Because we attend church, we often make crock pot meals on Sundays, and one of our favorites is this crock pot pot roast. It’s a recipe my mom always made when we were growing up and one we now make monthly for Sunday Dinners.
We cook it low and slow throughout the day so it is tender and juicy! Using seasoning packets makes this recipe a cinch, but adds TONS of flavor. Plus it’s really just a dump-it-and-go kinda dinner that makes the day extra easy. We love to add our homemade gravy and pair it with potatoes, just like mom.
We love it so much that we also use it as the base meat for many of our favorite recipes like Beef Empanadas, Green Chile Burritos, Beef Enchiladas, Flautas and more.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Dump and go! Since it’s made in the slow cooker, you can prep the meal in minutes and let the crockpot do the work.
- Few ingredients. Just 5 ingredients to make this juicy, tender roast. That’s one easy dinner!
- Versatile. We make this roast to eat on its own, but then we also use the meat as the base for many of our favorite recipes like our Green Chile Burritos!
- Low and slow breaks down the chuck roast. Long cook time makes it fork-tender and juicy.
- Seasoning blend builds flavor fast. Gravy, ranch, and Italian mix create a savory, well-rounded roast without extra measuring.
Crock Pot Pot Roast Ingredients
Roast
- Olive oil: Helps sear the roast and prevents sticking while browning.
- Coarse salt: Seasons the roast and helps create a good crust during searing.
- Brown gravy dry mix (1 tablespoon): Adds savory flavor and helps build a rich sauce as it cooks.
- Dry ranch mix (1 tablespoon): Adds seasoning and a herby, tangy flavor.
- Italian dressing dry mix (1 tablespoon): Adds extra herbs and depth to the roast. This mix layers in garlic, onion, and Italian herbs for a well-rounded, aromatic roast.
- Beef chuck roast (2 to 3 pounds): Chuck roast is ideal for slow cooking because it becomes tender and shreddable. Look for cuts of meat with a lot of marbling like Chuck roast, rump roast, and bottom round roast.
- extra spice: Add garlic powder, black pepper or even Worcestershire sauce. Garnish to taste with herbs like fresh rosemary or fresh thyme.
Gravy
- Water (⅓ cup): Adds moisture to help dissolve the seasonings and create drippings.
- Roast drippings (2 to 3 cups): These are the flavorful juices that become the base of the gravy.
- Cornstarch (2½ tablespoons): Thickens the gravy into a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Salt and pepper: Helps you adjust and balance the gravy at the end.
How to Make Crock Pot Pot Roast
SEAR ROAST. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Generously salt all sides of the roast. Sear each side of the roast for about 2-3 minutes.
Place chuck roast in the slow cooker and pour water over it. Sprinkle dry mix all over the top.
Cook on low for 7–8 hours, or until meat is tender and easy to shred.
To make the gravy, pour the beef broth through a strainer to remove any solids. Pour the broth into a skillet.
Remove 3 tablespoons of the broth and add to a small bowl, then whisk together with the cornstarch until well blended.
Bring the broth in the skillet to a simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper according to taste.
If you would like to make this with veggies, be sure to check out our Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots recipe.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- We like to make this seasoning in bulk (usually 2-3 packets of each dry mix), and then scoop out 3 tablespoons of the mixture to sprinkle over the top of the roast.
- Add hearty veggies like diced red potatoes, baby carrots, celery and onion wedges and cook along with this crock pot roast recipe.
- Use the correct size crock pot and don’t overfill. The ingredients should take up between ½ to ⅔ of the crock pot.
- While it’s not necessary to brown the roast before cooking it, the caramelized meat adds an extra layer of flavor. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Generously salt all sides of the roast, sear each side for about 2-3 minutes, and put in the crock pot.
- You can use the drippings from the crock pot to make Pot Roast Gravy.
Crock Pot Pot Roast Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon brown gravy dry mix
- 1 tablespoon dry ranch mix
- 1 tablespoon Italian dressing dry mix
- 1 2-3 pound beef chuck roast
- ⅓ cup water
Gravy
- 2-3 cups roast drippings from cooked pot roast
- 2½ tablespoons corn starch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Generously salt all sides of the roast. Sear each side of the roast for about 2-3 minutes.
- Place chuck roast in the slow cooker and pour water over it. Sprinkle dry mix all over the top.
- Cook on low for 7–8 hours, or until meat is tender and easy to shred.
- To make the gravy, pour the beef broth through a strainer to remove any solids. Pour the broth into a skillet.
- Remove 3 tablespoons of the broth and add to a small bowl, then whisk together with the cornstarch until well blended.
- Bring the broth in the skillet to a simmer, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Cook until thickened.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper according to taste.
Notes
- We like to make this seasoning in bulk (usually 2-3 packets of each dry mix), and then scoop out 3 tablespoons of the mixture to sprinkle over the top of the roast.
- Add hearty veggies like diced red potatoes, baby carrots, celery and onion wedges and cook along with this crock pot roast recipe.
- Use the correct size crock pot and don’t overfill. The ingredients should take up between ½ to ⅔ of the crock pot.
- While it’s not necessary to brown the roast before cooking it, the caramelized meat adds an extra layer of flavor. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Generously salt all sides of the roast, sear each side for about 2-3 minutes, and put in the crock pot.
- You can use the drippings from the crock pot to make Pot Roast Gravy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
The US Department of Agriculture does not recommend cooking frozen meat in a slow cooker as it provides a greater opportunity for harmful bacteria to grow. You can, however, cook a frozen roast in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
Once cooked, place the entire pot (containing the roast and the juices) in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Include juices in the storage container and store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 months.
To reheat, cover the pan with the meat and juices and bake in the oven at 325°F until the meat reaches the desired temperature, or reheat in the microwave if in a rush.
Use leftovers: create a new dish for dinner like Beef Empanadas, pocket sandwiches, patty melt, stir fry, roast beef sandwiches, or Shepherd’s Pie.
Complete The Meal
Side Dishes + Salads
Best Mashed Potatoes
35 mins
Pot Roast Gravy
15 mins
Dinner Rolls Recipe
2 hrs 40 mins
Wedge Salad
4 hrs 15 mins
Desserts
Peach Dump Cake
55 mins
Chocolate Sheet Cake
35 mins
Sticky Toffee Pudding
1 hr 50 mins
Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream
4 hrs 45 mins
Crock Pot Meals
Crock Pot Pork Roast
8 hrs 5 mins
Crock Pot Ribs
4 hrs 5 mins
Crock Pot Brisket
8 hrs 5 mins
Crock Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
8 hrs 15 mins
Collections
This recipe was originally published May 2018.
THis Recipe Was amazing!! I made a couple changes but pretty much followed the RECIPE, first I made my own Dressing MIXEs and brown gravy mix, used a little over a tablespoon of each and also, I used a grassfed Arm roast, seasoned with a little Montreal steak seasoning, dusted with flour and browned in my cast iron skillet before adding to the crockpot, then I deglazed my pan with some cooking sherry, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, poured that on top of the roast, next, added the 1/3 cup water called for in the recipe to the skillet to pick up the rest of the browned bits, then poured that on TOP of the roast, followed by the dressings and brown gravy mix, put the lid on and cooked for 8 hours on low, then made the gravy On the stove with flour and cream instead of milk, delicious!!!! This was my own personal approach to the recipe but I know the recipe as is is perfectly delicious, I just like to put a spin on making yummy meals like This FOR my family. THANk you for the amazing recipe kristyn! ❤
You are so welcome! Thank you for sharing what you did! It sounds perfect!
You missed the part about “super easy” I guess! 🙂
Good looking recip but its missing
A big how to:::::
Thank you for the chile burros recipe everything is clear up to a very crticAl point:::
1. How To assemble it into the Flour tortilla and
2. What size tortilla ?
3. Approximately what size diameter should We try to to End up with per Burro.
Ihad these years AgO or similar that used Shredded RoaSt Pork
In the 60s in Tucson . Ive been hoping to find them again… and Thanks for providing this info..
pw orlaNdo
I like to use burrito size tortillas, scoop some on one end, leaving about an inch at the bottom, roll up that one inch & roll once, then fold the sides in & continue to roll up. I hope that makes sense 🙂
Sounds great, but I suggest also searing the veggies first and set them aside before searing the meat for even better flavor. Hanifia
Thanks for sharing that!
Can you put potatoes, carrots, and onions in the crockpot with the roast and cook them all together? If so, would you put them in at the beginning, or would you add them part way through the cooking time? Do you ever do this? This is how my mother always did it, but she did it in a covered skillet on the stove top or in an electric skillet. I can’t recall if she put the vegetables in at the start or later on. Thank you.
I am sure you could. I haven’t added them together, though I do have a stew recipe that has stew meat, carrots, & potatoes that sounds like what you are referring to……https://lilluna.com/slow-cooker-beef-stew-2-2/. It’s one of my favorite stews!!
Never been a huge fan of pot roast. But THIS! THIS recipe has flavor and is so tender. I really like it! Its easy, and I like that the kids like it too.
I’ve used this recipe several times. I only use 1/3-1/2 of the seasoning mix per roast and then add salt to taste after it’s cooked. I also found that the left over roast makes really good beef sandwiches on garlic bread the next day.
Been making roast most of my married life. This recipe by far has been my favorite. It is easy to make and comes out tender and juicy all the time.
I love how easy this pot roast is! It was tasty & we used it for tacos the next day! Thank you!
Perfect!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
We’re just like you! This has become our go-to Sunday dinner recipe. Its so easy to prep and leave alone all day, then come back to a great meal. Thanks!
That’s why I love it too! Thank you for sharing that!
This is my favorite pot roast recipe. I love that you can use this meat for so many other recipes! It is easy to make & so tasty!
I am so glad you like this recipe! Thanks for trying it!