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Crock Pot Roast Beef

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Slow Cooker Roast Beef is tender, juicy and full of flavor. This easy recipe will turn non-roast beef lovers into raving fans once they’ve tried this delicious pot roast! It is the ultimate comfort food that the entire family will love.

overhead shot of roast beef, potatoes, and carrots in a crock pot.

Slow Cooker Beef Roast Recipe

This was the first recipe I ever made in my crock pot. I had a very basic slow cooker, with only “high”, “low” and “warm” as my options. It didn’t have any timers either, so I ran home from work & turned this on during my lunch hour.

About five hours later, I came home and switched it to low for about 45 minutes while I finished up other things around the house. 

I have since moved to a more sophisticated slow cooker but that simple one got the job done just the same!

Why you’ll love Slow Cooker Roast Beef Recipe

  • Easy Dinner – All it takes is a little effort to and just minutes of prep in the morning and then by dinner time, you’ll be ready to eat!
  • Full Nutritious Meal- While you can opt to add more vegetables and other things, this recipe has a meat, a starch and a vegetable already done for you in one container. 
  • Perfect Sunday Dinner- If you’re after a new recipe with fall apart tender beef for Sunday comfort food, this one is for you!

I’m generally more of a crock pot chicken girl so I enlisted the market butcher for help in picking the best roast. The name of the cut I got was “English Cut Chuck Roast”. He promised that it would fall apart in your mouth and would be delicious. He did NOT lie.

This quick and easy dish has now become a staple in our meal plan as it’s so simple and delicious. I love that this slow cooking recipe includes tender potatoes and perfectly cooked carrots to help round out our dinner plates. 

Slow cooker meals have become a regular thing for us. There’s something so satisfying about doing a little prep work in the morning, tossing the ingredients together, and then having dinner ready to go when you get home. If effortless meals with so much flavor are your thing, slow cooking is a great way to make that happen.

Try out my favorite Easy Slow Cooker Ravioli Lasagna, Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup, or a classic, Creamy Italian Crockpot Chicken.

plate full of roast beef, potatoes, and carrots.

Equipment needed to make Crockpot Roast Beef

  • Slow Cooker – Like I said, basic will do the job but I really like this one.
  • Kitchen Knife – A high quality knife makes prep easy.
  • Mixing Bowls – I love having a variety of sizes for mixing up sauces (…or cookies).

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Roast Beef

Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.

  • BEEF – I ask the butcher for a 2-3 pound “Beef English Cut Chuck Roast”.
  • POTATOES – I like to use yukon gold or red skin potatoes. If you’re using small potatoes, there’s no need to cut them, just scrub them and throw them into the bottom of the crock pot. If they’re larger, cut them into similar sized pieces.
  • CARROTS – I always have baby carrots on hand for snacking so that’s what I generally use but if you have full size carrots, scrub them, peel them, and cut them into 1-2″ chunks.
  • PEPPER – Cracked black peppercorns give great flavor.
  • GARLIC – Two cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and smashed.
  • BALSAMIC VINEGAR – Balsamic vinegar is tart with a bit of sweetness that really comes out when it is cooked down. It almost has a red wine like quality that is a bit fruity but subtle.
  • SOY SAUCE – I use low sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness. Coconut aminos can also be used.
  • WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE – I won’t ask you to say it but worcestershire sauce has a sweet and sour flavor that comes from unami and anchovies or soy sauce.
  • DRY MUSTARD – Dry mustard is acidic and a bit tangy.
  • ONION – I like to use a mild yellow onion but red or white can also be used.
  • MONTREAL STEAK SEASONING – Montreal steak seasoning is a blend that I use all the time. It has dried onion, garlic, peppers and more that works well in many dishes. I pick mine up at Costco or Sam’s (in bulk size) but you should be able to find it at any market.
overhead shot of labeled ingredients laid out to make roast beef.

How to make Slow Cooker Roast Beef

  1. STEP ONE: First, place the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  2. STEP TWO: Next, make several slits in the top of the roast and lay it on top of the potatoes and carrots.
  3. STEP THREE: Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients and pour it over the roast. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
  4. STEP FOUR: Shred and serve!
collage of 4 photos showing the process of making beef, potatoes, & carrots in the slow cooker.

What to serve with your roast

You can’t go wrong with a few extra side dishes with this easy roast beef recipe. One of my favorite things to serve with roast beef is a nice side of mac n cheese! Talk about a comfort meal. 

Drop biscuits also goes well with beef to soak up some of the rich gravy, but if you’re looking for more veggies, I recommend some oven roasted green beans or sauteed asparagus.

If you aren’t too full after your roast beef dinner, indulge in some classic dark chocolate brownies or red velvet swirl cheesecake brownies

Wash down your roast beef with any of our drink recipes. 

Possible Substitutions/Additions 🥩

  • You can also choose to roast your potatoes in the oven and then toss them in as you’re getting ready to serve if you prefer. 
  • Feel free to add in other hearty vegetables that hold up well in the slow cooker. 
  • To thicken the gravy, make a cornstarch slurry. Remove 3 TB of the drippings to a small bowl and whisk in 2 TB of cornstarch then pour back into the slow cooker. Stir to distribute.

How to store leftovers

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze slow cooker beef for later. Simply let it cool down all the way, store in a freezer safe airtight container or zip top bag and use within 4 months. 

How to reheat

To reheat your roast beef, potatoes and carrots, toss everything in a microwave safe bowl or plate and microwave or reheat on the stove. If you have leftover broth or meat juices, it’s a good idea to toss them in too so they aren’t dry when you reheat them. 

closeup of beef, potatoes, and carrots on a platter topped with parsley.

FAQs

What temperature does roast beef have to cook until? 

You can cook your beef to different temps depending on your preferences. Use a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast to see what your internal temperature is to determine how your beef is cooked. 

Here are beef temperatures to refer to: 

  • Medium rare – 131°F
  • Medium – 140°F
  • Medium well – 149°F
  • Well done 158°F

What’s the difference between pot roast and roast beef?

The biggest difference between pot roast and roast beef is that pot roast is cooked in a liquid like wine, stock or beef broth while roast beef is cooked dry. Learn more here.

Do you have to brown the beef before cooking?

No, you don’t have to brown your beef before you add it to the slow cooker. You certainly can, and some people recommend it, but I find it to take away from the ease of slow cooking.

Which cut of beef should I ask for?

I recommend asking the butcher or looking for a chuck roast. It’s a tough cut of meat but by slow cooking it for hours, it will break down beautifully. I ask for “English Cut Chuck Roast” which is from the shoulder. Other names might be cross rib pot roast or chuck roast.

Can I prep ingredients ahead? 

Yes, if you want to save yourself some prep time, prepare the carrots and potatoes the night before so all you have to do in the morning is dump it all in. I’d let them soak in a bowl of cold water to ensure that the potatoes don’t brown on you.

Need more slow cooker beef recipes? Try these:

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
Crockpot Lasagna
4 ingredient Italian Beef Sandwiches
Guinness Beef Stew

Click here for my entire collection of slow cooker recipes.

overhead shot of roast beef, potatoes, and carrots on a platter.
overhead shot of roast beef, potatoes, and carrots in a crock pot.

Crock Pot Roast Beef

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates
Slow Cooker Roast Beef is tender, juicy and full of flavor. This easy recipe will turn non-roast beef lovers into raving fans once they’ve tried this delicious pot roast! It is the ultimate comfort food that the entire family will love.
4.62 from 21 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 455 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 pounds small yukon gold or red skin potatoes
  • 1 pound carrots cut into 1" chunks (or baby carrots)
  • 2 -3 lb Beef English Cut Chuck Roast
  • 1 Tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
  • cloves garlic smashed
  • 3 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup soy sauce can use low sodium
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning

Instructions
 

  • Place the washed potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with the chopped carrots.
  • Make several slits in the top of the roast and then place it on top of the carrots & potatoes in the slow cooker.
  • Add all remaining ingredients to a small bowl. Whisk together then pour half over the roast, flip the roast, and pour half on the bottom side.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
  • Optional: To thicken the gravy, remove 3 TB of the drippings to a small bowl and whisk in 2 TB of cornstarch then pour back into the slow cooker. Stir to distribute.

Notes

Use small yellow potatoes (yukon gold) or red skins. Make sure to scrub them and pat dry before use. If large, cut them in half. 
You can use either baby carrots or full size carrots, peeled & cut into approximately 1″ pieces.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 764mgPotassium: 1500mgFiber: 7gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 12699IUVitamin C: 36mgCalcium: 104mgIron: 6mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published August 24, 2011

Slow Cooker Roast Beef | Persnickety Plates
Slow Cooker Roast Beef | Persnickety Plates
Simple & Delicious Crock Pot Roast Beef {Persnickety Plates}



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  1. Sharina says

    5 stars
    This crock pot roast beef is bursting with flavors! It was so scrumptious and it melted in our mouths. New addition to our on repeat recipes!

  2. Kara says

    5 stars
    I had russet potatoes that needed to be used, so I chopped them up in place of the yukon golds. Still turned out amazing with so much flavor! I hid the leftovers to make sure I got them. Haha!

  3. Andie says

    5 stars
    You had me at crockpot – May is crazy for me, so finding gems like this ARE sooooo helpful! My whole family loved it.

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