Crock Pot Roast (simple, easy, delicious!)

Crock pot roast is an easy, simple delicious dinner that is so warm and comforting! Perfect for busy weeknights and lazy weekends. There are fussier ways to make slow cooker pot roast. Friends, I am just going to give you the base recipe, which is the simplest, easiest version. It is stupid delicious too!😋

I will add some optional modifications to the notes. But honestly, this simple base recipe is how we prepare pot roast at our house about ninety percent of the time.🙌🏻

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How to make Crock Pot roast

First, gather your ingredients.

Quality ingredients

I cannot stress this enough. Always start with the best quality ingredients you can get your hands on.

We love the grass fed ButcherBox chuck roasts. New ButcherBox members receive 2 lbs of ground beef + 2 packs of bacon for FREE in their first box! (👈🏻Affiliate links, but we are also customers and purchase a box every month!)

They just taste amazing! And when you start with an amazing, high quality cut of meat, less is more people. It really does not need a ton of doctoring.

Also, you are going to only want to use a chuck roast for this recipe. It just tastes best and gives best results.

Here are all of the ingredients you will need to make this Crock Pot roast recipe:

• chuck roast
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• potatoes
• carrots
• Optional: fresh herbs – I used fresh thyme and rosemary

How to season a crock pot roast

I basically use what Paula Deen calls her house seasoning: garlic, salt and pepper. I just don’t premix mine like she does. I sprinkle each one on separately. And I be sure and season both sides of the roast. Most of the time, that is literally all we do. Yes, really!

Occasionally we add some other herbs. A sprig of rosemary is my go-to.

I prefer to just stick the whole sprig in there, and then I remove it when it is done. It gives it just enough flavor and is not too overpowering.

Fresh thyme is my second favorite. But, y’all! Fresh herbs are completely optional. We almost always just do the garlic, salt and pepper.

And it comes out great! So don’t feel like you have to do the herbs. These are simply optional add-ons, people.

Here is the other reason I like using chuck roast: you don’t have to add any liquid. The drippings create a little liquid that you can spoon on top at the end. Or! You can totally use that to make gravy, if you prefer.

Sauté slow cooker pot roast prior to slow cooking?

I definitely have browned my crock pot roasts on both sides before slow cooking them. But I stopped doing that. 🤯💁🏼‍♀️ Why?

After experimenting over the years, I figured out that it gets brown enough for me on its own, just by slow cooking it alone. That is exactly what I did with the roast in these pictures. And look at all that texture on the outside!

Cook time and temperature

So how long and what temperature setting do you cook crock pot roast? I recommend cooking on low temperature until the roast is fork tender, which works out to be about 8 hours for me.

Adding potatoes and carrots to crock pot roast

You have options here people, and I will outline the benefits of each.

First, if you want that extra brown exterior on your roast, you may want to just do the roast by itself. No problems there. If you want potatoes and carrots, here are your options.👌🏻

Some people are at work all day, and the veggies might get a little mushy/ over cooked if you try and cook them all day with the roast. Also, the extra moisture from the veggies can sometimes make the meat not brown quite as well. Option 1 may be a great choice for you if any of this applies.

Option 1: Make them separately in the oven, just ahead of dinner. You can take a few spoon fulls of those glorious beef-y pan juices, and toss the potatoes and carrots in that, adding a little salt and pepper for flavor. Then roast them in an oven, preheated at 400 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, tossing once about halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Option 2: If you want to add potatoes and carrots to cook the full time with the roast, use medium to large-ish potatoes, and whole/ thick carrots. Place them around the roast. They will still be pretty soft, but using thicker cuts will prevent mushiness.

Option 3: If you are at home, you can add the carrots and potatoes about half-way through total cook time. If I do this, I use baby red potatoes and baby carrots to avoid having to chop anything. 😎🙌🏻

Side dish suggestions

So what do you serve with this recipe? Any of the following would go great with this crock pot roast. 😍👌🏻

• Instant Pot mashed potatoes
• Air fryer roasted potatoes
• Roasted green beans with shallot
• Instant pot “baked” sweet potatoes
• Air fryer baked potato
• Roasted cauliflower
• Sautéed mushrooms
• Roasted lemon garlic Brussels sprouts
• Instant pot black eyed peas
• Southern skillet corn bread

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Crock Pot Roast (Slow Cooker Pot Roast)

Crock pot roast is an easy, simple delicious dinner that is so warm and comforting! Perfect for busy weeknights and lazy weekends. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword crock pot roast, slow cooker pot roast

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 375 kcal

Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

• 3 pound chuck roast
• 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste – don' be shy! I used 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1.5 pounds potatoes cut into chunks (see notes)
• 3/4 pound carrots
• Optional: fresh herbs. I used 7 sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 sprigs of rosemary

Instructions

1. Season the chuck roast on both sides with salt, pepper and granulated garlic

2. Optional: add fresh herbs, if desired. Rosemary and thyme are my favorites.

3. Cook on low in a slow cooker for 8 hours, until fork tender.

4. See notes for options regarding potatoes and carrots.

5. Pull apart with two forks, and serve.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.

Potatoes and carrots options

If you want that extra brown exterior on your roast, you may want to just do the roast by itself. No problems there. If you want potatoes and carrots, here are your options.👌🏻

Option 1: Make them separately in the oven, just ahead of dinner. You can take a few spoon fulls of those glorious beef-y pan juices, and toss the potatoes and carrots in that, adding a little salt and pepper for flavor. Then roast them in an oven (on a sheet pan or in a baking dish), preheated at 400 degrees for about 40 to 45 minutes, tossing once about halfway through to ensure even cooking.

Option 2: If you want to add potatoes and carrots to cook the full time with the roast in the crock pot, use medium to large-ish potatoes, and whole/ thick carrots. Place them around the roast. They will still be pretty soft, but using thicker cuts will prevent mushiness.

Option 3: If you are at home, you can add the carrots and potatoes to the crock pot about half-way through total cook time. If I do this, I use baby red potatoes and baby carrots to avoid having to chop anything. 😎🙌🏻

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot Roast (Slow Cooker Pot Roast)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 375 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 117mg39%

Sodium 176mg8%

Potassium 1059mg30%

Carbohydrates 15g5%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 7126IU143%

Vitamin C 12mg15%

Calcium 68mg7%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.