After our youngest sister got married, she mentioned that she wanted to master how to make the perfect pot roast.
As the oldest sister, I took it upon myself to show her my ways and all that I have learned after almost 18 years of marriage . . . this is my go-to Pot Roast that is perfect for Sunday dinner.
So, from one sister to another (and anyone else who wants to make the Perfect Pot Roast) – this recipe is for you!
Serve this roast with our Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes! To round out the complete dinner, you could make our 30 Minute Homemade Rolls Recipe, this Layered Green Salad Recipe, and a yummy dessert to serve at the end of the meal. 🙂
You can find the Instant Pot Version of this Perfect Pot Roast Recipe HERE!
Ingredients needed for this Perfect Pot Roast:
- 3-4 pound beef pot roast (I prefer a chuck roast or rump roast, but any kind will work)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste – be generous)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (more to taste – be generous)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (more or less to taste)
- 1 onion, roughly chopped into large pieces
- 1 pound baby carrots3 stalks celery, roughly chopped into large pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves (more or less to taste)
Gravy:
- 3-4 cups drippings (liquid) from the slow cooker after roast is done cooking
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
“I have so much time!” -No mom ever
Get My Meal Plans NOW!Helpful items when making this Pot Roast:
- Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Spatula
- Baster (we like this one)
- Saucepan
How to make our Slow Cooker Perfect Pot Roast Recipe:
Place a large skillet on stove top and heat over medium high heat (preferably a non-stick skillet).
Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
Generously sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic salt on all sides of the pot roast.
Place roast in hot oil on a skillet and let it sear on that side for 2 minutes. Flip the roast over and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Depending on the shape of your pot roast, you can sear the other sides if you choose.
Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place your seared pot roast in the slow cooker.
Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and season with more salt and pepper, if desired.
Using a spatula, scrape the “brown bits” (aka the burnt bits) off the bottom of the skillet as you cook the vegetables (these bits add so much flavor!). Cook for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.
Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute more.
Add the vegetables to the slow cooker, spreading the vegetables all around the roast.
Pour in the beef broth, being sure not to pour it directly on the roast or vegetables because you just cooked them in delicious flavors. Try to pour the beef broth on the sides as much as possible.
Pour the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce directly on the roast. Sprinkle thyme and rosemary evenly around the meat and vegetables.
Place the lid on top of the slow cooker and set timer for 8-10 hours on low heat (it will vary based on your slow cooker – mine is done in 8 hours, but some will take longer) or 4-5 hours on high heat (I highly recommend cooking this roast on low – I have never had it turn out as well when I have cooked it on high. Also, you want your house to smell good alllllll day long).
Remove roast from slow cooker and slice into pieces (it should pretty much fall apart by this point).Serve with mashed potatoes and the cooked carrots on the side.
If making the gravy:
When the roast is done cooking, use a baster (or whatever method you want) to remove the liquid from the slow cooker.
To make gravy, you will want to get at least 3 cups of drippings from the slow cooker. If you don’t have quite enough drippings, you can supplement with a can of beef broth or beef stock (I like to use beef stock for gravy because it’s a little more flavorful).
Place a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.
Add butter to the saucepan and let it melt.
Add flour and use a whisk to whisk flour and melted butter together until it makes a paste (takes about a minute).
Pour in the drippings, whisking the entire time.
Cook for about 4-5 minutes minutes or until the gravy reaches the thickness you prefer.Serve roast with gravy on top and on top of mashed potatoes. It’s literally pot roast perfection.
Do you have to sear this roast?
You don’t HAVE to, but I highly recommend it. The reason you sear it before cooking it is to amplify the flavor (some say that it locks in moisture, but my roasts have turned out just as moist without searing).
When you sear a roast, you are caramelizing the surface of the meat, which just really enhances the flavor. Searing really is the difference between a mediocre roast and an AMAZINGLY flavorful roast.
If you are short on time or are trying to turn this into a freezer meal, then skip the searing and just dump the roast and vegetables into the slow cooker.
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- Instant Pot Three Envelope Pot Roast Sliders
- Slow Cooker Sunday Dinner Pot Roast and Gravy Recipe
- Easy Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast
- Instant Pot Mama’s Pot Roast Recipe
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- Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast!
Slow Cooker Perfect Pot Roast Recipe (and Homemade Gravy)
Ingredients
Pot Roast
- 4 pound beef pot roast 3-4 pounds, (I prefer a chuck roast or rump roast, but any kind will work)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 teaspoon salt (more to taste – be generous)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper (more to taste – be generous)
- ½ teaspoon garlic salt (more or less to taste)
- 1 onion roughly chopped into large pieces
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 3 celery stalks roughly chopped into large pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves (more or less to taste)
Gravy
- 4 cups drippings from slow cooker (liquid) from the slow cooker after roast is done cooking
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Place a large skillet on stove top and heat over medium high heat (perferably a non-stick skillet).
- Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil.
- Generously sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic salt on all sides of the pot roast.
- Place roast in hot oil on a skillet and let it sear on that side for 2 minutes. Flip the roast over and sear the other side for 2 minutes.
- Depending on the shape of your pot roast, you can sear the other sides if you choose.
- Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and place your seared pot roast in the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the hot skillet. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet and season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Using a spatula, scrape the "brown bits" (aka the burnt bits) off the bottom of the skillet as you cook the vegetables (these bits add so much flavor!).
- Cook for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add garlic to the skillet and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the vegetables to the slow cooker, spreading the vegetables all around the roast.
- Pour in the beef broth, being sure not to pour it directly on the roast or vegetables because you just cooked them in delicious flavors. Try to pour the beef broth on the sides as much as possible.
- Pour the Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce directly on the roast. Sprinkle thyme and rosemary evenly around the meat and vegetables.
- Place the lid on top of the slow cooker and set timer for 8-10 hours on low heat (it will vary based on your slow cooker – mine is done in 8 hours, but some will take longer) or 4-5 hours on high heat (I highly recommend cooking this roast on low – I have never had it turn out as well when I have cooked it on high. Also, you want your house to smell good alllllll day long).
- Remove roast from slow cooker and slice into pieces (it should pretty much fall apart by this point).
- Serve with mashed potatoes and the cooked carrots on the side.
If making the gravy:
- When the roast is done cooking, use a baster (or whatever method you want) to remove the liquid from the slow cooker. To make gravy, you will want to get at least 3 cups of drippings from the slow cooker. If you don't have quite enough drippings, you can supplement with a can of beef broth or beef stock (I like to use beef stock for gravy because it's a little more flavorful).
- Place a small saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add butter to the saucepan and let it melt.
- Add flour and use a whisk to whisk flour and melted butter together until it makes a paste (takes about a minute).
- Pour in the drippings, whisking the entire time.
- Cook for about 4-5 minutes minutes or until the gravy reaches the thickness you prefer.
- Serve roast with gravy on top and on top of mashed potatoes.
- It's literally pot roast perfection.
Notes
- Serves 8 (more or less depending on the size of your roast)
Nutrition
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Baster
- Saucepan
- spatula
Recipe Details
Adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen
This post was included in our 7 QUICK 30 minute meals video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!
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