Home > Dinner > Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
by Nguyet Vo on (Updated July 16, 2023)
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This tender beef pot roast is slow cooked in a rich gravy with carrots and potatoes.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 9 hrs
Total Time: 9 hrs 20 mins
Every fall, I look forward to the first day when the weather gets cold enough to cook a classic pot roast. That day was slow in coming this year. Summer weather stuck around until almost late November so I had to wait an especially long time for the first pot roast of the season.
Even though I make my pot roast in a slow cooker rather than the oven, I still feel the need to wait for wintry temperatures. Somehow comfort food doesn’t feel like comfort food unless I can wear my favorite pull-over and wool socks. With the weather being gray and cold this week, I decided it was the perfect time to share my favorite pot roast recipe.
How to make the most tender pot roast
I wish I could say this is one of those slow cooker recipes where you can throw everything in the crock pot, ignore it for 8 hours, and then have dinner ready.
However, this one requires some work upfront and at the end. Why? In a word, texture. I have tried many, many pot roast recipes both in a slow cooker and an oven and have found that when everything gets thrown in all at once with no prep work, everything comes out with essentially the same mushy texture.
I think a pot roast needs to be melt-in-your-mouth-tender but still have some bite. And nothing is worse than vegetables completely lacking in color and form.
Therefore, I am a firm believer in tying the meat (I use boneless chuck roast) and searing it before braising it. You can go to the Epicurious website to view a video tutorial on how to tie a roast. The potatoes and carrots should only be added during the last 45 minutes of cooking so they don’t overcook.
1 – 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into halves or quarters if large
Instructions
Sear roast. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown the roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the roast to a slow cooker; set aside.
Cook aromatics. Add onion, carrots, and celery to skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and beef broths and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Stir in red wine. Pour onion and broth mixture over the roast in the slow cooker.
Slow cook roast. Cook the roast on low for 8-9 hours until meat is very tender. If possible, turn roast every 60 minutes while it is cooking.
Add vegetables. During the last 45 minutes of cooking, turn the slow cooker temperature to High and add carrots and potatoes submerging them in the cooking liquid as much as possible. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
Serve. Transfer roast to a cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in slow cooker to settle about 5 minutes, then use a wide spoon to skim fat off surface; discard thyme sprig. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pull apart meat into large pieces; transfer to serving platter. Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to platter with the roast. Pour some of the sauce from the slow cooker over the meat and vegetables. Pass around the remaining sauce when serving.
During the last 45 minutes of cooking, turn the slow cooker temperature to High and add carrots and potatoes submerging them in the cooking liquid as much as possible. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-40 minutes.
I like to wash the baby potatoes and slice them in half. I also try to make sure the potatoes are on the sides around the roast and top the roast with the carrots and onions. Pour the beef broth/seasoning mixture over the roast and veggies in the crockpot.
Slow cooker recipes have (obviously) long cook times, and it's the meat—not the carrots—that benefit from it. By placing the protein at the bottom (closest to the heating element), and vegetables at the top, you can keep your plant parts a little more toothsome, while ensuring your meat is fall-apart tender.
Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot when there's about an hour of cooking time left, turning the roast over when you do. To serve, spoon any excess fat off the surface and slice or shred the beef to serve with the veggies, drizzled with sauce. Serves 6-8.
That depends! Hard vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots can take 10-15 minutes to cook. Medium-firm vegetables like onions and celery usually take 6-8 minutes to cook.
Plus, you can set it and forget it, leaving your hands free to do other things. It depends how well-done you prefer your spuds, but in general, they'll be ready to eat after 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker.
Insufficient Liquid: If there wasn't enough liquid in the crockpot, it could have caused uneven cooking. Potatoes need to be fully submerged in liquid to cook evenly. Old Potatoes: Very old or stored potatoes can become starchy and may not soften as well during cooking. It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes.
Remember to taste test and add extra balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt or pepper if needed. PRO TIP: It's better to cook pot roast on the low setting rather than the high setting. Your meat will be tender and delicious every time.
Some recipes call for liquid, some do not. It mainly comes down to the type of meat you use. Cuts like chuck roast will release more fat and moisture than leaner cuts, so they don't need any water. In addition, the slow cooker itself creates some moisture, which helps keep the meat juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions. Should vegetables be on the top or bottom of pot roast? I recommend adding the vegetables (carrots and potatoes) to the top and sides of your pot roast and only do so after the roast has cooked for the first 1 1/2 hours so that they do not get too mushy.
Yes, it's possible to overcook potatoes in a crockpot. They can become mushy and lose their texture if left for too long. It's advisable to follow a recipe's recommended cooking time to achieve the desired consistency.
For extra color, add some frozen green beans or mixed vegetables about 30 to 45 minutes before the pot roast is ready. Serve the pot roast and vegetables with hot baked biscuits or crusty bread for a tasty and satisfying family dinner.
Layer wisely: For even cooking, cut food into uniform-size pieces. Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top.
There's a method to food placement in your Crockpot slow cooker. The slowest cooking items should go on the bottom and then layer accordingly for the remaining ingredients.
If they are both cut into the same size, the carrots can take slightly longer. The primary reason is because carrots have sugar in them, while potatoes are primarily a starch. Carrots have less water than potatoes too.
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