Best Crockpot Pot Roast

Prep Time 15 minutes
8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
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This easy crock pot pot roast recipe has been passed down in my family for years! It uses a few unique ingredients to create a flavorful and extra tender pot roast in an irresistibly rich and savory beef gravy.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe

Honestly, I wish I could give you a bite through the screen! This pot roast recipe is seriously to die for. Here are some of the reasons we love it:

  • Unique: This family recipe includes the BEST pot roast gravy you will ever taste made with a few surprising ingredients. Just trust me on this one!
  • Tender: The flavorful beef is so tender it literally falls apart from slow cooking all day in the rich homemade gravy.
  • Comfort Food: This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of dinner that will have the whole family going back for seconds! Don’t forget the mashed potatoes and soft rolls!
  • Easy: Making pot roast in the crockpot is simple and hands off! Sear the beef and add everything to the crockpot in the morning and let the slow cooker do all the hard work!

Love easy beef crockpot dinners? Try my crockpot Birria, slow cooker chili or fall themed slow cooker beef stew with apple cider!

Ingredients for crockpot pot roast recipe arranged on a wooden surface from top to bottom: gravy packets, pepper, cornstarch, oil, soy sauce, coffee, Worcestershire, garlic, beef roast, red wine, carrots, mushrooms and onions.

What You Will Need For This Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

This fall-apart-tender pot roast includes a few unique ingredients you wouldnโ€™t expect. We call them the “secret ingredients” because no one would ever guess what goes into our pot roast! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

  • Brown Gravy Mix: Make sure to grab the low sodium kind. If you don’t want to use gravy packets, check the variations section below for an alternative.
  • Cornstarch: To thicken up the gravy.
  • Coffee: Plain brewed coffee adds an amazing depth of flavor.
  • Red Wine: I always use cabernet, but feel free to use any dry red wine. Replace with extra beef broth, if needed.
  • Soy Sauce: Surprising I know, but I promise you won’t know it’s in there!
  • Worcestershire Sauce: For rich umami flavor.
  • Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the best flavor.
  • Black Pepper: Similarly, freshly ground black pepper is best here.
  • Oil: You’ll need oil to sear the roast before placing it in the crockpot.
  • Roast: Beef chuck roast, bottom round roast, or a similar cut of beef.
  • Carrots: Baby carrots, or full sized carrots that are peeled and chopped.
  • Onion: I like to use yellow onion for their sweetness, but a white will work as well.
  • Mushrooms: I use sliced portobello mushrooms. These are optional, but taste FANTASTIC in the gravy!
A spoon drizzling brown gravy over a serving of crockpot pot roast.

How to Cook a Roast in a Crock Pot

Alright, let’s talk about how this crock pot pot roast comes together. The steps are simple, you will be on your way in no time! Scroll down to the recipe card for full detailed instructions. 

  • Gravy: Whisk together the gravy packets and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in coffee so that there are no lumps. Then whisk in wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and black pepper.
  • Sear: In a large heavy bottomed skillet, over medium high heat, add oil. Then, add the meat and sear it on all sides.
  • Combine: Transfer the meat to the crockpot. Top it with carrots, onion, and mushrooms. Pour the gravy mix on top and place the lid on the slow cooker.
  • Cook: Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is fork tender.
  • Shred: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it into chunks with two forks. Stir the gravy and vegetables to combine.
  • Serve: Add the beef back to the crockpot to combine, or serve it as is with the gravy on the side.
A serving of crockpot pot roast in a rich brown beef gravy with carrots, onions and mushrooms served over a bed of mashed potatoes with a fork.

Tips for Success & Recipe Variations

There are a few simple go-to rules when making a slow cooker pot roast that I always abide by.

  • Cooking Time: I have tried speeding up my pot roast and setting my crockpot on high, but my roast just never gets tender enough and your gravy can burn! If you want a meltingly tender roast, low and slow is best.
  • Sear The Roast: While some people believe that searing meat holds in its juices, that myth has been proven false. However, it does caramelize the surface of the meat, which enhances the flavor and adds an extra depth of flavor to the roast!
  • Large Chopped Vegetables: If the chopped veggies are too small, they might become too soft while the beef is still cooking. Using larger pieces will help keep them intact.
  • Add Potatoes: If you use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, you don’t need to peel them. Just chop them into bite-size pieces before adding them to the crockpot.
  • No Gravy Packets: If you prefer not to use gravy packets, add 1/2 cup additional cornstarch and 2 tablespoons granulated beef bouillon instead.

Serving Suggestions

There are a few classic side dishes that we love to serve alongside this crockpot pot roast:

A spoon drizzling brown gravy over a serving of crockpot pot roast.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Crock Pot Pot Roast

If you’ve got leftover pot roast, save it for later in the week or freeze it. It makes a great lunch or quick dinner for another night!

  • Fridge: Let your pot roast cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: Spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat for a couple of minutes in the microwave. I recommend stirring halfway through cooking to ensure everything is heated evenly. If your gravy has thickened, add a little broth to thin as needed.
  • Freeze: Transfer cooled pot roast to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer to fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
Crock pot pot roast with a rich brown gravy served over a bed of mashed potatoes on a plate.
4.5 from 888 votes
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Yield: 8 servings

Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe

This easy crock pot roast is an old family recipe with surprising ingredients that combine to make a super flavorful and extra tender pot roast swimming in a rich brown gravy.
Prep Time15 minutes
8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 (1 oz) packets low-sodium brown gravy mix
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup brewed coffee
  • 8 oz red wine, like a cabernet
  • ยฝ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 8 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 lb bottom round or chuck roast
  • 1 lb baby carrots, or whole carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms

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Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together gravy packets and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the coffee so there are no lumps. Then whisk in the wine, soy sauce,ย worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Add meat and quickly sear on all sides. Transfer meat to a 7+ quart crockpot.
  • Top meat with carrots, onion and mushrooms. Pour gravy mix on top and place lid on slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until meat is fork tender.
  • Remove pot roast from slow cooker and shred into chunks with two forks. Stir gravy and vegetables to combine.
  • Serve pot roast topped with gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.

Video

Notes

Store: Let your pot roast cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Transfer cooled pot roast to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer to fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat for a couple of minutes in the microwave. I recommend stirring halfway through cooking to ensure everything is heated evenly. If your gravy has thickened, add a little broth to thin as needed.
Large Chopped Vegetables: If the chopped veggies are too small, they might become too soft while the beef is still cooking. Using larger pieces will help keep them intact.
Add Potatoes: If you use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, you donโ€™t need to peel them. Just chop them into bite-size pieces before adding them to the crockpot.
No Gravy Packets: If you prefer not to use gravy packets, add 1/2 cup additional cornstarch and 2 tablespoons granulated beef bouillon instead.
Instant Pot: This recipe originally had instructions to also be made in the instant pot, however so many people were having burn issues that I removed those instructions. If you would still like to try it that way, try at your own risk! When I make it in the instant pot, I cook it on manual, High Pressure for 135 minutes and do a natural pressure release.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 418kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 105mg, Sodium: 806mg, Potassium: 1125mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 7828IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 5mg

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5 stars
YES!! This was delicious! Not too strong tasting OR bitter. My grocery store was out of low sodium soy sauce so I used less regular soy and mixed it with a bit of water. And I used jarlic. The gravy was a bit thick for my personal preference. But I can just adjust it for next time.

5 stars
This recipe was fantastic! I followed it exactly as written and it turned out amazing. I will be making this again and already canโ€™t wait! Iโ€™ve shared this with friends and family.

I cooked it on the 10-hour low setting but it was done in 8. We served over mashed potatoes.

You wonโ€™t be disappointed in this recipe!!

5 stars
Absolutely delicious!!!

Iโ€™m normally really good about reading comments before I try a new recipeโ€ฆ but Iโ€™m so glad I didnโ€™t this time! This recipe sounded so good to me that I threw it all in the crockpot during a polar freeze in Denver and after that I read the incredibly split 50/50 reviews. I have no idea how anyone could make this recipe and not like it! This is so flavorful and delicious! I didnโ€™t have low sodium gravy mix, and I used full amount of recommended soy sauce and it wasnโ€™t too salty and definitely didnโ€™t taste bitter. We canโ€™t wait for leftovers tomorrow. This recipe will become a permanent staple in our household. Thank you, delish!!!

5 stars
It was really good.

Maybe a dumb question, but how big should the roast be?

Anyone ever made this recipe in a Dutch Oven before? I expect it would still have the same flavours, but what about temp and time…

I do not have low sodium gravy packets, how much will that effect flavor?

5 stars
This was so good! Altered it a tiny bit , only used 2 gravy packets and updated the amounts but this recipe is amazing !

5 stars
This was absolutely delicious! Huge hit in our household. Not sure how the person below said theirs tasted like chemicalsโ€ฆ.

This was the most DISGUSTING thing I have ever made! To much chemical taste, too acidic! Just awful! Would never use this recipe again!!

1 star
Agreed! What a waste of roast. I did not like this gravy at all.

This may sound dumb.
But am I making the gravy according to package, then adding the cornstarch and stuff….or just the packets themselves, and adding the rest?

Is there a substitute for the wine? I see broth recommended but I don’t have that on hand.

My family prefers sliced meat instead of shredded if let it sit. Can I slice it ?

Hi, can I replace the meat with a sirloin tip roast or a top round roast? Which would probably be better?
Thanks!

7 hours into cooking and realized I only used 1 packet of gravy. Do you think it will still turn out ok? Any suggestions?

Can I cook this on high instead of low? If so, how long?

Can you use an angus shoulder roast with this recipe?

Hi! Do I have to use coffee? I read how it wonโ€™t effect the flavour but Iโ€™d like to know if I can substitute it for anything. Thanks!

Hello. You said you removed the instant pot version because of burn notice. For people to avoid that they need to turn the pot off and deglaze the bottom to get off all the stuck pieces. Hope this helps other people.

Would like to make this for my in laws but one of them has been sober for over a year. Iโ€™d like to replace the wine with something else. Any suggestions?

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Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.