Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe - Quick, Easy And Delicious! (2024)

This slow cooker pot roast recipe is quick and easy to make and will satisfy everyone in your family! It’s also easy to use the leftovers for other quick meals!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe - Quick, Easy And Delicious! (1)

This slow cooker pot roast recipe is so delicious and easy that it is one of the most popular recipes in volume 1 of our Dining On A Dime Cookbook!It is versatile and one slow cooked roast can be used to make several different meals to keep pleasing your family day after day!

This slow cooked pot roast is so delicious that everyone always raves about it! I cook it for my family any time I can get a good price on beef roast, but it’s also a great recipe to make when you want to impress guests! We have also made this slow cooked roast for holidays and special occasions.

This slow cooked roast recipe can be cooked in the oven or in a slow cooker. The secret to fall off the bone tender roast is in the slow cooking. I prefer to cook pot roast in the oven because I think it gives the roast a little bit better taste than the crockpot, but if you prefer a slow cooker, you will still end up with a tender and tasty roast.

I usually take a few minutes to prepare the beef roast the night before and let it cook slowly all night in the oven. By the next day, it is already starting to smell delicious, but I keep letting it slow cook until it’s time to serve for dinner.

Some people worry about leaving the oven on all night, but as long as there is nothing wrong with your oven, it should be fine, especially if it is an electric oven. I have cooked this slow cooker pot roast recipe in the oven for more than 25 years and have never had a problem.

For an easy one pan meal, I sometimes add some potatoes, carrots and onions about 2 hours before the roast is finished and let them all cook together with the roast. This makes a great meal by itself, but if you want, you can also serve with a salad, fruit salad or fruit or veggies.

If I don’t have carrots and potatoes on hand, I will make some rice and serve the roast with rice and an easy vegetable. My family likes the fresh frozen broccoli or mixed vegetables so if I’m looking for an easy veggie, I will often microwave one of these just before serving.

We dump the rice ingredients in our rice cooker so it’s ready when the other food is done, but if you don’t have a rice cooker, you can easily make rice in a pan on the stovetop.

In the fall when I have lots of zucchini and other squash, I will also occasionally fry some squash and onions in a frying pan with margarine or oil and serve with the slow cooker pot roast. You can fry the squash in butter, but you have to watch it carefully because butter burns easily.

This slow cooker pot roast is super versatile. You can plan to make this pot roast and reserve the excess to make up to 4 dinners with 1 roast.

There are many delicious ways to use leftover roast! The pot roast leftovers are perfect for sandwiches and wraps. You can make delicious Mexican-style wraps by placing some roast on a flour tortilla with cheese, onions, lettuce and salsa.

For lots of great leftover pot roast recipes, be sure to check out the links to the other posts at the bottom of this post!

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Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe - Quick, Easy And Delicious! (2)

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This delicious slow cooker pot roast recipe is easy to make with 5 minutes preparation time in an oven or a crockpot. I include the oven instructions first because I prefer to make it in the oven and crockpot instructions below!

  • Author: Tawra Kellam

1 beef roast, 3-5 lbs.
1 onion, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup (omit for GF and sprinkle with seasoned salt)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 250°.
  2. Place roast in pan.
  3. Pour cream of mushroom soup and onion on top.
  4. Cover tightly. Bake at 250° for 1 hour.
  5. Then turn it down to 225° and cook for 6-8 hours (about 6 hours for a smaller roast and 8 hours for a larger roast). When done, it should be so tender that the meat easily pulls off the roast with a fork. Serves 4 when you use a 3-5 lb. roast.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

If you prefer to cook this slow cooked roast in a crockpot or slow cooker, place the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours. For the most tender roast, it is best to cook longer on a lower temperature.

Use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature reaches 145°.

Notes

  • This slow cooked roast recipe can be cooked in the oven or a slow cooker. The secret is in the slow cooking. I prefer to cook it in the oven because I think it gives the roast a little bit better taste than the crockpot, but if you prefer a slow cooker, you will still end up with a tender and tasty roast.
  • This slow cooker pot roast recipe is an excellent way to prepare inexpensive roasts. This slow cooked roast recipe makes them so tender they fall off the bone and are almost impossible to lift out of the pan.
  • This recipe is an excellent way to make a delicious meal for Sunday after church or for guests, because it can cook for 2 or 3 hours longer than required without overcooking.
  • Since it is so tender that no meat is left on the bone, you get more pot roast for your money.

This easy slow cooker pot roast recipe is from volume 1 of our cookbook:

You can make EASY and delicious meals at home in less time than eating out! You’ll save a ton of money on food and your family will thank you!

Click here to get our Dining On A Dime Cookbooks 25% Off NOW! They’re filled with tasty recipes and tips to make your life easier!

From Tawra’s Inbox:

Hello ladies,

I just want to say a BIG THANK YOU for your slow cooked pot roastrecipe!It has been a joke in my family how truly BAD my roasts taste. My loved ones dutifully eat it because they see how hard I’ve worked on dinner ( plus they are nearly starved to death by the time dinner is served ) and they see the strained smile on my face as I bring their plates to the table. But even I can barely swallow the roast.

I always followed my “Better Homes and Gardens” cookbook faithfully and would try different cuts of meat, all to no avail; it still turned out so dry and tough.

Enter your help. I have been enjoying flitting about your website and finding all sorts of nuggets of advice. Then I found your slow cooker pot roast recipe!This was the answer I’ve been searching for, lo these many years!I had been cooking it all wrong. I thought I was doomed to buying the pre-cooked roasts-in-a-bag at my local grocery store.

Now my family smiles when they smell the slow cooked roast cooking as they come home from school.And I feel great knowing I have mastered one of the basic requirements of motherhood… cooking the perfect roast.

Thank you for all your great tips!

Sincerely, Becky H.

“Your slow cooker pot roast recipe calls for pouring soup and onion over roast and to cover tightly.What do you mean by cover tightly? Wrap it in tin foil?”

Thanks, Dennis

Yes, wrap in foil. I just put one or two pieces on the top of the pan and then “seal” the edges with my fingers.

-Tawra

If you like this easy slow cooker pot roast recipe, check out these great recipe for using leftover roast beef:

Using Leftover Roast Beef – Recipes And Ideas For Using Pot Roast

4 Dinners, 1 Roast, $15! How To Plan Ahead Pot Roast

Cheap Family Meals Week 1 – Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast Meal Plan And More!

Roast Beef Potato Salad Recipe And Banana Dessert

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe - Quick, Easy And Delicious! (2024)

FAQs

Should pot roast be covered in liquid in crock pot? ›

Some recipes call for liquid, some do not. It mainly comes down to the type of meat you use. Cuts like chuck roast will release more fat and moisture than leaner cuts, so they don't need any water. In addition, the slow cooker itself creates some moisture, which helps keep the meat juicy.

Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the crock pot? ›

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

When should I add my potatoes to crock pot roast? ›

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.

Is it better to cook a roast on high or low in slow cooker? ›

The meat will be so tender and falling apart, and the vegetables soft. Remember to taste test and add any extra balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt or pepper, until reaching your desired flavour. PRO TIP: It's better to cook pot roast on the low setting rather than the high setting when it comes to pot roast.

Do potatoes go on top or bottom of meat in crockpot? ›

Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top. Set the heat level: A general rule of thumb is that cooking on the low setting (170 degrees F for most models) takes about twice as long as cooking on high (280 degrees F on most models).

Do you put vegetables on top or bottom of pot roast? ›

Using tongs, sear meat on all sides until browned and place on top of vegetables in the crockpot. Add whole garlic cloves into the crevices of the roast (on the top and bottom usually where there is a seam of fat).

How much liquid do you put in a pot roast? ›

Your pot roast should be submerged 2/3rds of the way in its cooking liquid. In this recipe I use 3 1/2 cups of beef stock and 1/2 cup of red wine, so 4 cups of liquid total in a 5.5 quart dutch oven.

What happens if you don't sear meat before slow cooking? ›

Here's what happens if you skip the searing step: Less Flavor Depth: Searing meat before slow cooking caramelizes its surface, creating a rich layer of browned flavors known as the Maillard reaction. Skipping this step may result in a less complex flavor profile in your final dish.

Why is my roast still tough after 6 hours? ›

Notv enough liquid or meat that is too lean. Cooking it at too high a temperature can also cause a tough roast.

When should I add vegetables to crock pot roast? ›

For example, if your family isn't fond of carrots, replace them with parsnips or chunks of rutabaga. Or add more potatoes to the pot. For extra color, add some frozen green beans or mixed vegetables about 30 to 45 minutes before the pot roast is ready.

Should I flip my roast in crock pot? ›

For a stronger flavor, add garlic salt and/or onion salt. The amount of broth needed to cover half the roast will depend on size. To ensure even cooking, flip the roast once, preferably halfway through the cooking time. We err on the side of a LOW temp for a longer period of time to create tender, juicy servings.

When should you add carrots to a crock pot roast? ›

How to make a Crockpot Pot Roast
  1. Choose a well-marbled roast with lots of white fat.
  2. Brown the chuck roast in oil over medium high heat.
  3. Place the roast in a crock pot along with pan juices.
  4. Add spices and onion soup mix.
  5. Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
  6. Add carrots in the last 3 hours of cooking.
Jan 18, 2018

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

The difference between "High" and "Low" on slow cookers seems to differ with every brand and model. One thing that is consistent, though, is that food takes seven to eight hours to reach a simmer point (around 210°) on low; versus three to four hours on high.

Why is my crockpot roast always tough? ›

“Beef may be tough in the slow cooker if you haven't added enough liquid, or haven't cooked it for long enough,” Kristen Carli, M.S., R.D., owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, tells SELF. “For cuts of meat, the fattier cuts are often the ones that get juicy and tender.

Is 6 hours on low enough for a roast? ›

directions. Place roast into crockpot and surround with vegetables. Combine beef broth and vegetable soup mix, then add to crockpot. Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.

Does food in crock pot have to be covered with liquid? ›

Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

How much liquid should cover a pot roast? ›

Your pot roast should be submerged 2/3rds of the way in its cooking liquid. In this recipe I use 3 1/2 cups of beef stock and 1/2 cup of red wine, so 4 cups of liquid total in a 5.5 quart dutch oven.

How much water should cover a pot roast? ›

Place roast in a large baking pan; arrange potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery around roast. Pour 3 cups water into the baking pan. Season roast with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Cover pan with aluminum foil.

How do you keep a pot roast from drying out in a crock pot? ›

Another problem is overcooking the pot roast, leading to dry meat. Prevent this by ensuring you have enough braising liquid in the pot and don't let it go dry. For smaller roasts under 3 pounds, check for doneness at two hours. For larger roasts, check three hours.

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