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Classic Pot Roast is comfort food at it's finest. A popular, set-and-forget recipe that will quickly become your new family favorite.
Yield 8 servings
Prep Time 15minutes minutes
Cook Time 8hours hours
Total Time 8hours hours 15minutes minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
- ▢ 4-5 pound chuck roast
- ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ▢ 1 pound carrots , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- ▢ 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic , minced
- ▢ 2 cups beef broth
- ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ▢ 2 tablespoons cold water
- ▢ parsley , chopped, optional garnish
6-8 servings
Prep Time 15minutes minutes
Cook Time 8hours hours
Total Time 8hours hours 15minutes minutes
- Season the chuck roast with the kosher salt, pepper and thyme (if you are sensitive to sodium, adjust to your taste or you can even leave the salt out altogether since you're adding broth).
- Heat your pan (or if you can brown in your slow cooker, do it in that insert to medium high.
- Add the vegetable oil and when it ripples and is hot add in the roast and brown, deeply, for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- In your slow cooker add the carrots, potatoes and garlic.
- Lay the beef on top, then add the beef broth and cover, cooking on low for 8 hours or on high for 5 hours.
- In the last hour, mix your cornstarch and water and add it to the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. As an alternative you can take the food out when done cooking, then add the leftover liquid to a small saucepan with the cornstarch/water slurry mixture, and cook on high for just 2-3 minutes until the liquid is thickened into a gravy.
Ingredients
- Chuck Roast: This juicy cut is perfect for slow cooking due to its marbling, which breaks down into tender meat.
- Vegetable Oil: This is used to sear and ultimately caramelize the outside of the meat which adds incredible flavor.
- Seasonings: You don’t need much to season this dish, just some dried thyme, minced garlic, salt and pepper. You can use 1-2 teaspoons of garlic powder or twice as much fresh thyme.
- Root Vegetables: The potatoes and carrots add delicious earthy flavor plus they turn a roast into a full meal. Feel free to add more root veggies – check out my Variations for ideas.
- Beef Broth: You want to use a good quality broth. My secret ingredient is Better than Bouillon concentrate (with water) and I always add an extra scoop for super beefy flavor.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the rich gravy. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry before adding it to the pot to avoid clumping.
Time needed: 8 hours and 15 minutes
- Season
Pat the roast dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle it with thyme and season with salt, and pepper. - Brown
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with the oil. (If you have a slow cooker with the ability to brown, you can use it.) Once it’s hot and shimmering, place the roast in the pan. Sear it for 4-5 minutes on each side until it’s deeply browned. - Cook
Place the peeled and chopped carrots and potatoes in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the minced garlic. Lay the browned beef on top of the vegetables. Pour the beef broth over the meat and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker and set cook time for 8-10 hours on low, or on high for 5 hours.
An hour before it’s done, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the slow cooker to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, remove the meat and vegetables when done, transfer the liquid to a small saucepan, add the slurry, and cook on high for 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens. Serve and enjoy!