Crock Pot Chuck Roast (SO tender & easy!) (2024)

Published: Sep 18, 2022 by Danielle · This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.

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Season, Sear, Pour, and Go! This Crock Pot Chuck Roast recipe is slow cooker magic! Start with an economical piece of meat and transform it into a succulent and hearty pot roast bathed in a simple gravy. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and a side of vegetables for the easiest comfort food meal you can make.

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Do you ever feel the need to feed your teenage sons a meal that will keep them full longer than an hour? Sometimes I’m desperate for it. You can't go wrong with a roast recipe, so I often turn to this Crock Pot Tri-Tip Roast or today's recipe, Crock Pot Chuck Roast.

While this easy recipe can be made with carrots, potatoes, and onions... I never do. My family likes their pot roast and gravy served over mashed potatoes. If your family prefers vegetables please feel free to add them.

🏅 Why this recipe is great

Only 5 ingredients, and affordable ones at that!
It's fast and easy to make. Just a few minutes of prep in the morning and it will be ready for you at dinner time.
It's has that classic, homemade flavor. It's one of our favorite meals and great for Sunday supper!
It's ultra tender and falls-apart perfectly.
It can be frozen ahead. Next time chuck roast is on sale, grab an extra for the freezer.

🥩 What cut of meat is best for pot roast?

In my opinion a boneless chuck roast is the best option for pot roast. It is affordable and has great marbling throughout, which makes the meat tender, flavorful, and fall-apart tender. I don't find that rump roast comes out as a tender.

🌿 Ingredients

Oil: You can use olive oil or vegetable oil.
Chuck roast: This is my go-to cut of beef for pot roast. When choosing your beef chuck roast, look for one that has good marbling but not too much fat around the outside. If it does, simply trim up the excess.
Seasoning: We use this Pot Roast Seasoning recipe, which combines steak seasoning - I use McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning [affiliate] - and dried thyme. You may substitute fresh, but you will need to use 3x the amount.
Beef broth: You can use canned beef stock or beef bouillon.
Cornstarch: Thickens the juices at the end for a simple gravy.

🔪 How to make Crock Pot chuck roast

Season, sear, pour, and go! Honestly, it’s that simple.You may be tempted to make this in your Instant Pot or dutch oven, but I find that nothing beats the tender roast from a slow cooker (affiliate).

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1. Coat the beef roast in oil, then season roast generously.

2. Sear the meat in a hot skillet to get a golden crust. Place in the Crock Pot.

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3. Simmer the beef broth in the hot skillet for 1 minute, scraping up the bits from the bottom. Pour over the roast.

4. Cook on low heat for 7 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours (low is preferred).

About an hour before the roast is done it is time to thicken the gravy. Dissolve the cornstarch in water to make a cornstarch slurry, then add it directly to the liquid in the slow cooker. Do NOT pour it directly over the meat.

Use a spoon to stir it all together until thoroughly combined. Replace the lid and continue to cook for another hour on low. The roast should be fork tender and come apart very easily when it's done.

👩🏻‍🍳 Serving tips

Before serving I like to separate the meat from the fatty sections. While cooking, the fat keeps the roast tender and flavorful, but at the end it is unappetizing. The simple solution is to place the roast on a cutting board and gently separate the sections of meat from the fat, discarding the fat. Then pour the rich gravy over the top of the roast and serve.

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👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 For a crowd

This is the best Crock Pot roast recipe for a crowd, especially for chilly fall or winter weekend. It's important to not overcrowd the slow cooker. If you are doubling the recipe, try making it in two different crockpots to allow each to cook correctly without drying out.

🥗 What to serve with pot roast

This is the perfect pot roast to serve with mashed potatoes (our go-to are these Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes - no peeling or scrubbing necessary). I also like to serve green beans and a favorite bread, such as these Buttery Dinner Rolls or these Easiest Cream Biscuits.

For a full post with more roast beef sides, check out our 10 best pot roast sides!

🙋 Questions & Answers

Can I prep pot roast ahead or freeze it?

You can season the roast and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate the night before or freeze for the future. If frozen, thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before cooking. Do not freeze the roast after cooking since it will come out dry and tough.

Can I cook Crock Pot chuck roast on high heat?

You can cook your pot roast on high for 3.5-4 hours. However, I find that cooking it on low yields a more tender, moist pot roast.

How do I know when pot roast is done?

Test the pot roast with a fork. If it is undercooked, it will still be tough and chewy. It is done when it is tender, starting to fall apart, and easily breaks apart with the fork.

Can I add vegetables to my Crock Pot chuck roast?

If you prefer to make Crock Pot roast with vegetables you can add carrots, onions, and potatoes (red potatoes, Yukon Gold, or Russet work well). See the recipe card for instructions. Note that baby carrots cook quickly and may be best added part-way through the cook time.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.

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👨🏼‍🍳 Tips & Tricks

Trim the meat before seasoning if it has too much fat around the outer edge.
Make sure your pan is very hot in order to get a good sear.
Simmer the beef broth for a couple seconds before scraping up the bits off the bottom. Adds tons of extra flavor!
Dissolve all the cornstarch in the water before adding to the hot liquid. This will avoid clumpy gravy.

📖 More slow cooker recipes

Have a tri-tip instead? This tender Crock Pot Tri-Tip Roast is a great main dish.
4 Ingredient Potato Soup and White Chicken Chili are ultra-simple Crock Pot recipes the entire family will enjoy.
Smothered Burritos with Slow Cooker Shredded Beef - Make this flavorful shredded beef in the Crock Pot, then shred and turn into cheesy burritos covered in enchilada sauce. Yum!

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Recipe

Crock Pot Chuck Roast (SO tender & easy!)

4.97 from 29 votes

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Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 425kcal

Author: Borrowed Bites

Equipment

▢
Slow Cooker

Ingredients

▢ oil
▢ 3 lb chuck roast trimmed if needed
▢ 2 tablespoon steak seasoning
▢ 1 tablespoon dried thyme
▢ 1 cup beef broth
▢ ⅓ cup water
▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Optional Vegetables

▢ 2 lbs potatoes optional
▢ 1 lb carrots optional
▢ 1 yellow onion optional
▢ 1 tablespoon steak seasoning optional
▢ 1½ teaspoon thyme optional

Instructions

Coat each side of the roast with oil. Combine steak seasoning and thyme in a small bowl. Liberally season both sides of the roast.
oil, 3 lb chuck roast, 2 tablespoon steak seasoning, 1 tablespoon dried thyme
Heat skillet over high heat. Once the skillet is hot, sear each side of the roast for 2-3 minutes. Place roast in slow cooker.
Pour beef broth into skillet. Allow broth to simmer for one minute. Scrape the bits up off the bottom of the skillet. Pour all liquid from skillet into the slow cooker.
1 cup beef broth
*OPTIONAL: If using vegetables wash, peel, and cut them into large pieces. Add them to a large bowl, then drizzle with a little bit of oil. Sprinkle on seasonings and mix until evenly distributed. Top the roast with the vegetables.
2 lbs potatoes, 1 lb carrots, 1 yellow onion, 1 tablespoon steak seasoning, 1½ teaspoon thyme
Cook on low for approximately 7 hours or high for 3.5-4 hours. I prefer low whenever possible.
Around hour 7 (or 3.5-4 if your slow cooker is on high) begin checking for tenderness with a fork. Once the roast just begins to fall apart around the edges, dissolve the cornstarch in the water and pour into the liquid left in the slow cooker. Stir well to combine. Cover and allow to cook for one more hour.
⅓ cup water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
After an hour, the gravy should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it isn't leave the slow cooker on high with the lid off while you prepare the meat in the next step. That will allow extra water to evaporate, thickening the juices.
Before serving, carefully remove meat from slow cooker and place onto a cutting board. Gently separate the meat form the fatty sections. Discard the fat. Place the large chunks of meat on a platter or back in slow cooker to serve.

Notes

Tips & Tricks

Trim the meat before seasoning if it has too much fat around the outer edge.
Make sure your pan is very hot in order to get a good sear.
Simmer the beef broth for a couple seconds before scraping up the bits off the bottom. Adds tons of extra flavor!
Dissolve all the cornstarch in a little water before adding to the hot liquid. This will avoid clumpy gravy.

Prep Ahead Notes

Season the meat and wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of tinfoil. Either refrigerate overnight or freeze. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator for at least 24 hours. Then allow the roast to sit on the counter for 30 minutes before searing it.

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Nutrition

All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.

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This recipe is a simplified and modified version of Joyously Domestic's recipe.

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