This Slow Cooker Chuck Roast recipe creates fork-tender pot roast with carrots and potatoes, all smothered in rich, silky gravy. It’s a cozy, satisfying dinner that fills your home with the most wonderful aroma as it cooks.
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We love pot roast in this house, and I’ve used just about every cooking method imaginable to get the job done! There’s my tried-and-true Dutch Oven Pot Roast, my Instant Pot Pot Roast, and now I’m so happy to share this absolutely delicious slow cooker pot roast recipe with tender potatoes, carrots, and the best-ever gravy.
What makes this one so special is how much flavor comes from simple ingredients. A homemade seasoning rub, a good sear, and sautéed onion and garlic give the beef a rich, deeply seasoned flavor and make the gravy absolutely delicious.
There’s something almost therapeutic about a classic pot roast slowly cooking away. It’s the kind of Sunday supper you’ll crave on repeat throughout the fall and winter months. But the beauty of slow cooking is that you can get it started in the morning and come home to a cozy, classic dinner any night of the week.
Serve it with a batch of Easy Dinner Rolls for soaking up every last bit of that gravy.
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few helpful notes about the key ingredients. You’ll find the complete ingredient list and amounts in the recipe card below.
- Beef chuck roast: Choose a 3½- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast. Its marbling and connective tissue break down during slow cooking, creating rich, fork-tender beef.
- Pot Roast Seasoning Mix: My homemade blend of dried herbs is what makes this pot roast so special. Rosemary, thyme, garlic, onion, paprika, salt, and pepper give the beef and gravy their incredible flavor.
- Red wine: A medium- to full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Merlot, adds depth to the gravy. You can substitute an equal amount of beef broth if you prefer to cook without wine.
- Beef broth: Use low-sodium beef broth so you have more control over the saltiness of the finished gravy.
- Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce: These add savory depth and complexity without overpowering the classic pot roast flavor. Check the Worcestershire sauce label if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
- Vegetables: Whole baby gold potatoes are my favorite choice, but red potatoes work too! Cut the carrots into large chunks so they hold up well during the long cooking time. Yellow onion and fresh garlic add flavor to the cooking liquid.
- Cornstarch: Combined with cold water, it creates a smooth slurry that thickens the cooking liquid into a rich, silky gravy.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chuck Roast
- Season the beef: Trim excess fat from the roast and pat it dry with paper towels. Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, then rub the mixture over all sides of the beef.
- Sear the roast: Sear the roast in a large skillet on all sides until nicely browned, then transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Build the flavor base: Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the veggies: Whisk together the beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce and pour it around the roast. Tuck the bay leaf into the liquid and arrange the carrots and potatoes around the beef.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or on High for 5 to 6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Pull the beef apart: Transfer the roast to a cutting board and use two forks to pull it apart into chunks. Transfer the carrots and potatoes to a serving dish with the beef.
How to Make the Gravy
- Strain the drippings: Pour the cooking juices through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Skim off excess fat, if desired.
- Thicken the gravy: Whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth, then stir into the drippings. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chuck Roast
- Trim the excess fat. Chuck roast has plenty of marbling to keep it tender and flavorful, but trimming the thick fat around the edges before cooking helps prevent an overly greasy gravy.
- Don’t skip the sear. Browning the seasoned roast in olive oil over medium-high heat adds rich flavor. Be sure to scrape up those flavorful browned bits when you deglaze the pan with red wine or beef broth.
- Cook until fork-tender. Use the cooking times as a guide. The roast is ready when you can easily pull it apart with two forks. If it’s still tough, give it a little more time.
- Skim the drippings before making gravy. Let the strained cooking liquid rest for a few minutes, then spoon off any excess fat or use a gravy separator before thickening it with the cornstarch slurry.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Refrigerate: Store leftover pot roast and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store the gravy separately in a covered container.
Reheat: Warm leftovers gently in a covered saucepan over low heat or in the microwave until heated through. Add a splash of beef broth if needed to loosen the gravy.
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Slow Cooker Chuck Roast
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup medium to full-bodied red wine, like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot (can sub beef broth)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, check label for gluten free, if needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 to 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 pound baby gold potatoes, halved if large
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Pot Roast Seasoning Mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to trim as much of the fat as possible from around the edges of the roast. It’s fine if some fat remains but trim as much as you can to ensure that your gravy will not be overly greasy. Blot the beef dry with paper towels.
- Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub over all sides of the beef and use your hands to press the seasoning into the meat.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet oven over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add the seasoned roast and sear it on all sides until nicely browned. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the roast to a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Return the skillet to MEDIUM heat and add additional olive oil, if necessary. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook and stir until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes, and then add the tomato paste, stirring until well combined. Add the red wine (or ½ cup broth) and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan for just a minute or two. Pour the contents of the skillet into the slow cooker over and around the roast..
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together 2 cups beef broth, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture around the roast.
- Tuck the bay leaf into the liquid then scatter the carrots and potatoes around the roast.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
- When the roast is fork tender, transfer it to a cutting board and use two forks to pull it apart into chunks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots and potatoes to a serving dish with the beef.
- For the gravy, pour the liquid from the slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. If you’d like to remove some of the fat from the drippings, let the liquid rest for a few minutes and use a spoon to skim off any excess from the surface or use a gravy separator.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Place the saucepan over MEDIUM-HIGH heat and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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