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This Pot Roast Crockpot Recipe is comfort food at its finest! Vegetables, roast beef and savory gravy cook it all together low and slow in a crockpot until tenderly falling apart. Serve alone or with some buttery mashed potatoes for maximum deliciousness.

Basic pot roast recipe
With the winter months approaching, it’s time to bring out my familiar Pot Roast Crockpot Recipe! Everyone should have a fantastic pot roast recipe in their arsenal. This is mine and I’m excited to share it with you today! First brown your meat and then add it to the crockpot with some onions, garlic, carrots and thyme. Finish it off with a little beef broth and broth and you’re done. After 4-6 hours on the high, you’ll have a cuttable, super tender roast with tasty veggies to serve with. Thicken the sauce and serve! It’s the perfect Sunday dinner or rib-y weeknight dinner.

A few tips for success before we begin
Make sure you sear your meat first. This adds great flavor and really only adds an extra 10 minutes total. Also, be sure to find a can of beef broth. This adds a stronger beef flavor that you can’t get from stock or broth. I use Campbell’s.
Which cut of meat do I use for pot roast?
The most common cut of meat you’ll need for a classic pot roast is a boneless cut roast beef. It comes off the cow’s shoulder and is generally chewy but has great marbling that makes for a buttery, tender and moist end product. I used a 3-4 pound roast, which is the perfect size for a family of 6-8, but this recipe can be easily adapted with a smaller or larger roast. Just make sure your crockpot is big enough for a larger cut of meat.
If you can’t find a chuck roast, look for a boneless brisket or a round bottom roast.
How to Make a Crockpot Pot Roast
Most pot roast recipes call for many of the same ingredients. While some ask for tomatoes and/or red wine, mine doesn’t, mainly because I don’t like it that way. You are welcome to add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and replace half of the beef broth with red wine. For full recipe details, including ingredients and increments needed, see the printable recipe card below. Here’s what you can expect when preparing this recipe:
Preparation + brown roast
Removed roast meat remove from refrigerator, unwrap and blot with paper towels to remove moisture. Let sit for 45 minutes to an hour to bring to room temperature. Sprinkle generously with it Salt and Pepper. heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown on all sides and transfer to the crockpot.
Add vegetables, liquids + spices
Cover with Beef Broth, Beef Broth, Worcestershire Sauce, Carrots, Onions, Garlic, Thyme, Bay Leaves, and more Salt and pepper if desired.

Cover + cook on high
Cover with a lid and Cook on high for 4-6 hours.
If your roast is on the small side, it will take less time to cook. If your roast is on the larger side, it will take longer to cook. The roast is done when it is very tender.
Make the sauce
I use this fat separator from OXO and it not only separates the fat from the cooking juices but also removes any large chunks that you may have missed that you don’t want in your sauce.
Separate the fat from the cooking liquid for the sauce
With a slotted spoon Remove roast Place in a shallow bowl and set aside. Remove carrots and onions and place in a serving platter. Put aside. Pour in the cooking liquid through a fat separator. throw away fat Measure out 2 cups of hot cooking liquid.
Add butter + flour to the hot cooking liquid and return to the crockpot
Stir in a large bowl butter and flour together until a smooth paste is formed. Pour the hot cooking liquid in the butter and flour mixture and stir to thicken. The heat of the liquid should melt the butter and flour mixture and thicken it fairly quickly. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker and stir to create a sauce. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes.
Shred meat + serve
Remove fat from meat and shred. Place in a serving bowl with the carrots. Pour hot sauce over and serve. Mashed potatoes optional!
What to serve with pot roast
Oh, the possibilities are endless! Here are my favorite sides to serve:

What do I do if my roast is tough?
Your pot roast is probably tough because you didn’t cook it long enough. As the meat cooks, it gets tougher and tougher until it reaches its tearing point and all the connective tissue and fat begins to relax and melt.
So if you think your meat is done but still tough, let it cook for another hour or so. The longer you cook it, the more tender it should become. Keep it up!

Storage of leftover pot roast
Place the pot roast in an airtight container with some crockpot juices to keep the meat moist and place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the sauce in a separate airtight container.
Freeze: Allow the shredded roast to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or freezer-safe airtight bag with some pan juices (to keep moist). Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Can I do this in advance?
Yes absolutely! Just follow the directions on the recipe card, then pack everything in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Serve: reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Can I cook this on the stovetop and/or in the oven?
Yes! The crockpot is mainly used for braising and luckily we can braise in the oven with a dutch oven. Simply sear the meat in the Dutch Oven on the stovetop, add the remaining ingredients, cover and place in a 450 degree oven for 4-6 hours or until the meat is very tender.

Like pot roast? Try these other recipes:
The printable recipe card is below. If you make this awesome Pot Roast Crockpot Recipe I would be so grateful if you gave it a star rating. Have a great week friends! 🙂

Pot Roast Crockpot Recipe
This Pot Roast Crockpot Recipe is comfort food at its finest! Vegetables, roast beef and savory gravy cook it all together low and slow in a crockpot until tender.
instructions
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Remove roast from fridge, unwrap and pat dry with kitchen paper to remove moisture. Let sit for 45 minutes to an hour to bring to room temperature. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown on all sides and place in the crockpot.
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Cover with beef consommé, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, carrots, onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and salt and pepper, if desired. Cover with lid and cook on high for 4-6 hours. If your roast is on the small side, it will take less time to cook. If your roast is on the larger side, it will take longer to cook. The roast is done when it is very tender.
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Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a shallow bowl and set aside. Remove carrots and onions and place in a serving bowl. Put aside. Pour the cooking liquid through a fat separator. Discard fat and measure out 2 cups of hot cooking liquid.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and flour until you have a smooth paste. Pour the hot cooking liquid into the butter and flour mixture and stir to thicken. The heat of the liquid should thicken it fairly quickly. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker and stir to create a sauce. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes.
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While the sauce is warming, trim excess fat from the meat and shred the rest. Return the meat and carrots to the sauce and serve. OR serve separately with gravy over meat and carrots.
Remarks
PREPARATION FOR SPARKS: In the Dutch oven on the stovetop, brown the meat, add the remaining ingredients, cover and place in a 450 degree oven for 4-6 hours or until the meat is very tender . Remove all the ingredients with a slotted spoon and direct the cooking liquid into a fat separator. Discard the fat and pour 2 cups of the cooking liquid back into the hot pot. Stir in the butter and flour mixture to thicken the sauce. You can quickly bring to thick sauce over medium heat. Remove fat from meat and shred leftovers. Return the meat and cooked vegetables to the sauce and serve.
nutrition
Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 20G | Protein: 47G | Fat: 35G | Saturated Fatty Acids: fifteenG | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 774mg | Potassium: 1442mg | Fiber: 5G | Sugar: 9G | Vitamin A: 25445ie | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 6mg