Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast
A 3-pound chuck roast, one packet of onion soup mix and a handful of vegetables go into the slow cooker and come out fork-tender eight hours later.
A pot roast is really a timing problem, not a cooking problem. Chuck roast is full of tough connective tissue, and it needs hours of gentle heat before it gives up and turns soft. Eight hours on low in a slow cooker does that work for you while you're at your desk.
This version keeps the shopping list short. One packet of dried onion soup mix does the seasoning job of a whole spice rack, and you don't have to chop a single herb. Add a diced onion, three gold potatoes and three carrots, pour in half a cup of water, and walk away.
The roast comes out tender enough to pull apart with two forks, and the vegetables soak up the beefy onion liquid at the bottom of the pot. Five servings, one pot, and almost nothing to wash.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Season the roast
Set the chuck roast in a 7-quart (6.5 liter) slow cooker and season both sides with salt and pepper. Use more than feels necessary; the vegetables and liquid will dilute it.
2. Add the soup mix
Sprinkle the whole packet of dried onion soup mix over the top of the roast. It will look like a lot of dry powder. That's correct.
3. Pile in the vegetables
Scatter the diced onion, potatoes and carrots around and on top of the meat. Pour the half cup of water down the side of the pot so it doesn't wash the seasoning off the roast.
4. Cook it low and slow
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The roast is done when a fork twists easily in the center and the meat pulls apart with almost no resistance.
5. Serve with the juices
Lift the roast out carefully; it may break apart. Spoon the vegetables and cooking liquid over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
How to Store Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Refrigerator
Keep the roast and vegetables in the cooking liquid in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The liquid keeps the meat from drying out.
Freezer
Freeze the meat, vegetables and some juices together for up to 3 months. Leave headspace in the container and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheating
Warm gently in a covered pot on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of the cooking liquid. High heat will toughen the meat.
Delicious Variations
- Add two tablespoons of minced garlic rubbed over the seasoned roast before the soup mix goes on.
- Swap the water for 1 cup of beef broth for a deeper gravy, and reduce the salt you add to the meat.
- Use small yellow baby potatoes whole instead of diced gold potatoes; they hold up well over eight hours.
- Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch into the reserved juices and simmer to make a thicker gravy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a different cut of beef?
Chuck is the best choice because it has enough fat and connective tissue to survive eight hours. If you use a leaner cut like round, check it earlier and expect a drier result.
Q: Do I need to brown the roast first?
No. This recipe skips searing, and the long cook time still gives you tender meat. Searing adds color and flavor, but it isn't required and it adds a pan to wash.
Q: Why is my pot roast dry?
Usually the roast was too lean or the lid came off too often. Chuck with visible marbling, a closed lid and the full eight hours on low give the best result.
Q: Can I add the vegetables later?
Yes. If you want firmer carrots and potatoes, add them in the last 3 hours on low. The onion can go in at the start either way.
Q: How do I know the roast is done without a timer?
Twist a fork in the thickest part. If it turns with little resistance and the meat starts to shred, it's ready. If it fights back, give it more time.
Q: Can I cook it on high the whole time?
You can, for 4 to 5 hours. Low and slow gives a more tender result, so use high only when you're short on time.
Get the roast in the pot before you leave for the day and dinner is handled. Serve it over egg noodles or rice and spoon the juices on top.
Best Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast With Onion Soup Mix
A 3-pound chuck roast, one packet of onion soup mix and a handful of vegetables go into the slow cooker and come out fork-tender eight hours later.
Servings: 5
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Season the roast — Set the chuck roast in a 7-quart (6.5 liter) slow cooker and season both sides with salt and pepper. Use more than feels necessary; the vegetables and liquid will dilute it.
- 2Add the soup mix — Sprinkle the whole packet of dried onion soup mix over the top of the roast. It will look like a lot of dry powder. That's correct.
- 3Pile in the vegetables — Scatter the diced onion, potatoes and carrots around and on top of the meat. Pour the half cup of water down the side of the pot so it doesn't wash the seasoning off the roast.
- 4Cook it low and slow — Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The roast is done when a fork twists easily in the center and the meat pulls apart with almost no resistance.
- 5Serve with the juices — Lift the roast out carefully; it may break apart. Spoon the vegetables and cooking liquid over egg noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.
Questions or cooking notes?
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