My mom can make a pot roast in an hour, and don’t get me wrong it’s good. It was one of Tory’s favorite meals growing up and probably one of the few meals that both we actually really liked (a huge win at dinner time for our parents). But then I got a slow cooker and got introduced to a true slow cooked pot roast. Sorry Mom, but the so tender it falls apart when you try to slice it, juicy, melt-in-your mouth beef you get in the slow cooker is my new favorite way to make pot roast.
Best of all it’s pretty much ready to eat when you get home from work. Add in no more than 30 minutes if you want to make mashed potatoes or gravy to go along with it. You can totally throw the potatoes in the slow cooker, but I think they get a little mealy and prefer to make fresh, smooth, and creamy mashed potatoes when I get home.
I am usually gone for more than 8 hours so I like to use a slow cooker that has a digital timer and will switch to warm after the specific time that I set. Here’s the newest version of the large 6 Quart Slow Cooker
Here’s what you need:
Start by dicing 3-4 stalks of celery and one large onion. Add that along with most of a bag of baby carrots to your slow cooker. I used one of those slow cooker bags that make for pretty much no clean up.
If you want to cook the potatoes in the slow cooker, now’s the time to add them. I would use red potatoes that are quartered or halved depending on the size.
Mix up your spice mix by combining rosemary (crush it in your fingers), thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Rub the roast generously with the spice rub, making sure you don’t forget the sides of the roast.
Now, here is the key to getting a super flavorful slow cooker pot roast. We’re going to sear it in a screaming hot cast iron skillet with a little bit of oil (I use a coconut-canola mix – don’t use olive oil because we’re going to sear this hot and your olive oil will start to smoke a lot sooner).
Sear the roast on all sides until you get a nice brown crust, 2-3 minutes a side and about 10 minutes total. Remember don’t forget the sides of the roast!
Lay the roast on top of the veggies in the crock pot.
We can’t forget about all those bits of flavor in the bottom of our skillet. Pour the beef broth, a few dashes of Worcestershire and a little water into the skillet and bring up to a boil. Use a flat whisk to scrape the bottom of the pan. Allow the mixture to reduce by about half. Pour the broth mixture on top of the roast in the crock pot.
Cook on low for 8 hours. See all the great juice? It’s going to make au jus or gravy.
Slice the roast if you can, otherwise shred it into large chunks with a fork.
Tory likes to talk about how much she loves having leftovers to take to work the next day. The leftovers of this roast are awesome and they are just begging to be transformed. My next post will be my favorite leftover transformation I’ve made to date – a French Dip Panini using this nice and tender leftover beef.
- 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- ¾ bag of baby carrots
- 1 t dried rosemary
- 1 t thyme
- 1 T kosher salt
- 2 t coarse ground pepper
- 2 t garlic powder
- 3-4 lb pot roast/beef chuck roast
- 2 c beef stock
- 2-3 shakes worchestershire
- ¼ c water
- Add the celery, onion, and carrots to the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Mix together the rosemary (crush it slightly as you add it to a small bowl), thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Generously season the roast with the spice mixture.
- Heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet over high heat and add about 2 tablespoons of canola or coconut-canola oil. When the oil is hot, sear the roast for 2-3 minutes a side until a nice crust develops. Don’t forget to sear the edges. Place the roast in the slow cooker.
- Add the beef broth, worchestershire, and water to the hot skillet. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a flat whisk. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce by half. Pour over the roast in the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours.
- Remove roast from slow cooker and cover with foil for about 5-10 minutes before slicing. Use this time to make gravy if desired. Slice or shred into large chunks.
- Serve with mashed potatoes.
[…] last time I planned to make Slow Cooker Pot Roast, I also knew that I was going to have leftovers and thought I should plan a way to re-purpose them […]