Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe - Quick, Easy And Delicious! (2024)

FAQs

How can I speed up my pot roast? ›

Use a pressure cooker to roast meat quickly.

Pressure cookers steam the roast by using a great deal of pressure and force the heat into the meat. This option will roast food in approximately 1/3 of the time compared to traditional cooking methods.

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.

Some recipes call for liquid, some do not. It mainly comes down to the type of meat you use. Cuts like chuck roast will release more fat and moisture than leaner cuts, so they don't need any water. In addition, the slow cooker itself creates some moisture, which helps keep the meat juicy.

1. Browning Is Better. Slow cooker recipes don't always instruct you to brown meat before adding it to the pot, but there are some advantages to doing so. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish.

Incorporate herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or bay leaves, and spices like garlic powder, paprika, or a hint of cumin. These seasonings build layers of flavor that penetrate the meat during the slow-cooking process. Slow cooking is key to a mouth-watering pot roast.

Place the roast on top of the onions and season with the salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the broth or water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer on low for 2 hours. Add the potatoes, carrots, and quartered onions and cover and slowly simmer for 1 hour longer.

PRO TIP: It's better to cook pot roast on the low setting rather than the high setting when it comes to pot roast. Your meat will be tender and delicious every time.

If your pot roast seems tough, cook on! It probably needs an additional 1-2 hours if it is close to the end of cooking time. Cook until it easily shreds with a fork. See below on how to make the most tender pot roast.

Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top. Set the heat level: A general rule of thumb is that cooking on the low setting (170 degrees F for most models) takes about twice as long as cooking on high (280 degrees F on most models).

Should roast be submerged in slow cooker? ›

There is no need to cover the meat in liquid when cooking with a slow cooker, you only need enough liquid to cover the base of the slow cooker as the meat and vegetables will release liquid as they cook. Slow cooking beef is a simple and soothing winter option that never goes out of style.

You should not need to add water or cover your potatoes in foil; the closed lid of your appliance is enough to properly steam root vegetables. However, you will want to make sure the potatoes sit in an even layer in the cooker instead of piling them up in the basket.

There is no need to flip meat in a crock pot.

The idea behind coating meat with a sprinkling of flour before browning in a hot pan is pretty simple: Flour is full of starch that will caramelize quickly and give a deeper color and flavor. You most often see this technique called for in stews, where flour is used to thicken the cooking liquid.

There are several reasons why this could have happened even after so much cooking. First, your choice of a rump roast could be a factor since cuts from the hind quarter are very muscular and, since muscles are the most resistant to breaking, this cut is quite stubborn when it comes to becoming tender.

Cooking it in halves might make the process faster, but it's still slow cooking so you must be patient. For reference, a three-pound pot roast takes six to eight hours on the low setting when it's whole, so make sure to weigh your newly halved cuts to ensure you're cooking them for the appropriate amount of time.

Place in oven, be sure to turn the meat over every 30 minutes or so. Cook until fork tender, 2 1/2- 3 1/2 hours (meat needs to remain above 200 degrees F. for 30 minutes).

Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.