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Slow-Cooker Classic Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on October 15, 2019

Time

9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Classic Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

Ingredients

1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled into 2 pieces at natural seam and trimmed2 teaspoons table salt, divided1 ¼ teaspoons pepper, divided2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped2 celery ribs, chopped2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon tomato paste 3 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried½ cup dry red wine ½ cup beef broth 2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled1 pound carrots, peeled and halved widthwise, thick ends halved lengthwise2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Before You Begin

Use small Yukon Gold potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter; if your potatoes are larger, cut them into 1-inch pieces to ensure that they cook through properly.

Instructions

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Tie 3 pieces of kitchen twine around each piece of beef to create 2 evenly shaped roasts. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roasts on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate.
  2. Add onion, celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle roasts into slow cooker, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until beef is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
  4. Transfer roasts to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
  5. Discard bay leaves. Transfer vegetables to serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Remove twine from roasts, slice meat against grain into ½-inch-thick slices, and arrange on serving dish with vegetables. Spoon 1 cup sauce over meat and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
Slow-Cooker Classic Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Photography by Daniel J. van Ackere. Styling by Sally Staub.

Slow-Cooker Classic Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high

Yield

Serves 8 to 10

Slow cooker size

5 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled into 2 pieces at natural seam and trimmed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup beef broth
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved widthwise, thick ends halved lengthwise
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled into 2 pieces at natural seam and trimmed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup beef broth
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved widthwise, thick ends halved lengthwise
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled into 2 pieces at natural seam and trimmed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ teaspoons pepper, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
½ cup dry red wine
½ cup beef broth
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
1 pound carrots, peeled and halved widthwise, thick ends halved lengthwise
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a classic pot roast that was easy to prepare. We started with chuck-eye roast—our favorite cut for pot roast because it’s marbled with fat and connective tissue—and pulled it apart at its natural seam to make two smaller roasts. We found that this yielded fork-tender meat more consistently than a single large roast. Searing the meat in a skillet first before transferring to the slow cooker proved crucial in developing the ultimate rich and savory flavor we wanted. Enhancing the cooking broth with classic aromatics such as onion, celery, thyme, and garlic also gave the braising liquid some serious flavor. To make this roast into a hearty meal, we arranged small potatoes and carrot pieces in the slow cooker before adding the roasts. This ensured that the roasts would cook evenly as their juices were released and the roasts became submerged in their own flavorful liquid. We cooked the roasts until they were perfectly tender and our sauce had great body and flavor. 

Before You Begin

Use small Yukon Gold potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter; if your potatoes are larger, cut them into 1-inch pieces to ensure that they cook through properly.

Instructions

  1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Tie 3 pieces of kitchen twine around each piece of beef to create 2 evenly shaped roasts. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown roasts on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to plate.
  2. Add onion, celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
  3. Stir potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle roasts into slow cooker, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until beef is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
  4. Transfer roasts to carving board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes.
  5. Discard bay leaves. Transfer vegetables to serving dish and tent loosely with foil. Using large spoon, skim fat from surface of sauce. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Remove twine from roasts, slice meat against grain into ½-inch-thick slices, and arrange on serving dish with vegetables. Spoon 1 cup sauce over meat and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.

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