Classic Slow Cooker Beef Chuck Pot Roast with Vegetables
This classic slow cooker pot roast is a complete, all-in-one meal featuring a well-marbled beef chuck roast cooked low and slow with hearty vegetables. Everything cooks together in the crock pot, creating a moist, tender roast surrounded by perfectly softened potatoes, carrots, celery, and onion. It’s a comforting, crowd-pleasing dinner that requires very little hands-on time.
The beef is seasoned generously with coarse kosher salt, cumin, and New Mexico red chili powder, then seared to develop a rich crust before slow cooking. A quick stovetop gravy made from pan drippings, butter, garlic, flour, and beef stock is poured over the roast before it cooks for several hours. Fresh rosemary and bay leaves add a fragrant, savory finish, making this dish flavorful, juicy, and fork-tender.
Classic Slow Cooker Beef Chuck Pot Roast with Vegetables
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes8
minutes~450–500
kcalIngredients
3-pound beef chuck roast (well-marbled)
Red potatoes
4–5 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 medium onion
New Mexico red chili powder
Cumin
Coarse kosher salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups beef stock (or chicken stock)
Olive oil (for searing)
Fresh parsley (for garnish)
Directions
- Prepare and Season the Beef
Start with a 3-pound beef chuck roast that has good marbling. Rinse the meat and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Season generously with coarse kosher salt, making sure the entire surface is coated. Add cumin and New Mexico red chili powder, pressing and rubbing the spices into the meat. Turn the roast over and repeat on the other side. Let it sit while you prepare the vegetables so it can absorb the seasoning. - Prepare the Vegetables
Cut the red potatoes in half. Peel the carrots and chop them into 3- to 4-inch pieces. Chop the celery stalks and coarsely chop the onion. Keep the vegetable pieces fairly large. Place all of the prepared vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. - Sear the Roast
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, place the seasoned chuck roast into the skillet and sear it on all sides until a brown crust forms. This step enhances the flavor and helps lock in the juices. - Transfer to the Crock Pot
Once the roast is fully seared, carefully transfer it to the crock pot and place it on top of the vegetables. - Deglaze and Make the Gravy
In the same skillet used to sear the roast, add 2 tablespoons of butter. As it melts, press in the garlic cloves and sauté briefly. Add 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in 1½ cups of beef stock (or chicken stock) and stir continuously. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for about a minute, allowing it to thicken slightly into a light gravy. - Pour Gravy Over the Roast
Pour the prepared gravy over the roast in the crock pot, making sure it flows down into the vegetables as well. - Add Herbs and Slow Cook
Lay the rosemary sprigs on top of the roast and add the bay leaves. Cover the crock pot, set it to low, and cook for 6 to 8 hours. For best tenderness, cook the full 8 hours, until the roast is fork-tender. - Finish and Serve
Once fully cooked, remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving dish. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving. The meat should be so tender that it pulls apart easily with a fork.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Cooking the roast the full 8 hours on low ensures maximum tenderness. If it isn’t easily pulling apart with a fork at 6 hours, allow it to continue cooking until fully tender.
