Kitchen notes · a little help before you start

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Name: Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 435 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 pound chuck roast; As Needed salt; As Needed Black pepper; 2 1/2 cups beef broth; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; 1 each bay leaf; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 each onion (peeled and cut into wedges); 2 pounds small Yukon gold potatoes (whole or halved); 1 pound carrots (peeled, halved and cut into 2 inch pieces); 3 slices bacon; 2 tablespoons corn starch; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

A tender pot roast with warm gravy makes dinner feel welcoming before the first slice is served. The vegetables share the savory cooking juices, ready to gather around the beef on a platter. Spoon over the finished gravy and bring everyone to the table while it is hot.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 420 min
Total: 435 min
Original yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 17 listed

Make it part of your week

Estimating…

Main courseAmericanPorkPrep: 15 minutes or lessTotal: over 60 minutesRoastingSlow cookerBaked & roasted

Recipe categories & planning details

Meal type: Main course
Primary protein: Pork
Cuisine: American
Cooking method: Roasting · Baked & roasted · Slow cooker
Preparation & total time: Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes

A few quick notes

1. Brown the seasoned roast

Season the beef all over, then brown each side in hot oil before moving it into the slow cooker.

2. Keep the vegetables underneath

Arrange the onions, carrots and potatoes in the seasoned liquid before setting the browned roast on top of them.

3. Strain before gravy

Pass the cooking liquid through a strainer and skim off fat before simmering it in the saucepan for gravy.

Get to know the ingredients

Large vegetable pieces

Keep carrots and potatoes in substantial pieces. Smaller pieces can turn mushy during the long cooking.

Bacon slices

Lay the bacon over the roast before cooking. It and the bay leaf are discarded when the meat comes out.

Cornstarch slurry

Whisk cornstarch with the specified cold water before adding it to the simmering juices and boiling until just thickened.

The last little job

Gravy over the platter

Arrange the roast and vegetables together, pour over the thickened sauce and sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

A little more help as you go

Keep the listed liquid

Avoid adding extra liquid. The beef releases more as it cooks in the covered slow cooker.

A day-ahead dinner

You can make this a day ahead. Store covered, then reheat in a 325°F oven until warmed through.

A few questions you might have

Should the tomato paste be spread on the beef?

Whisk it into the broth with the Worcestershire sauce and seasonings in the slow cooker before arranging the vegetables.

What cut of beef is listed?

The recipe uses a four-pound chuck roast, browned in a pot before it is placed over the vegetables.

Does the bay leaf stay on the platter?

Discard it after cooking, along with the bacon. The beef and vegetables go onto the serving platter together.

What setting does the slow cooker use?

Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours, with the bacon laid across the top of the roast.

How long does the gravy boil?

Boil for about a minute after adding the slurry, or until the gravy has just thickened, then pour it over the platter.

Any more cooking tips?

Make sure to cut your carrots and potatoes into large pieces so that they do not get mushy during the long cooking time. Do not be tempted to add more liquid to the pot. The meat will release a lot of liquid as it cooks. This dish is even better when made a day in advance. Store the roast and vegetables in a covered dish, then reheat in the oven at 325 degrees F until warmed through.

Storage & reheating safety

For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.

These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures

Recipe source: dinneratthezoo.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.

Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.

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