Should I Brown a Beef Roast Before Slow Cooking

What if you could get the perfect pot roast with half the work, but double the flavor? Good news: You can. Here's how, with the help of our best slow cooker pot roast recipe.

There are few meals more comforting than a hearty helping of pot roast, cooked to tender perfection and smothered in gravy. The trick to a delicious dinner? Letting it cook for hours.

Fortunately, that's (almost) as easy as pressing a button with this slow cooker pot roast recipe from New York reader Gina Jackson.

What Roast Is Best for the Slow Cooker?

The best cuts for slow cooking are actually the cheaper, tougher meats, like chuck or brisket. They have more connective tissue, which breaks down slowly and softens the meat enough without turning it into mush.

How Do You Sear a Roast Before Slow Cooking?

You heat olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven on the stove, then sear the roast for about one minute per side before transferring it to the slow cooker. Not every slow cooker pot roast recipe requires you to sear the meat before cooking, but doing so can add even more flavor to your final dish!

How to Make Pot Roast in the Slow Cooker

Do you own our Test Kitchen's recommended slow cooker?

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon beef base
• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 pounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the base

In a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker, whisk the water and beef base together. Then add mushrooms, onion and garlic.

Test Kitchen tip : If you're buying beef base, look for it near the broth and bouillon in the grocery store.

Step 2: Prepare the roast

Sprinkle the roast with pepper and place it in the slow cooker. Then drizzle Worcestershire sauce over the meat.

Step 3: Let it cook

Cook the roast, covered, on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat is tender. When it's done, remove the meat from the slow cooker. Set the roast on a serving platter and tent it with foil.

Step 4: Finish the gravy

Strain and skim the fat from the cooking juices, setting the vegetables aside. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and salt until smooth, then gradually whisk in the cooking juices. (Don't miss Grandma's best tricks for homemade gravy.)

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Add the cooked vegetables back in before pouring the gravy over the roast. Dinner is served!

Test Kitchen tip : For a traditional pot roast dinner, serve the meat with a side of potatoes (like the best potato recipes from across the country) and roasted carrots.

Next, learn how to make au jus.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipes That'll Make Your Mouth Water

Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pot Roast

This dish is definitely a year-round recipe. Sweet potatoes, orange zest and baking cocoa are my surprise ingredients. —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California

Pennsylvania Pot Roast

This heartwarming one-dish meal is adapted from a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. I start the pot roast cooking before I leave for church, add vegetables when I get home, and then just sit back and relax until it's done. —Donna Wilkinson, Monrovia, Maryland

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pot Roast

Slow-simmered and seasoned with rosemary, mustard and thyme, this tender and tasty crock pot roast and potatoes recipe is so easy to make and always a hit. Substitute burgundy or brandy plus a half-cup of water for the broth…the aroma of this English roast recipe is wonderful! —Jeannie Klugh, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Contest-Winning Mushroom Pot Roast

Wow! The wine-warmed flavors in this recipe are amazing! Packed with wholesome veggies and tender beef, this is one company-special dish all ages will like. Serve with mashed potatoes to enjoy every last drop of the rich, beefy gravy. —Angie Stewart, Topeka, Kansas

Horseradish Pot Roast

We tasted a dish similar to this while at a horseradish festival in Illinois. I like to serve it over noodles. The recipe is easily adaptable for stovetop cooking, too. —Barbara White, Katy, Texas

Cajun-Style Pot Roast

I often makes this zippy roast when expecting dinner guests. It gives me time to visit with them, and even my friend who's a chef enjoys this dish. —Ginger Menzies, Oak Creek, Colorado

Slow-Cooker Garlic-Sesame Beef

My mom received this marinade recipe from a neighbor while she lived in Seoul, South Korea, which is where I was adopted from. Mom created heritage night for my brother and me, and she served Korean bulgogi with sticky rice, kimchi and chopsticks. As a busy mom of four, I keep her tradition alive with this slow cooker Korean beef!—Jackie Brown, Fairview, North Carolina

Spice-Braised Pot Roast

Just pour these ingredients over your pot roast and let the slow cooker do the work. Herbs and spices give the beef an excellent taste. I often serve this roast over noodles or with mashed potatoes, using the juices as a gravy. —Loren Martin, Big Cabin, Oklahoma

Top-Rated Italian Pot Roast

I'm always getting recipe inspiration from newspapers and magazines. Here's a tender roast with aromatic spices that give it a Moroccan feel. —Karen Burdell, Lafayette, Colorado

Sweet 'n' Tangy Pot Roast

I fixed this roast the first time I cooked for my husband-to-be more than 20 years ago. For dessert, I made chocolate pudding spooned over marshmallow. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven! —Carol Mulligan, Honeoye Falls, New York

Mediterranean Pot Roast Dinner

I first made this recipe one cold winter day. My family (adults, kids and dogs) were having a blast sledding and playing in the snow all day, and when we came inside supper was ready! This pot roast is perfect served with mashed potatoes, rice or dinner rolls. —Holly Battiste, Barrington, New Jersey

Moroccan Pot Roast

My husband loves meat and I love veggies, so we're both happy with this spicy twist on beefy pot roast. With garbanzo beans, eggplant, honey and mint, it's like something you'd eat at a Marrakech bazaar. —Catherine Dempsey, Clifton Park, New York

Beer-Braised Roast with Root Vegetables

I like the combination of seasoned vegetables and lean meat in this recipe, and my wife likes how the seasonings complement the meat. I serve the roast with a garden salad and crusty multigrain bread. —Malcolm Cieszko, Washington, North Carolina

Root Vegetable Pot Roast

During the hectic holiday season, I make this roast a lot. We've scarfed it down before and after shopping, and while wrapping presents. Root vegetables and roast beef make everyone feel cozy and calm. —Pat Dazis, Charlotte, North Carolina

Flavorful Pot Roast

On hectic days, this is so quick and easy to prep! Convenient packages of dressing and gravy combine to create a sauce worthy of a fall-apart roast. For a filling meal-in-one, serve with mashed potatoes and ladle the juices over top. —Arlene Butler, Ogden, Utah

Slow-Cooked Coffee Pot Roast

My family raves about my gravy when I prepare this recipe. Whenever I'm fishing for compliments, this pot roast is a sure hit! —Janet Dominick, Bagley, Minnesota

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

I work full time, so this slow cooker roast beef is my go-to when I want a hearty, home cooked meal. It's a comfort to walk in and smell this simmering slow cooker pot roast that I know will be fall-apart tender and delicious. —Gina Jackson, Ogdensburg, New York

Sunday Pot Roast

With the help of a slow cooker, you can prepare a down-home dinner any day of the week, not just on Sundays. The roast turns out tender and savory every time. —Brandy Schaefer, Glen Carbon, Illinois

Bavarian Pot Roast

Since all my grandparents were German, it's no wonder that so many Bavarian recipes have been handed down to me. Because the Midwest has such a large German population, I feel this recipe represents the area well. —Susan Robertson, Hamilton, Ohio

Lone Star Pot Roast

Pot roast becomes especially delicious with the addition of chopped green chiles and taco seasoning. —Helen Carpenter, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Soy-Ginger Pot Roast

My husband really likes roast beef, and I really like my slow cooker. I brought in Asian influences for an all-day pot roast with some oomph. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

Coffee-Braised Roast Beef

This recipe has been a family tradition since 1974. The meat is quick and flavorful, so it's a nice welcome home after a long day of work. The coffee adds an intriguing flavor to the roast, and the juices can be thickened for a delicious gravy.—Nancy Schuler, Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Java Roast Beef

Coffee adds richness to the gravy, which is perfect for sopping up with crusty bread or draping over mashed potatoes. —Charla Sackmann, Orange City, Iowa

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Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-make-the-best-slow-cooker-pot-roast-recipe/

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