Home » » Beef » Easy Fall-Apart Crock Pot Roast with Carrots (Slow Cooker)
Super tender, juicy, fall-apart crock pot roast is not as hard as you think! This slow cooker recipe uses a few simple ingredients (one of them is patience) to make the most flavorful (yet stupid easy) pot roast ever! Carrots add the perfect touch! Originally posted January 18, 2018.
I don’t know about you guys, but I kind of wanted to just skip January this year, and all the dumb kale diets that go with it. I’m having some serious December withdrawals.I kind of feel like December broke up with me and I wasn’t ready for it. Now I’m dying my hair, “finding myself,” my face is breaking out and all I want is Ben and Jerry’s. Come on, December. We were so good together.
We’re two weeks into the new year anyway, and that’s usually about when my diet peters out, so I’m comin at you with some comfort food to numb the Christmas break up. POT ROAST AND MASHED POTATOES FOREVER.
Crock Pot Pot Roast
Pot Roast is a beef chuck roast that has been braised slowly with savory spices like garlic and onions. (If your grandma hasn’t made this for you at least once, you need to get a new grandma. This is American comfort food at it’s finest, especially when you pair it with Creamy Mashed Potatoes.)
Do you suck at making pot roast as much as I used to? You can be a great pot roast maker, you really can be. All it takes is a little patience and a packet of onion soup mix. (Those onion soup packets are pretty magical. I use them to make this 3 Ingredient Roasted Potatoes with Crunchy Onions, too.So good.)
Pot Roast Crock Pot Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need at the store. (Quantities listed in recipe below.)
3-4 pound chuck roast
2 (1-ounce) packets of onion soup mix. If you have a smaller chuck roast, use 1 and ½ packets.
Carrots
Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. You can substitute regular beef broth if you want.
Dried thyme. For a fun variation, try oregano or Italian seasoning.
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Oil. Optional for browning.
Water
What is the best cut for making a Pot Roast in crock pot?
Chuck roast is where it’s at. Chuck roast is a really tough cut of meat, but by the time it’s done braising in the slow cooker for 8-10 hours, it has broken down into a beautiful, tender delight. You just need to wait.
Choose a chuck roast with lots of good marbling. The fat that runs throughout the meat melts while it’s cooking, essentially self-basting the roast. Fat = flavor, so choosing a marbled roast is very important. After a very long cook time, the fat has mostly melted into the meat, making it super tender and flavorful.
How to make a Crockpot Pot Roast
Here’s a basic overview. All instructions listed in the recipe below.
Choose a well-marbled roast with lots of white fat.
Brown the chuck roast in oil over medium high heat.
Place the roast in a crock pot along with pan juices.
Add spices and onion soup mix.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Add carrots in the last 3 hours of cooking.
Why is my Crock Pot Chuck Roast tough?
I seriously used to be the worst at making pot roast so I used to ask myself that question all the time. They always came out kind of flavorless, or worse, so tough that you could barely chew through them. But since discovering the onion soup mix trick and the most important rule (waiting), I always get super tender, flavorful, juicy pot roasts.
Why should I cook my Pot Roast in a crock pot, rather than the oven?
I love making pot roast in the slow cooker. It just seems so much easier to me than dealing with oven cooking, plus it’s nice to be able to “set it and forget it.” You know how most crock pot recipes you can cook either on low for 8 hours or on high for half the time? I don’t recommend that for pot roast. Cooking at a higher temperature for a shorter time will result in rubbery meat that will make you feel like you’re chewing on an old tire.
Is it better to cook a Roast on high or low in a crock pot?
You know how most crock pot recipes you can cook either on low for 8 hours or on high for half the time? I don’t recommend that for pot roast. Cooking at a higher temperature for a shorter time will result in rubbery meat that will make you feel like you’re chewing on an old tire. Chuck roast is a tough cut of meat and it needs plenty of time to break down into juicy, tender deliciousness.
Do you have to brown the meat before making Crockpot Pot Roast?
Short answer: no. I tested it both ways and it still tastes great so if you already started your roast or you don’t have enough time when prepping your roast you’ll still have great roast at the end of the day. However, I highly recommend browning the entire roast. It only takes a few minutes and adds a richness that can take your roast to the next level. Hey, if you’re going to the trouble to make this thing you’re probably trying to impress someone, right? You might as well take the extra step to make it amazing.
How much water do you put in a slow cooker when cooking a Roast?
I like to add beef broth to my pot roast instead of water. It’s a great way to bring in that savory, beefy flavor. I love to use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base to make the broth.
You don’t need much broth. Pot roast is meant to be braised, which means cooking meat slowly over low heat with minimal liquid, covered. If you add too much water/broth, you are going to miss out on that roasty flavor that comes from the top part of the meat cooking above the liquid. Because braising requires a lid, the moisture stays in the pot instead of evaporating, concentrating the liquid and tenderizing your chuck roast into melt-in-your-mouth glory.
Do you put vegetables on top or bottom of Pot Roast?
Vegetables should go on top. This recipe calls for the carrots to be added in the last 3-4 hours. Now listen here folks, I know it’s annoying to have to come back and add the carrots later. You can totally add them in at the beginning with the roast if you like, but be prepared for overcooked, mushy, and in my opinion, flavorless carrots. They will add nothing to your dinner besides some orange color, because they will have been cooked for 6 hours too long. Those poor carrots! Do yourself a favor and add the carrots later, or cook them separately.
The same goes for potatoes in my opinion. If you want to add them, put them in (cut into chunks) with the carrots. But really what you ought to do is leave the potatoes out of the slow cooker entirely. Make my Aunt Shirley’s Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoesinstead. I’m pretty sure this is the way God intended pot roast to be eaten.
Don’t skip the gravy
What’s a pot roast without a little somethin somethin? This gravy takes about 5 minutes to make and will really take your pot roast up a notch.
The Drippings from the crock pot are on the left. I like to use a fat separatorso that I’m making my gravy with only broth, no fat.
Better Than Bouillon is my favorite beef base. This is what I use to make the broth for the gravy (in addition to drippings). It’s affordable, it has better flavor than any other broth I’ve tried, and I can keep it on hand in the fridge.
Whisk together a little water and flour, making sure to get out all the lumps before slowly pouring it into your simmering broth/drippings.
And voila! Perfect pot roast, with plenty of gravy to go around. If your grandma really hasn’t ever made you pot roast, don’t worry, you don’t need to get a new one. Just make her this recipe and establish your reign as the pot roast ruler in your family!
Here’s a few pot roast creations from readers like you! Don’t they all look so amazing??
PS!! I almost forgot to tell you something else very exciting. The entire reason I posted this crock pot roast recipe is so that you have a good basic pot roast for the LEFTOVER recipe that’s coming soon on the blog. Picture this: huge amounts of pie crust. Lots of juicy roast beef. Tender carrots. And cheesy scalloped potatoes, all piled sky high in a pie pan. Oh man guys, it’s so good, can’t wait to share. UPDATE: here it is! Leftover Roast Beef, Carrot, and Creamy Potato Pie.
The Easiest Fall-Apart Pot Roast in Crock Pot (Slow Cooker)
Servings: 6Servings
Prep Time: 10mins
Cook Time: 10hrs
Total Time: 20hrs10mins
Super tender, juicy, fall-apart pot roast is not as hard as you think! This slow cooker recipe uses a few simple ingredients (one of them is patience…) to make the most flavorful (yet stupid easy) pot roast ever! Carrots add the perfect touch!
Ingredients
For the roast
3 to 4poundchuck roast, *
salt and pepper, copious amounts, copious I say!
1tablespoonoil, optional (for browning)
1 & 1/2cupswater
1 & 1/2teaspoonsBetter Than Bouillon Beef Base, **
1/2teaspoondried thyme
1bay leaf
21-oz packetsonion soup mix
2poundscarrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
For the gravy
2-3cupsof drippings from the meat
1-2cupsCOLD water
1/3 to 1/2cupflour
2teaspoonsBetter Than Bouillon Beef Base
2tablespoonsbutter, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
First you are going to have to make a choice about whether you want a really good roast, or a really REALLY good roast. Browning the meat before slow cooking makes it extra special. To do that:
Heat a wide skillet over medium high heat. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the roast. I would say I use somewhere between 1 and 1/2 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and about a teaspoon of pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan and swirl around to coat the bottom. It should be shimmery right away if your pan is hot enough.
Add the roast to the pan and don’t move it for about 1-2 minutes. Check to make sure it is nice and brown, then flip it over and repeat on the other side. Brown every side of your roast that you can. It should not take more than 5-6 minutes.
Transfer the roast to your slow cooker (6 quart or larger).
Keep the hot pan on the stove and add the water and beef base. Stir, breaking up any brown bits on the pan, until the beef base is dissolved. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the roast with the dried thyme or add the fresh thyme. (Just throw the sprig in the pot)
Add the bay leaf.
Dump the 2 packets of onion soup mix directly on the roast (not in the water). Use your hand to rub the dry powder into the part of the roast that is exposed. Some of it will just fall off into the water, and that’s fine.
Cover with the lid and set to low heat. Cook for 8-10 hours. If you are a bit short on time, you can turn the slow cooker on to “high” for one hour to get things boiling, then turn back down to low. I do NOT recommend cooking this on high for 4-5 hours. You can if you want, it will be cooked, but it will not be as tender!
If you are not browning the meat, it’s so easy. Salt and pepper the meat, rub on the thyme and onion soup mix, and place in a slow cooker. You don’t need the oil. Add all the other ingredients, set it on low, and you’re done!
Add the carrots: about 3 hours before you want to eat, add the peeled and chopped carrots. See photos, they don’t need to be tiny pieces, I tend to like the bigger chunks myself.
When the meat is fork tender and easy to shred, carefully remove it to a cutting board and let rest for a couple minutes. Then shred with two forks or slice with a serrated knife against the grain. Transfer the roast and the carrots to a serving platter and keep warm. (Taste a carrot to see if it needs salt and pepper)
To make the gravy: Use a fat separator to get the fat from the top of the drippings. Discard fat and add the drippings to a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to high. (Use all of the drippings that you have, up to 3 cups. You want about 4 cups of liquid going into your gravy, and at least one cup needs to be COLD water to dissolve the flour.)
In a measuring cup, whisk together 1-2 cups COLD water (or beef stock, if you’re not using beef base) with the flour. Make sure you get rid of all the lumps.
When the drippings have heated to a boil, slowly stir in the flour mixture while stirring. Add the beef base and bring the mixture to a low boil.
Let the gravy simmer for 3-5 minutes until it has thickened.
At this point you can add the butter if you want. It’s not necessary, but it does add some richness that I love. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure you taste it first!
Devour, preferably with these Famous Creamy Mashed Potatoes. To die for!!
Notes
*Meat options:For this recipe you can use a chuck roast, boneless chuck roast, chuck shoulder pot roast, etc. Look for good marbling!
**You can omit the water and beef base and just add 1 and 1/2 cups good quality beef stock instead! This goes for the gravy too. (The ratio is 1 teaspoon of base per cup of water.) This is not a sponsored post, I just love how easy it is to keep beef base on hand in the fridge.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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.
Cooking Time: 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high (The cooking time depends on how hot or cool your crock pot cooks. You will want to continue cooking until your veggies are fork tender.)
Prepare vegetables and add to the bottom of a lightly greased 6 qt. (or larger) slow cooker. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large cast iron skillet. Using tongs, sear meat on all sides until browned and place on top of vegetables in the crockpot.
The key to cooking pot roast is cooking it low and slow. The meat should just fall apart, hence the name, and if it doesn't, you probably have not cooked it long enough. Also, I like to cook the potatoes separately, as they tend to be a little to mushy for my liking when you cook them with the roast.
While you can overcook vegetables in a slow cooker, because carrots are firmer to begin with, they can stand up to the hours of cooking without becoming mushy. I like to leave my carrots pleasantly plump in size, but if you are truly in a rush, smaller cut carrots will cook even more quickly.
Tender vegetables such as zucchini and beans can be added to your dish in last ¾ - 1 hour of cooking when cooking on High, or 2 hours if cooking on Low.
Hard, starchy vegetables like potato and carrots are best added around 3 hours before the meal is done if cooking on High, and 4 hours on Low.
Typically potatoes take longer to cook than carrots. To make sure the vegetables are finished at the same time, cut the potatoes smaller to speed their roasting along.
The USDA notes that vegetables take longer to cook in a crock-pot than meat does, so they suggest adding your veggies to the pot first. This is useful if you're worried about about dense vegetables like potatoes or carrots not coming out as tender as the meat in your recipe.
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.
Pot roast is meant to be braised, which means cooking meat slowly over low heat with minimal liquid, covered. If you add too much water/broth, you are going to miss out on that roasty flavor that comes from the top part of the meat cooking above the liquid.
Why is meat still tough in the slow cooker? It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
Why Is My Crock-Pot Roast Tough? If the pot roast or chuck roast is tough, it is because it needs more cooking time. As the beef cooks the muscles and connective tissues break down and this makes the beef tender. Also, if you cook the roast at a high temperature, the roast will be tough.
Slow braising the pot roast along with the veggies in the oven for 3-5 hours. This beef pot roast in the oven should be cooked for AN HOUR PER POUND for that insanely fall-apart tender meat.
Cut onion in half, and cut each half into four equal pieces. Place 4 pieces of onion at the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pot roast on top of onions, then arrange remaining 4 onion sections around the roast.
The trick to a perfectly-cooked Crock Pot is to layer the ingredients in the right order: Dense, tough veggies on the bottom, delicate ones on top – and meat or lentils on top of everything.
Remember that the slow cooker's heat source is directly on the bottom. Whatever food will take the longest to cook needs to be placed into the slow cooker first to absorb the most heat. This usually translates into tougher cuts of meat and root vegetables like sweet potatoes or winter squash.
The LOW setting takes longer than the HIGH setting. Once that temperature is hit, the appliance stabilizes at that temperature to allow for the ingredients to be cooked. This means most recipes can be cooked on either setting.
Certain vegetables: Delicate herbs and veggies like fresh tomatoes, zucchini, and peas won't fare well in the slow cooker, as their individual textures may become mushy and flavorless if left for too long. If your recipe calls for these vegetables, try adding them close to the end of cooking time.
"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't 100 percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."
Add sliced carrots to the pot of water and bring the water back to a boil. Boil sliced carrots for 4-5 minutes, baby carrots for 6-7 minutes and whole carrots for 10-15 minutes. This time will vary slightly depending on the thickness of the carrots. Carrots will be done boiling when they are fork tender.
Carrots sliced into 1-4-inch slices take 4 to 5 minutes to cook to crisp tender. You can cook them a little longer if you prefer carrots that are even more tender. Just make sure not to boil them too long! Boil them over 10 minutes and the carrots will turn to mush.
Put tougher cuts of meat and heartier vegetables, such as beef and root vegetables, in your slow cooker first. This way, they will be on the bottom and closer to the heat source. More delicate foods, such as broccoli, should go on top.
Most slow cookers should be preheated before placing the ingredients in it but check the user's manual first because some models heat up quickly and do not require preheating. ... Cooking Times.
Sow seeds in a 1/2‐inch (12 mm) furrow, 1/4‐1/2 an inch (6‐12 mm) apart, with 6‐12 inches (15‐30 cm) between rows. Cover the seeds with light compost, sand, or vermiculite to prevent the soil from crusting over.
But do they really have to be peeled? As it turns out, no. As long as you wash and scrub the root vegetables before chopping, dicing, or otherwise preparing them for a recipe, you're likely OK. Carrot skins are not as thick as some other vegetable skins, like potatoes or beets.
Carrots need less space, about 4 inches between plants. You can sow more seeds than that if you like, then thin out the plants to leave only the healthiest after four weeks.
Meat first, then vegetables – If you want meat or seafood in your stir fry, cook it first then scoop it out onto a separate plate before cooking the vegetables. You'll add the meat back in at the end. 5. Don't crowd the pan – If you have too much in your pan, the vegetables will steam instead of staying crisp.
Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.
The USDA notes that vegetables take longer to slow-cook than meat, so add your veggies to the pot first, especially root veggies like potatoes and carrots; no one wants to bite into hard chunks of these.
Delicate vegetables like asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, and peas, will overcook in a slow cooker. It's best to stick to sturdier vegetables like carrots and potatoes.
However, the liquid adds flavor and keeps a lean roast from getting dry. How much water do I put in a crock pot for a roast? At minimum, you only need about ¼ cup, though you can add more (up to 12 ounces) if you are relying on the drippings to create a gravy later.
Place roast on top of vegetables. Place 3 bouillon cubes randomly on top of the roast and pour in 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours.
There is no need to cover the meat in liquid when cooking with a slow cooker, you only need enough liquid to cover the base of the slow cooker as the meat and vegetables will release liquid as they cook.
Yes, you can totally cook raw beef in a slow cooker. Many slow-cooker chili recipes have a step for browning the beef before it goes into the Crock-Pot. While this step isn't necessary, caramelizing the meat creates richer, bolder flavors.
A surefire way to make a tender, juicy pot roast is through braising; that is, cooking the meat in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pot at low temperature.
If the meat is not falling apart, it needs to cook longer. When the meat is done, take it out of the pot and set aside. Scrape the fat off the top of the beef liquid. Taste the sauce- you may need to add salt or pepper.
Cooking time may vary, but you'll typically be safe with a medium or large (3 pound roast or larger) roast in the slow cooker on a low temperature for 6-8 hours.
The most important thing is to let the meat brown. This means adding it to hot pan and not flipping it. Let it brown for 4-5 minutes on each side. When I started browning meat I would always flip it every 30 seconds which defeated the purpose and took even longer.
Does chuck roast get more tender the longer you cook it? It does! The secret to an incredible beef chuck roast recipe is to let it cook for long enough. I cook my chuck roast for 6 hours and 20 minutes, and by the time it's done it's fall-apart tender with soft carrots and potatoes all cooked in the same pot.
You should be able to cut the cooked pot roast on your plate with a fork. To ensure that both the meat and the vegetables will be cooked perfectly, it's usually best to cook the meat until it is almost done before adding most vegetables.
When should I add my vegetables to the slow cooker? Tender vegetables such as zucchini and beans can be added to your dish in last ¾ - 1 hour of cooking when cooking on High, or 2 hours if cooking on Low.
The USDA notes that vegetables take longer to cook in a crock-pot than meat does, so they suggest adding your veggies to the pot first. This is useful if you're worried about about dense vegetables like potatoes or carrots not coming out as tender as the meat in your recipe.
Timing is everything: Cook the beef roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before the carrots and potatoes (or parsnip, turnips, or other hearty vegetables) go into the pot.
Should the roast be covered with liquid in the slow cooker? You don't need a lot of liquid to cook a roast in the slow cooker. In fact, I often cook very fatty pork roasts without any liquid at all. However, the liquid adds flavor and keeps a lean roast from getting dry.
While this step isn't essential, and you'll still get a perfectly good meal at the end, browning your meat and veg beforehand is a complete slow cooker game changer. Why? This simple step intensifies the flavour of a really amazing stew or casserole.
Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204
Phone: +2135150832870
Job: Regional Design Producer
Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games
Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.