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A comforting and tender slow cooker pot roast with carrots, baby potatoes, fresh herbs, and an optional quick stovetop gravy made from the cooking liquid.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pound chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 32 ounces beef stock
  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut into 2–3 inch chunks
  • 2 pounds baby gold potatoes, halved if large
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch (optional, for gravy)
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the chuck roast and pat it dry with paper towels.
  2. Slice the yellow onion into 1/2 inch rounds and smash the garlic cloves.
  3. Peel carrots and cut into 2-3 inch chunks; halve large baby potatoes.
  4. If the roast won’t fit in your slow cooker, cut it in half to fit.
  5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  6. Season the roast liberally on all sides with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
  7. Sear the roast in the hot pan on all sides, including edges, about 4-5 minutes per side, then transfer the roast to the slow cooker.
  8. Reduce heat to medium in the same pan and add the sliced onions with a couple pinches of salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
  9. Stir in smashed garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper; cook about 1 minute until fragrant.
  10. Pour in Worcestershire sauce and a few splashes of beef stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits.
  11. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to the slow cooker and add the carrots and potatoes.
  12. Pour the remaining beef stock (32 ounces) into the slow cooker; season with salt and pepper.
  13. Tuck in fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves among the veggies.
  14. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, until the roast shreds easily with a fork.
  15. Check the slow cooker at about 5 hours (high) or 8 hours (low); if veggies are tender but the roast isn’t shreddable yet, remove veggies, continue cooking the roast until shreddable, then return the veggies to warm through.
  16. To make gravy, strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan over medium heat.
  17. Whisk 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry, stir it into the simmering strained broth.
  18. Simmer and stir frequently until the gravy thickens; season with salt and pepper to taste.
  19. Garnish the pot roast with fresh chopped parsley before serving.

Notes

Cut carrots uniformly about the same size as potatoes for even cooking., Sear the roast in a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet for better searing and easier transfer., Do not skip searing the roast and sautéing the aromatics for deeper flavor., Check the slow cooker after 5 hours on high or 8 hours on low and adjust cooking time as needed., A 6-7 quart slow cooker is ideal; cut the roast in half for smaller slow cookers and sear pieces separately., Leftovers keep well in the fridge up to one week and freeze for up to 3 months when stored in juices or gravy., Reheat leftovers gently with broth or gravy to keep meat moist.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/slow-cooker-pot-roast/