Consistently rated the BEST slow cooker pot roast recipe EVER! The depth of flavor is simply phenomenal and is guaranteed to get rave reviews from around the whole dinner table!  Make it in your slow cooker or on the stove top – either way you’ll be sitting down to a truly memorable, mouthwateringly delicious meal!
I can’t think of anything better than coming home to the smell of a roast wafting through the house, beckoning “it’s dinner time.” Â And this one is exceptionally flavorful and delicious.
The smell of a cooking roast is nostalgic to me. Â It’s said that smell is more closely linked to memory than any of the other five senses. Â The smell of freshly baked bread might trigger memories of grandma’s kitchen; Â the scent of cologne or perfume, a romantic encounter; the odor of mothballs, a great aunt’s house; the stench of stale carpet, those penny-pinching college dorm days. Â Whatever the association might be, smell is a powerful thing. Â And not that this has anything to do with pot roast, but I thought it was interesting so I’ll throw it in here anyway. Â From Psychology Today:
The actual ability to smell is highly linked to memory. Research has shown that when areas of the brain connected to memory are damaged, the ability to identify smells is actually impaired. In order to identify a scent, you must remember when you have smelled it before and then connect it to visual information that occurred at the same time. According to some research, studying information in the presence of an odor actually increases the vividness and intensity of that remembered information when you smell that odor again.
I may have to rethink how I approach my children’s learning. Â Instead of Mozart, Bach, or Beethoven in the background while they’re studying, I may instead need to place some fragrant flowers, a jar of cinnamon – or a Pot Roast next to them! ;)
Okay, back to the Pot Roast. Â For eating purposes, that is.
For me, roasts are associated with Sunday.  Growing up at home (and still in my own home today) roasts were always ideal to serve on Sundays. A couple of hours at church, including travel, meant just the right amount of time to be able to place everything in a timed oven or a slow cooker before leaving, and then come home to a ready meal.  My mom would often already have the potatoes peeled in advance and covered with water in a stock pot, so when we got home – starving and ready to eat! – all she had to do was boil the potatoes, prepare another vegetable, and thicken the gravy.  And before long we were seated at the table as a family enjoying great food and family bonding time.
What to Serve With Pot Roast
Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
I know your tummies are rumbling, so let’s get that roast a-cookin’!
But before we do, let me stress one thing I learned from my mom about cooking roasts: Â Probably THE single most important factor to the flavor of the finished roast is to fry it until it’s very browned on all sides before cooking it. Â That is the KEY to a deliciously flavorful roast so whatever you do, don’t skip that step! Â And don’t be afraid to get it good and browned. Â Not only will it greatly enhance the flavor of the roast itself, but all those burnt bits on the bottom of the pan is what will give the gravy that irresistibly wonderful flavor.
Okay, let’s get started!
First prepare the rub by combining all of the pot roast seasoning spices/herbs together.
Rub, rub, rub that roast down on all sides using every last bit of that spice rub.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven (I use and love Lodge) or heavy skillet and liberally brown the roast on all sides.
Remove the roast and place it in the slow cooker. I use and love my Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 7 Qt Slow Cooker. I’ve been using it regularly for the past 8 years and it’s still working as good as new.
Add the broth to the Dutch oven and bring it to a boil, scraping up the burnt bits on the bottom of the pan (that’s called “deglazing” for those of you who don’t know). Add the tomato paste, red wine (if using), and salt and return it to a boil for a couple of minutes, stirring to combine.
Place the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic around the sides and on top of the roast in the slow cooker.
Add the bay leavers and place the strips of bacon on top. Â I don’t usually add bacon, but I did this time. Â I thought, “why not?” As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, “There isn’t anything so good that bacon won’t make it even better.”
Pour the beef broth mixture over the pot roast.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 8-9 hours.
If you have the time I highly recommend cooking it on low for 8-9 hours for an ultra flavorful, tender roast.
Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium stock pot, leaving the roast and vegetables in the warm slow cooker.Â
To make the gravy:
Bring the liquid from the slow cooker to a gentle boil.Â
Make the flour slurry to thicken the gravy by whisking the flour in the extra beef broth until it’s dissolved. Whisk flour slurry into the simmering gravy and continue whisking constantly until the gravy is thickened.Â
Add salt and pepper to taste. Â
Place the roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Â Discard the bay leaves and bacon. Â Pour a little of the gravy over the roast (it looks nicer that way) and serve the pot roast with the extra gravy, some potatoes, and veggies of your choice.
Enjoy!
For another delicious roast, check out our German Senfbraten (Pork Roast with Mustard Gravy)!
For more delicious beef dishes be sure to try our:
- Old Fashioned Beef Stew
- Guinness Stew
- Beef Bourgignon
- Sega Wat (Ethiopian Beef Stew)
- Beef and Pepper Stew
- Hachee (Dutch Beef and Onion Stew)
- Pörkölt (Hungarian Beef and Onion Stew)
- Domoda (Gambian Peanut Stew)
BEST Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 4 pound beef round roast or chuck (depending on how lean you prefer it)
- 2 tablespoons oil (use one with a high smoke point - I use avocado oil)
- 2 carrots , roughly chopped
- 2 ribs celery , roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 strips bacon , cut in half
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional but highly recommended; can substitute more beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- For the Dry Rub:
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon basil
- 1/4 teaspoon parsley
- For the Gravy Slurry:
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour mixed into a slurry with 1/2 cup beef broth
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub together in a bowl. Rub down the roast on all sides with the dry rub. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over high heat and liberally brown the roast on all sides. Place the roast in the slow cooker.
- Add the broth to the pot, return to a boil, and whisk to loosen up the browned bits. Add the tomato paste, wine, and salt and whisk to combine.
- Place the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves in the slow cooker around and on top of the roast. Lay the strips of bacon alongside and on top of the roast. Pour the beef broth/tomato paste mixture over everything.Cook on low setting for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours (or until the beef is fork tender). If you have the time we recommend the low setting for the most flavorful and tender beef.
- Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium stock pot, leaving the roast and vegetables in the warm slow cooker. Bring to a boil and whisk in the gravy slurry and continue whisking until the gravy is thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the pot roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Discard the bay leaves and bacon (or chop up the bacon and return it to the veggies) . Pour a little gravy over it and serve with gravy on the side along with potatoes and your choice of sides.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet Oct 24, 2013
Fay says
Made this today. Absolutely the BEST pot roast, delicious. Thank you for the recipe , I will definitely be making it again. The only slight change I made was to saute the onions and garlic until translucent before adding them to the crock pot. I have a thing about putting raw onions into stews/pot roasts I just don’t think they yield up their sweetness like they do if they are sauteed first. That might just be me though. Off to explore the rest of your recipes!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thanks so much, Fay! You’re absolutely right about sauteing bringing out the sweetness of the onions. Thanks again and I hope you likewise enjoy the other recipes you try! :)
Dexter says
Absolutely delicious!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Dexter!
Ashley says
I just have to say, I’ve used this recipe 3 times now and it’s always amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing, the flavour is incredible!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Ashley, I’m so glad it’s been a hit, thank you!
Rita masse says
Hello. I am slow cooking an 8 lb bladder roast on low from frozen state. I want to serve the next day how to keep moist and reheat.
Lynne Greeman says
Hi Kim, I will trouble you one last time. Also thank you so much for your response! I’ll now be cooking a 6 lb bottom round. Thought it would definitely need 9 hrs on low. Do you think I should cook longer than that ?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lynne, that just depends, you’ll need to check it for doneness – as soon as it’s fork tender it’s done.
Lynne Greeman says
Hi, I just discovered your site yesterday. My mom wants a beef roast and brown gravy for her 83rd birthday dinner. your slow cooker recipe looks wonderful but I’m concerned about the tomato paste. If this gives the gravy the slightest tomato taste should I leave it out? She loves traditional brown gravy and of course I want to please her for her birthday. What do you think? Im using a 5lb bottom round roast. Love your site!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Lynne, the tomato rounds the flavor out and I don’t notice a tomato flavor. I don’t think most people would. But if your mom is very sensitive to the flavor of tomatoes then I wouldn’t want to take the chance of ruining it for her, so you can simply omit it – it will still taste great. Happy cooking and I hope your mom has a wonderful birthday!
John Faust says
Will an Eye of Round roast shred easily at an internal temp of 190 degrees F?
Jadw says
Hello, I’m cooking this meal currently.
I’m about to hit the 9 hour mark but it’s not dinner time yet, can I put it on the keep warm feature and leave it till dinner time?
Also it smells amazing, can not wait for dinner time :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Absolutely, Jadw. Happy eating! :)
Crystal Shroyer says
My roast is in the crock pot now! I’ve never made a “recipe” roast. It sounded so delish. I’ve made my own for yrs., I’m looking forward to the change up! I didn’t have the wine, on hand. Do you suggest a replacement?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Crystal, you can just substitute more broth or water in its place. Happy cooking and please let us know what you think! :)
LA Leslie says
THANK YOU for having a good recipe. I was searching for one that was loaded with fresh ingredients and no premix soup. It is currently in the slow cooker and my home smells like Heaven. I did adjust the recipe a small amount to accommodate my fresh herbs and lack of bacon…but I did sear it in back fat that I always have on hand. By reading the other comments and being a seasoned home cook..I know before it is done that this recipe is a winner.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Leslie, I hope you enjoy it!
Cynthia Basinet says
YUM! Was told the best EVER!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Cynthia, thanks so much!
Gayle says
Made this wonderful recipe this morning followed it exactly but made a mistake.once I had the beef broth/wine boiling I read to far down and added the gravy slurry then poured it over roast in crockpot. Hopefully it will still be ok.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gayle, it should be fine, you’ll probably just need to add a little more slurry at the end to thicken it.
Anonymous says
It turned out wonderfully. The flavours were excellent. Had leftovers on a bun . Excellent
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad and you have me craving that pot roast sandwich, great idea! Thanks for the feedback!
Kathryn Jensen Quinn says
I’m trying this today with 2 1/2 pound eye round. Unfortunately, I only have four hours to cook it, so I’m cooking it as I type on high for 2 1/2 hours and then switching it to low for 1 1/2 hours. I’m hoping with the smaller size it might work. I’ll let you know.
I also have to add a personal note. It wasn’t until I printed the recipe and was reading it while preparing the roast that I noticed your name is Killebrew. I have to ask, are you any relation to Harmon Killebrew? I’m originally from Baltimore and my father, and later my mother, ushered for the Baltimore Orioles for many years. My dad always picked up Brother Killebrew and brought him to church back in the days of Sunday School in the morning. We all grew to love him. When he went to Kansas City, he sent my baby brother KC a Royals cap, thinking it was only right he had one. What a considerate man. He never acted like a star even though he was a fabulous baseball player.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Kathryn, small world! Yes, Harmon is my husband’s grandfather. My husband’s dad, Cam, is Harmon’s oldest son who also played pro ball for a while. I just read this to my husband Todd and he was really happy to hear this. Todd grew up with Harmon and as the oldest grandson got to travel everywhere with him; they were very close. Todd’s grandma is still alive and lives close to our other family members in Utah. Harmon really was an exceptionally kind and considerate man. Thanks so much for sharing these stories, Kathryn <3
Catherine says
This is my first time cooking a bottom pot roast and it turned out fantastic! I added a few teaspoons of sugar to the gravy as my kids prefer sauces to be sweeter and it tasted perfect! My husband was impressed too as he was skeptical about getting a pot roast right on the first try! I seldom find recipes that I would make again but this is definitely a keeper in my book! Thanks, Kimberly!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Catherine, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Stacey Ruiz says
Made it tonight and hubby loved it. I normally make Swedish stew with cinnamon rub and sauce with vinegar and brown sugar, so this was different but yummy. Tip: I made in instant pot, did rub and browned in my cast iron and put meat in instant pot, made sauce poured over meat with onion and garlic. Cooked 45 min for 3lb of meat. Did quick release and opened and added carrots celery and cut up potatoes, cooked 10 more min and did quick release and thickened sauce while in saute mode with lid off. Perfectly tender shredded meat and tender veggies.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Stacey, I’m glad it was a hit and thank you for the IP info!
Annie Killebrew-Jones says
Kimberly, I have made this recipe countless times for my family and it’s by far their most requested dinner. This morning, as I was preparing it for our Christmas Eve dinner, I noticed your last name for the first time, Killebrew -same as mine! I can’t help but feel that I’ve been preparing an old family recipe, making it all that more special! I’m not sure if we’re related but it’s such a unique last name, I have to assume we are. Merry
Christmas and thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Annie! Firstly, I’m so happy this pot roast recipe has become a tradition in your home, thanks so much for the feedback! Secondly, you need to email me so we can chat! Almost without a doubt we’re related, somewhere somehow. My husband is the grandson of Harmon Killebrew, the baseball hall of famer. We have a ton of family history information going back to the very first Killebrew to land in America and then much further back into England. Send me an email when you have some time and maybe we can figure out our common ancestor :) daringgourmet@yahoo.com Merry Christmas to you and your family! Warmly, Kimberly