Report this ad
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Check out this recipe video!
Best Ever Beef Pot Roast Crock Pot
Pause
Unmute
Loaded: 14.45%
Remaining Time -1:27
Fullscreen
Best Ever Beef Pot Roast Crock Pot (VIDEO)
Beef pot roast is Sunday dinner at its best. Make this recipe as a crock pot roast, or cook it in a Dutch oven. Either way, your family will enjoy juicy meat that is so tender, it practically melts in their mouth! It makes its own au jus, or you can use the juices to make an easy pan gravy.
I love chuck roast in the slow cooker like our Chipotle's Famous Barbacoa and Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches.
Report this ad
Which is better? Beef pot roast crock pot or Dutch oven style?
Dutch Oven
There aren’t many meals with an aroma as wonderful as a Dutch oven pot roast as it’s cooking. Because the meat has to cook for a long time (7 hours!), it is definitely a labor of love.
Also, in addition to the long cook time, making a Dutch oven pot roast on the stovetop requires some extra clean up. As a result, it’s a meal that most of us don’t enjoy making too often.
But the magic of a slow cooker will change all of that!
Slow Cooker
A beef pot roast crockpot recipe is much easier to prep, and it requires less time to cook, too. Crock pot pot roast only takes 5 to 10 minutes to prep, and just over 4 hours to cook.
To save even more time, you can use a slow cooker liner. As a result, cleaning up after the meal will be a snap!
What cut of beef is best for pot roast?
Because of the low and slow cook time, the best cuts of beef to use are those with a good percentage of fat.
Form an image in your mind for a minute, of a steer or heifer walking through a field. As they walk, they use the muscles in their front and hindquarters to help them balance their body. They use their shoulder muscles to hold themselves up.
Report this ad
As a result, the meat around those muscles has a lot of fibrous tissue and fat (marbling). The fibers in those cuts of beef require a long time to break down, making those cuts perfect to use in a recipe for pot roast!
We use boneless chuck roast for this recipe. The chuck cuts come from the shoulder of the animal, and they are available both bone-in as well as boneless.
Helpful Tips to make Best Ever Beef Pot Roast:
- To allow enough room for a large cut of beef, use a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. When I make the beef pot roast crock pot recipe, I use a 6-quart oval slow cooker.
- Although it does require a few extra minutes and an extra pot to wash, searing the meat seals in the juices. That being said, you do not have to brown the meat first. If you are short on time or don’t want the extra mess, just place the raw beef right into the slow cooker.
- You can cook onions, potatoes, and carrots with the beef if you would like to. We didn’t include them in this chuck roast crock pot recipe because we want to keep it low carb and keto-friendly.
- You will know the meat is ready to eat when it becomes fork-tender and is easy to pull apart. If your pot roast is tough, it needs to cook a while longer.
- Be sure to allow the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes before you slice it. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat. If you slice it too soon, all of the juices will run out. As a result, your roast may be too dry.
Report this ad
What you will need to make Best Ever Beef Pot Roast:
- Balsamic vinegar - In every recipe, the flavor ingredients are pretty important, but to be honest I have made this recipe with everyday grocery store balsamic vinegar and not the expensive stuff.
- Slow Cooker - the slow cooker is almost my most used kitchen appliance, especially during fall/winter! It's just so convenient, and lets face it, it makes comfort-food taste even better!
- Dutch oven - I love this set and use it all the time. It is perfect for roasts and I especially love it for my one-pot meals.
- Beef Stock - I prefer to use stocks over broths. They are richer and more flavorful. I have settled on this brand for it's flavor and that it is not overfully salty. So I can buy the regular and not have to get the unsalted (which IMO unsalted is always less flavorful).
Recipe FAQs (frequently asked questions)
Here are some answers to common questions about how to make a beef pot roast crock pot recipe. The notes in the recipe card at the end of this post also explain how to make a Dutch oven pot roast.
What size slow cooker should I use?
To allow enough room for a large cut of beef, use a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. When I make the beef pot roast crock pot recipe, I use a 6-quart oval slow cooker.
Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the crockpot?
Although it does require a few extra minutes and an extra pot to wash, searing the meat seals in the juices. That being said, you do not have to brown the meat first. If you are short on time or don’t want the extra mess, just place the raw beef right into the slow cooker.
Report this ad
Do you cook vegetables with the meat?
You can cook onions, potatoes, and carrots with the beef if you would like to. We didn’t include them in this chuck roast crock pot recipe because we want to keep it low carb and keto-friendly.
Why is my pot roast tough?
You will know the meat is ready to eat when it becomes fork-tender and is easy to pull apart. If your pot roast is tough, it needs to cook a while longer.
Be sure to allow the roast to rest for at least 15 minutes before you slice it. This allows the juices to redistribute into the meat. If you slice it too soon, all of the juices will run out. As a result, your roast may be too dry.
How do you make gravy?
Some people prefer to serve pot roast with au jus, which is just cooking juices that are strained to remove any meat or fat solids. If you want to make gravy from the juices, it is incredibly easy.
Again, to keep the beef pot roast recipe keto, we will not use flour to make the gravy. Instead, we use a low carb thickener known as xanthan gum.
Report this ad
To make pan gravy:
- If desired, use a strainer to separate any solids from the cooking juices.
- Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the hot au jus and stir to combine.
- Continue stirring for a couple of minutes, until a rich, thick gravy forms.
What should I serve with pot roast?
Some favorite side dishes to serve with beef pot roast are:
- Mashed potatoes
- Mac and cheese
- Dinner rolls - For a real treat, make these Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls!