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.
Where do I find homemade dry gravy mix? I see Ranch and Italian but not the gravy you refer to. Thank you in advance!
I always use the McCormick Brown Gravy (although there are generic brands as well) packets. We don’t have a dry gravy mix recipe on our site, but I’m sure you could find one online if you wanted to make one from scratch.
The gravy and other powdered mixes and often be found near the canned soup or the spices. Good luck!
This roast was delicious, easy, and good enough for company. The gravy steals the show! I love it! Thank you!
This recipe REPLACES every other basic pot roast recipe! It comes out very tender and flavorful! I amp up the gravy factor by putting in a whole packet of the gravy mix, but keep all else the same. You will not regret trying this! Make some wide egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or oven roasted fingerlings to go with this, or perhaps some warm, crusty baguette with butter. D*mn it is GOOD!
This recipe is so good!!! It is so easy to put together. It makes me feel like I’m a good cook which I’m not!
I tried this for the first time today and it was wonderful! So easy and so tasteful! It’s my new way to cook a pot roast. My family is coming for dinner next week and guess what? They’re getting pot roast!
TEN STARS! This was delicious. I didn’t even make the gravy. So good.
The yummiest roast with so much flavor & it falls apart!
I tried this recipe last week! It came out amazing!
We love this pot roast!! SO easy!! 🙂 The gravy recipe is delicious as well!!
This is delish & easy! My kids loved it & we’ve eaten the leftovers Twice , it’s a win !