Classic family dinner

Slow cooker Sunday-style pot roast

Name: Slow Cooker Sunday-Style Pot Roast
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h 30 min
Total time: 8 h 50 min
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast; 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes; 4 carrots cut in large pieces; 1 large onion cut in wedges; 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 3 garlic cloves minced; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Chuck roast becomes fork-tender over carrots, potatoes, and onion in a simple savory broth.

Prep 20 minutesCook 8–9 hours on lowServes 6–8

Illustrative serving of pot roast with carrots, potatoes, and gravy — Illustrative serving image created for this recipe; your finished dish will vary.

This is a straightforward pot roast formula built around chuck roast, a cut that becomes tender when its connective tissue has enough time to soften. The vegetables sit underneath the meat and cook in the seasoned juices.

How to make it

Layer the vegetables. Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in the bottom of a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker.
Season the roast. Pat the chuck roast dry. Season with salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme, then place it over the vegetables.
Add the liquid. Stir broth and Worcestershire sauce together and pour around—not directly over—the roast.
Cook. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours or high for 5–6 hours. It is ready when a fork slides in easily and the meat separates with light pressure.
Rest and serve. Rest the roast for 10 minutes. Skim excess fat from the liquid and adjust the seasoning before spooning it over the meat and vegetables.

Food-safety check: Beef is safe at lower temperatures, but chuck roast usually needs a much higher final temperature—often around 195–205°F—to become pull-apart tender. Tenderness, not the clock alone, is the practical finish test.

Helpful notes

Avoid repeatedly lifting the lid because every peek releases heat. If the vegetables are tender before the meat, move them to a covered serving dish and let the roast continue cooking. For thicker gravy, transfer two cups of cooking liquid to a saucepan and simmer it with a cornstarch slurry.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in shallow covered containers within two hours and use within 3–4 days. Store the meat with some cooking liquid to help it remain moist when reheated.