This Recipe For A Chuck Roast In A Crock Pot is a full stick-to-your-ribs meal that makes a wonderful Sunday dinner with little effort. Lightly seasoned beef, cooked until juicy, in a red wine gravy easily served with mashed potatoes or rice for a complete meal.
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Slow cooking your roast in the crock pot is hands down the best way to cook a chuck roast. The result is a tender, flavorful, shredded beef that works as either a main course or is great for leftovers.
This slow cooker beef pot roast is a yummy recipe that won't disappoint and you’ll come back to it again and again through the colder months. It is not only delicious but also a hearty dinner and the perfect comfort food that will become a family favorite your whole family will love.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Additions & Substitutions
- How To Make This Recipe For A Chuck Roast In A Crock Pot: Step-By-Step
- Confidence Tip
- Recipe Tips
- Storage And Reheating
- Can I make this dish in an Instant Pot?
- Do I need to brown the pot roast?
- Can I use a gremolata on this dish?
- Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Side Dishes To Compliment This Recipe
- Easy Recipe For A Chuck Roast In A Crock Pot
- Related
This dish was inspired by my Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, and pair with many amazing side dishes like my Mushroom and Cauliflower Skillet, Maple Balsamic Brussels Sprouts, or the Roasted Honeynut Squash.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy Recipe - This is a simple recipe that comes together quickly to make a delicious meal.
- Perfect Comfort Food - Pot roast is pure comfort food and smelling the roast cooking all day will tantalize your taste buds.
- Depth Of Flavor - Adding in sun-dried tomatoes and red wine takes the depth of flavor to a new level.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this crock pot chuck roast:
See the recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Notes:
- Beef broth - I always prefer to use bone broth when a recipe calls for broth or stock. This brand is my favorite shelf-stable one but I also love to make my own Keto Bone Broth Recipe.
- Potatoes - I am omitting the potatoes in this recipe and serving this with mashed potatoes instead. If you prefer to cook the potatoes with the chuck roast just add them to the crock pot.
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Additions & Substitutions
Though this healthy pot roast recipe is simple, it is also easy to vary if you want to switch it up.
Additions:
- Potatoes - you can cook them alongside the pot roast in the slow cooker. Or, you can omit the potatoes altogether and opt to make mashed potatoes instead.
- Vegetables - any root vegetables will work in the slow cooker with the pot roast. Large chunks of celery, cauliflower, or even mushrooms can be added or used in place of the potatoes or carrots.
- Carrots - you can use baby carrots if you wish.
Substitutions
- Seasonings - you can switch up the flavor of the beef pot roast by adding onion powder, parsley, or switching the thyme to rosemary.
- Worcestershire sauce - if you love savory umami flavor, add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy mixture.
How To Make This Recipe For A Chuck Roast In A Crock Pot: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Sprinkle the chuck roast with salt and pepper.
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and then brown the pot roast on all sides before placing it into the slow cooker.
Step 2: Spray the skillet with cooking spray.
Saute the onions in the heated pan until tender before adding the broth and all of the ingredients except the vegetables.
Simmer for a few minutes.
Step 3: Add the mixture to the slow cooker along with the vegetables.
Step 4: Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours before reducing the heat to low for 4 hours. Or, cook on low for 8 hours until fork tender.
Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs from the slow cooker and shred the meat.
Confidence Tip
Don’t overlook browning the pot roast. It’s an extra step but one that sears in the flavor so that the result is ultra-juicy beef.
Recipe Tips
- You’ll end up with lots of delicious gravy once the beef pot roast has finished cooking. You can use this to serve with your shredded beef. If you prefer a thicker type of gravy, you can whisk in a tablespoon of cornstarch while re-heating it.
- If you are worried about your vegetables becoming mushy in the slow cooker, add them instead about two hours before your roast is done.
- Taste the cooking liquid before serving and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or any other desired herbs or spices.
Storage And Reheating
- Storage - Let the pot roast cool fully before moving it to an airtight container then store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheating - Reheat on the stovetop, in the oven at 325 degrees, or in the microwave.
- Freezing - The pot roast can be frozen for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Can I make this dish in an Instant Pot?
The short answer is yes. An Instant Pot has a slow cooker setting on it. With this recipe I have found that using a conventional crock pot makes this pot roast without fail, and using a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) requires less liquid and I love the gravy that this recipe makes.
It's especially delicious when served over a cauliflower mash for a low-carb meal! The slow cooker that I use is this Cuisinart brand.
Do I need to brown the pot roast?
Browning Is Better. There are distinct advantages to doing this. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish. Plus, in this recipe, you then scrape up all of the browned delicious bits of the meat left behind when sauteing your onions.
Can I use a gremolata on this dish?
Yes. This dish is delicious without it and all of the pictures I am showing do not show this step. However, the lemon/garlic/parsley brightens up this dish and adds a nice finishing flavor. I have added the step in the recipe for you to enjoy!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Though you can use different cuts, the chuck roast will be the one that comes out the most tender and flavorful.
Tender beef comes from cooking the pot roast low and slow, long enough for the proteins to break down. To do this, you need to cook the beef in enough liquid and only cook it briefly at a high temperature.
Side Dishes To Compliment This Recipe
This pot roast comes together with simple ingredients. It's a favorite meal and one of the best pot roast recipes I have tried. Our family loves this easy recipe even more the next day.
I hope you love this recipe for The Perfect Gluten Free Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe. If you make this recipe please be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it!
Enjoy, xo!
Easy Recipe For A Chuck Roast In A Crock Pot
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Equipment
Ingredients
Pot Roast
- 1 boneless chuck roast 2.5 pounds, trimmed
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- cooking spray
- 2 cups onion chopped, about 1 large onion
- 1 cup beef broth I use bone broth
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- ¼ cup oil-packed sun dried tomato halves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large carrots or more to taste, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 lbs small red potatoes
Gremolata (optional)
- 2 tablespoon flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove minced
Instructions
Pot Roast
- Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.
- Coat the pan with cooking spray.
- Add the roast to the pan. Cook 5 minutes, turning to brown the meat on all sides.
- Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Re-coat the pan with cooking spray.
- Add the onion to the pan and saute for about 8 minutes, scrapping up the brown bits and cooking until tender.
- Add the next 6 ingredients (through the bay leaves) to the skillet.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add the broth mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook either on High for 2 hours and then Low for 4 hours, or on Low for 8 hours. Make sure to turn over the meat about half way through the cooking time.
- When finished, remove the bay leaves and thyme stems from the slow cooker and discard.
- Remove the roast and shred with forks.
Gremolata
- Combine the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a small bowl. Serve with the roast.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
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Wendie
So easy and the whole family devoured it!
Michelle
Turned out great! Good and tender.
Allison
The pot roast was very tender
Vladka
I just made it with green salad and it was delicious.
Gigi
OMG Gwen, this recipe was a lifesaver! So easy to prep and my place smelled incredible while I worked.
Gwen
I am so glad you liked it!
Anna
This pot roast turned out so well! The whole family loved it.
Anonymous
This was delicious!