Crockpot Pot Roast is the ultimate comfort food with fall-apart tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions simmered in rich au jus sauce. This is a hearty, satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs meal that your whole family will love. Great for Sunday dinners and holiday meals.
Best Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe
This is the best slow cooker pot roast you’ll make, and it comes down to one simple step: searing the beef first. Some recipes skip this step to save time, but the caramelized crust adds incredible flavor to the gravy, and the browned bits from the skillet melt into the sauce as everything cooks.
What really sets this apart is using au jus gravy mix and beef broth together. The combination creates an incredibly rich, flavorful sauce that’s better than using either one alone. The butter on top makes the beef more tender and juicy as it melts during the long cook, and the meat is so tender it practically falls apart when you slice it.
When I make this crockpot pot roast, everyone raves about the rich flavor and fall-apart tenderness. Get ready for tons of compliments at your dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Feeds a Crowd: One crockpot pot roast serves 6 to 8 people, making this perfect for special dinners, holidays and family gatherings.
Budget-Friendly: Chuck roast is an affordable cut that transforms into something special with slow cooking.
Makes Amazing Leftovers: The beef stays moist and tender for days, perfect for reheating, sandwiches, or adding to soups.
Minimal Hands-On Time: Fifteen minutes of prep, then walk away. The crockpot does everything while you’re getting other things accomplished.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Tongs or Spatula
Crockpot Pot Roast Ingredients
Chuck Roast: Boneless and well-marbled for the most tender, flavorful pot roast.
Salt
Black Pepper
Vegetable Oil: Used to sear the roast for deeper flavor.
Baby Potatoes: Leave whole or halve larger ones for even cooking.
Carrots: Cut into large chunks so they hold their shape during slow cooking.
Pearl Onions: Peeled and trimmed for a mild, sweet onion flavor.
Garlic: Freshly minced for the best aroma and taste.
Beef Broth: Use a rich, high-quality broth to enhance the au jus sauce.
Au Jus Gravy Mix: Creates the classic savory au jus flavor.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds deep umami flavor to the sauce.
Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce as it cooks.
Dried Parsley
Dried Thyme
Butter: Sliced and placed over the roast for extra flavor and tenderness.
How to Make Crockpot Pot Roast with Au Jus Gravy
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Season the chuck roast evenly with salt and black pepper.
Add baby potatoes, carrots, pearl onions, and minced garlic to the slow cooker.
Place the roast into the hot skillet and sear on each side until deeply browned. Transfer the roast to the slow cooker over the vegetables.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, au jus gravy mix, Worcestershire sauce, cornstarch, dried parsley, and dried thyme until smooth.
Pour the mixture over the roast and vegetables in the slow cooker.
Arrange slices of butter over the top of the roast.
Cover and cook until the beef becomes very tender and the vegetables are soft.
Serve the roast with vegetables and spoon the rich au jus sauce over the top.
Best Recipe Tips
Cook on low, not high. Low and slow gives you tender, juicy meat. High heat dries out the meat.
Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This lets the juices reabsorb into the meat.
If the roast is still tough, it just needs more time. Pot roast is done when it’s fork-tender, not when the timer goes off. Every roast is different, so if the meat isn’t shredding easily yet, let it cook another hour or two on low until it reaches that fall-apart texture.
Can I use a different cut of beef?
Chuck roast works best for pot roast because of its marbling and connective tissue that breaks down during slow cooking. Rump roast or bottom round will also work, but they’re leaner and may turn out slightly less juicy.
Can I cook this on High instead of Low?
I recommend only cooking on low. The roast will be more tender.
Why is my pot roast still tough?
If the roast is still tough, it just needs more time. Every roast is different, so if the meat isn’t shredding easily yet, let it cook another hour or two on low until it reaches that fall-apart texture.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store pot roast with gravy in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Store the beef and gravy together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Don’t freeze the vegetables as they get mushy when thawed. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in the oven at 325°F covered with foil, or on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of broth or water to keep the meat moist.
Crockpot Pot Roast
Ingredients
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- 3-4 pounds Chuck Roast boneless
- 1 ½ teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil to sear roast
- 1.5 pound Baby Potatoes
- 4 large Carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
- 8 ounces Pearl Onions peeled and trimmed
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ cup Beef Broth
- 1 ounce Au Jus Gravy dry packet
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Parsley dried
- ½ teaspoon Thyme dried
- ½ cup Butter sliced
Instructions
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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Season the roast on both sides with salt and pepper.
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Place the baby potatoes, carrots, pearl onions, and garlic into the slow cooker.
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Once skillet is very hot, sear the roast for 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Add to slow cooker.
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In a bowl, mix the beef broth, au jus gravy powder, Worcestershire sauce, cornstarch, dried parsley, and dried thyme together. Pour into slow cooker over the roast and vegetables.
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Top the roast with slices of butter.
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Place lid on top and cook on the low setting for 8-10 hours until the meat easily falls apart and vegetables are tender.
Notes
Cook on low, not high. Low and slow gives you tender, juicy meat. High heat dries out the meat.
Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. This lets the juices reabsorb into the meat.
If the roast is still tough, it just needs more time. Pot roast is done when it’s fork-tender, not when the timer goes off. Every roast is different, so if the meat isn’t shredding easily yet, let it cook another hour or two on low until it reaches that fall-apart texture.