Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast is a delicious roast dinner that cooks all together in your slow cooker or crockpot. The delicious roasting meat juices are absorbed by the vegetables and there are plenty of beef juices for gravy too.

Why should I make Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast?

This is a fabulous one-pot recipe. All the flavour from the beef is soaked up by the root vegetables as it cooks. The long, slow cooking means that the beef is tender and it even makes a delicious stock to make into a gravy.

It’s also a perfect family dinner that you can prepare in the morning and leave to cook on its own all day. You can serve it as it is or with more fresh vegetables. You can even make it the day before if that suits you and then reheat and serve the following day.

What ingredients do I need for the pot roast?

You will need

• vegetable oil
• beef joint
• onion
• parsnips
• carrots
• potatoes
• beef stock
• salt
• ground black pepper
• butter
• plain flour (all purpose)

What kind of beef should I use?

I use rolled brisket because it is a good value joint that is well suited to long, slow cooking. It’s a really versatile joint of beef that cooks down to melt in the mouth. If you would like to try a different cut of beef I can recommend Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs for melt in the mouth tenderness.

What can I substitute for brisket?

If you don’t have brisket then use a joint such as Topside, Cross-Cut Chuck Steak, Rump, or Feather Blade. If you are not sure then ask your butcher for a slow roasting joint.

Do I have to use parsnips and carrots in the Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast?

Use the vegetables that you enjoy. Robust root vegetables work best in this recipe as they cook for a long time and root vegetables are less likely to disintegrate. Here are some other root and bulb vegetables you can substitute for the parsnips and carrots:

• Swede
• Celariac
• White turnips
• Sweet Potatoes
• Celery
• Fennel
• Yams
• Kohlrabi

What kind of potatoes should I use in the Pot Roast?

You can use most varieties of potatoes. I use Desiree potatoes for my pot roast. Desiree is described as a smooth potato rather than a fluffy potato. They hold together well and are great for absorbing the flavour from the beef. Get more information on different potato varieties and how to use them

Can I use new potatoes?

New potatoes are delicious in the Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast. You don’t need to peel them, just wash them and put them in whole. They will hold together really well and still absorb all the flavours.

Can I make the Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast ahead of time?

I often make this Beef Pot Roast the day before I want to serve it. Take the beef out of the pan and store it in a separate container to the vegetables. Drain off the juices into a jug or other container.

One of the advantages of chilling the stock overnight is that the fat will set hard on the top of the jug or container. You can then simply lift it off. I use a little of this fat in place of butter when I make the gravy.

Reheat in the microwave

Slice the beef, if you plan to reheat it in the microwave, then you may need to heat the beef and vegetables separately. I cover the beef with gravy and reheat for about 8-10 minutes on high (900W). The vegetables will also take around 10 minutes to heat through.

Reheat in the oven

To reheat in the oven put the vegetables and meat in a large ovenproof dish, cover tightly with foil and heat until piping hot at 190 C/ 170 C Fan for about 30-40 minutes.

Can I freeze the pot roast?

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast freezes really well. Slice all the beef and freeze it in portions with the accompanying vegetables.

Defrost the beef and vegetables overnight in the fridge, then either heat in the microwave until piping hot. Or wrap in foil and heat in the oven. It’s important that you don’t allow the meat to dry out, foil will hold in all the moisture.

Vegetarian

This recipe contains beef and is not suitable for vegetarians.

Gluten Free

The basic Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast is gluten-free but please do check that the stock cubes do not contain gluten and have not been contaminated by gluten in production. The gravy contains flour and is not suitable for a GF diet.

How do I serve Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast?

Rest then slice the beef and serve with the pot-roasted vegetables and gravy. You can serve it just like that but I like to add a green vegetable like lightly steamed green beans, savoy cabbage or broccoli.

I’m not confident about making my own gravy, what else can I use?

I’ve given detailed instructions for making your own gravy. But if you still don’t feel confident then use a good quality gravy powder and add the juices from the pot roast as part of the required liquids.

This pot roast is also really delicious to serve with a tomato sauce. Simply heat some passata (sieved tomatoes) and season to taste with salt, pepper and oregano. Then serve with the sliced beef and vegetables of the pot roast.

More Slow Cooker Roast Recipes

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chilli Beef is a joint of beef cooked in a sweet, spicy and smoky marinade. Cooking the beef in your slow cooker ensures it is fork-tender and the cooking liquor becomes a delicious sauce.

Slow Cooker Lamb with Rosemary Garlic and Lemon couldn’t be easier to make.   You simply marinate a leg of lamb with rosemary, garlic and lemon overnight and pop in the slow cooker in the morning. 

My Roast Chicken Dinner for Two is the easiest roast dinner you will make. The chicken, potatoes, and vegetables are cooked together, even the stuffing cooks in the Slow Cooker. 

Slow Cooker Lamb with Gravy is the perfect way to cook tender and delicious roast lamb that makes its own gravy. It’s the ideal way for busy families to create a special dinner with no stress.

PIN FOR LATER

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast

Janice Pattie

This easy recipe cooks all your main meal in one pot for a delicious family meal.

4.89 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe BookmarkSaved!

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine British, Slow Cooker

Servings 6

Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 800 g (2.75 lb) beef brisket joint
• 250 g (1) onion
• 400 g (2.25 cups) parsnips
• 250 g (2.25 cups) carrots
• 400 g (2 cups) potatoes
• 300 ml (1.3 cups) beef stock
• 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
• ¼ tsp (¼ tsp) ground black pepper

For the gravy

• 25 g (1 tbsp) butter
• 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) plain flour

Instructions

 

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  Put the oil in a large pan or your Sear & Stew Slow Cooker pot and heat to a medium high heat.
• 800 g beef brisket joint
  Put the beef into the hot oil and sear all over. Lift it out and place on a plate.
  
• 250 g onion
  Peel the onion and cut in thick slices, place in the base of the slow cooker pot.
  
• 400 g parsnips
  Peel the parsnips and cut in slices, place these on top of the onions.
  
• 250 g carrots
  Peel the carrot and cut in slices, place these on top of the parsnips.
  
• 400 g potatoes
  Peel and slice the potatoes in thick slices and place these on top of the carrots.
  
• Place the beef joint on top of the vegetables and pour in any juices that have collected on the plate.
  
• 300 ml beef stock, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  Pour in the beef stock and add the salt and pepper.
  
• Cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.
  

To make the gravy

• When the beef is cooked, remove it from pot, cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes before carving.
• Lift the vegetables out of the slow cooker into a serving dish and keep warm.
• Drain the remaining liquid into a jug.
• 25 g butter
  Heat the butter in a small pan.
  
• 1 tbsp plain flour
  Add the flour and cook it for around 3 minutes.
  
• Remove the pan from the heat and gradually add the stock, stirring or whisking to prevent lumps forming.
  
• Once all the stock has been absorbed into the gravy, simmer for around 5 minutes.
  
• Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Slice the beef and serve with the vegetables and gravy.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 30gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 659mgPotassium: 980mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 7066IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 3mg

Don’t Miss My Latest RecipesCLICK TO SUBSCRIBE NOW to join my newsletter list & receive a FREE ‘How To Adapt Recipes For Your Slow Cooker’ printable!

Share by Email