Perfect Pot Roast (really!)

Tired of a bland roast in the crock pot with no flavor? This one is packed with flavor and can be made before you leave for work...ready when you get home!

A good slow cooker pot roast starts with the right cut. We use a Diamond R chuck roast or arm roast. Both come from the shoulder, where the muscle is well worked and full of connective tissue. That connective tissue is exactly what you want for the crock pot. Given a long, low cook it breaks down into gelatin and turns a tough roast into something you can pull apart with a fork. Lean cuts dry out in the slow cooker. A chuck roast only gets better.

The other half of the job is flavor. Water and a bare roast give you a bland dinner. Beef bouillon, a splash of red wine, fresh herbs, garlic, and onion build a broth that seasons the meat from the outside in while it cooks. You can even start it frozen before work and come home to dinner already done.

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 1 Diamond R chuck or arm roast (frozen! Read below for thawed variation)
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half
• 12 baby carrots
• 2c Better than Bouillon Beef (or 2 cups beef bouillon, prepared)
• 1c red wine (optional)
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, left whole
• 3 celery stalks, use the inner stalks with leaves for more flavor
• 1t kosher salt
• 2t ground pepper
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1t dry thyme leaves)
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 2t dry rosemary leaves)
• Water

Slow Cooker Directions

1. Prep the crockpot: Lightly spray the sides of your crockpot with cooking oil to make cleanup easier: trust me, you'll thank me later!
2. Add the roast: Place your roast at the bottom of the crockpot.
3. Layer veggies: Add chopped onions, garlic, and celery on top of the roast.
4. Season: Sprinkle salt, pepper, and the herbs over the roast.
5. Pour in liquids: Add the wine and beef bouillon. Pour enough water to just cover the roast. If you prefer to skip the wine, that's perfectly fine!
6. Cooking time:
   • If your roast is frozen, cook on low for 11 hours.
   • If the roast is thawed and you're around to monitor it, start the crockpot on high. Once the liquid begins to boil, reduce the setting to low. This will cut the cooking time by about 3-4 hours. (Every crockpot is a little different, so keep an eye on it!)
   • Add potatoes & carrots: About 2 hours before serving, add the potatoes and carrots. If needed, add more water or beef broth to ensure the veggies are submerged.

Amped Up Variation

• Thaw the roast and season it with salt and pepper.
• In a hot Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the roast on both sides, will only take 4-5 minutes per side.
• Remove the roast and brown the onions, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to get the flavor. Add garlic (chop it this time), only brown it for a couple of minutes, careful not to burn.
• Return the roast to the Dutch oven, add your celery, liquids and herbs, then transfer it to a 275°F oven. Cook for about 4 hours.
• Add potatoes and carrots 2 hours before dinner.

This is how you can make a fork tender pot roast everyone will enjoy!

Tips for the Best Pot Roast

• Don't rush the cook. The roast is done when a fork twists easily in the meat, not at a set clock time. If it still feels tight, give it another hour. Chuck roast rewards patience.
• Cut the vegetables big. Halved potatoes and whole baby carrots hold up over a long cook. Small pieces turn to mush.
• Save the broth. Strain the liquid left in the pot and spoon it over the meat and potatoes, or thicken it into gravy with a little flour and butter.

Leftover pot roast is a gift. Pile the shredded beef and a little of that broth onto a toasted roll for a French dip sandwich the next day, or shred it into beef barbacoa tacos. If you are still learning your way around a bulk order, our guide on how to eat through a beef share shows where roasts fit into the week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best cut for pot roast?

Chuck roast is the best all-around choice, with arm roast a close second. Both come from the shoulder and carry the connective tissue and marbling that break down over a long, slow cook into fork-tender beef. Leaner roasts dry out, so save those for other methods.

Can I cook a pot roast from frozen in the slow cooker?

Yes, and this recipe is built for it. Place the frozen Diamond R roast in the crockpot, cover it with liquid, and cook on low for about 11 hours. Starting frozen lets you set it up before work and come home to dinner that is already done.

Why is my pot roast tough?

A tough roast is almost always undercooked, not overcooked. Connective tissue needs time and gentle heat to melt. If the meat still resists the fork, keep cooking. On low it can take 10 to 11 hours to reach that fall-apart texture.

Do I have to use red wine?

No. The wine adds depth, but the roast is delicious without it. Skip it and lean on the beef bouillon, garlic, onion, and fresh herbs. Add a splash more broth in its place so the roast stays mostly covered while it cooks.

Cook It With Diamond R Beef

This recipe is only as good as the roast you start with. Our Diamond R chuck roast comes from single-source, pasture-raised, grain-finished cattle with no added hormones and no antibiotics, the kind of well-marbled shoulder cut that turns tender and rich in the slow cooker. Grab one and put this recipe to work.