Be sure to serve this with my Buttermilk Biscuits or Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls.
If you’re looking for the best Crock Pot Roast recipe, (with a ton of flavorful brown gravy), you’ve come to the right place! I love that this is a complete meal all in one pot. You can do the prep work a day ahead of time, then set it and forget it. Don’t be alarmed by the number of ingredients. They’re all super simple and really make the difference in this meal- the flavor is like no other.
Best Cuts of Meat for Pot Roast
Below are the 3 best options for making pot roast. Try to find one that has nice even marbling throughout the meat.
Chuck Roasts (the best option) Rump Roasts (2nd best) Bottom Rounds (3rd best)
How to Make Crock Pot Roast
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Pat the roast dry and rub with seasoning, then with flour. Sear in a skillet for 2-3 minutes per side. Combine gravy ingredients and add them to the Crock Pot along with the roast, potatoes, and carrots. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6. Remove roast and vegetables and tent with foil. Bring gravy to a boil and add cornstarch + water mixture to thicken it. Reduce to a simmer and swirl in cold butter. Serve.
How to Make Brown Gravy More Flavorful
The following ingredients add depth of flavor to brown gravy, but they also help achieve a rich dark brown color.
Beef and Chicken Broth: I like to use a combination of both for a greater depth of flavor. Soy Sauce: You can’t taste it, but the soy sauce enhances the other flavors and adds umami. Worcestershire Sauce: A great alternative to soy sauce. Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce: I like to add a few drops of for a hint of a darker brown color. You can find it in the aisle where they sell gravy packets. Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and extra 1 bouillon. Optional additions: Thyme, Rosemary, and Sage. Cold Butter: Swirl 1-2 Tablespoons cold butter into gravy at the end of cooking. This is a technique called “Monter au Beurre” which adds a smooth, velvety finish to gravies and sauces.
Make-Ahead Method
Combine gravy ingredients ahead of time. Prepare carrots and wash/dry the potatoes, but don’t cut the potatoes until ready to cook. Sear the meat just before cooking or skip that step and place unseared meat in the crock pot with the gravy and carrots. Refrigerate for up to 1 day, then cooked as outlined, but add 30 minutes to cooking time since you’re starting from a cold state.
Pro Tips
Celery, sliced yellow onions, smashed garlic, and fresh rosemary/thyme make great additions to this meal as well. Searing the Roast isn’t completely necessary but it adds a nice color, texture, and element of flavor. Even when I’m in a rush, I go for the sear. It’s worth it! Don’t open the lid of the Crock Pot during cooking, you lose a lot of heat and about 30 minutes of cooking time. This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 89!
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Try These Next
Stovetop Safe Crock Pot Rubbermaid Containers with lids– I always use these to combine my corn starch + cold water. Instant Read Meat Thermometer -Internal Temperature of the roast should be 145° prior to serving. Fat Separator -with strainer on the top and a bottom release. Any fat in the gravy rises to the top and you can dispense just the gravy into the gravy boat and leave out the fat. Gravy Boat– I have/love this one. It has a candle on the bottom to keep it warm!
Tried This Recipe?
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