sear other side for 4-5 minutes. Both sides should be seared until browned. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • If needed, add 1/2-1 tablespoon of additional olive oil to pan. Add the onion and saute 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  • Pour the Worcestershire sauce over the roast and then cover the top with the onion and garlic mixture.
  • Return pot to burner, pour in broth and add the thyme and rosemary. Cook for 1 minute. Using a spatula, scrape any brown bits that may be left in the pan.
  • Add the potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot, resting on top of the roast. Pour the broth over vegetables.
  • Season entire crock pot with salt and pepper, either with amounts listed above or to your taste preference.
  • Cover the crock pot with a lid and cook on low-heat for 8-9 hours, or until the roast and vegetables are fork tender.
  • When ready, carefully remove vegetables and roast using a slotted spoon or tongs.
  • Pull roast apart using two forks and serve with vegetables garnished with freshly chopped parsley and drizzled with gravy.

INSTANT POT:

  • Using a few paper towels, dab both sides and edges of roast to remove any excess juices. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Set a 6-quart Instant Pot to 'Saute' and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, sear both sides of the roast until browned, approximately 4-5 minutes per side.
  • Remove the roast to a plate and set aside. If needed, add 1/2-1 tablespoon of olive oil to the IP. Add the onions to saute for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  • Pour beef broth into pot, followed by thyme and rosemary. Using a spatula, scrape along the bottom of the pot to remove any brown bits left from searing and sauteing, making sure to get every bit to prevent getting the 'burn' notification.
  • Add the roast back to the pot. Pour the Worcestershire sauce overtop. Layer the roast with potatoes.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Place lid on the Instant Pot, closing the steam valve.
  • Switch the setting to 'manual' mode for 45 minutes on high pressure. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer's directions.
  • Add the carrots and mushrooms. Select the 'manual' mode, adjust the pressure to high, and set the time for 10 minutes. When finished, quick-release according to the manufacturer's directions.
  • Remove vegetables and beef from the IP using a slotted spoon. Shred the beef using two forks. Serve garnished with parsley and drizzled with gravy.

HOMEMADE GRAVY:

  • Pour broth from slow cooker/instant pot through a fine mesh strainer into a small saucepan placed over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
  • Mix together 2 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water.
  • Pour half of the cornstarch into the broth and whisk as it cooks down and thickens. Add last half if the mixture is too thin. If the mixture gets too thick to your liking, add more beef broth, as needed, until desired consistency is met.
  • Drizzle over beef and vegetables. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

  • Nutrition Facts below are calculated with pot roast and vegetables only.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 568kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 942mg | Potassium: 1855mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12873IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 7mg