This old-fashioned slow cooker chuck roast has tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and plenty of homemade brown gravy. I make it a day ahead so the fat hardens as it chills. The next day, it's easy to remove the excess fat before reheating and serving.
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Boneless Chuck Roast
- What it is: Fork-tender chuck roast with potatoes, carrots, and savory gravy.
- Why make this version? Cook the roast a day ahead, then refrigerate it overnight. Remove the hardened fat before making the gravy for a rich, savory meal that tastes less greasy.
- Key ingredients: Chuck roast, vegetables, beef stock, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Plan ahead: Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, chill overnight, then make the gravy and reheat before serving.
- Pairs well with: Crusty bread, warm dinner rolls, or a green salad.
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Make-Ahead Pot Roast
I wanted an old-fashioned pot roast with plenty of beefy flavor and less fat.
Instead of serving it straight from the slow cooker, I cooked it a day ahead and refrigerated the meat, vegetables, and cooking liquid overnight. The next day, I trimmed the fat from the cold roast and lifted the hardened fat off the liquid before making the gravy. It takes a little planning, but the fat is much easier to remove when it's cold.
Chuck roast comes from the cow's shoulder and costs less than tenderloin. It has streaks of fat throughout. Slow cooking melts some of that fat and breaks down the tough tissue, making the beef tender.
I buy my chuck roasts at Whole Foods because I prefer their meat to what I find at most conventional grocery stores. It actually costs less at Whole Foods than other stores! Look for a well-marbled roast.
For another way to cook chuck, try my Pan-Seared Chuck Steak recipe.
Ingredients
- Boneless chuck roast: About 2½ to 3 pounds, with good marbling. If the roast is tied with butcher's twine, leave it on during cooking and remove it before serving.
- Olive oil: For browning the roast. Vegetable oil or avocado oil also works.
- Vegetables: Onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and small potatoes. Use baby Yukon Gold or red potatoes, fingerlings, or peeled and quartered white russet potatoes.
- Tomato paste: Adds richness and depth to the broth.
- Bay leaves and dried thyme: Add flavor to the cooking liquid.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a rich, savory flavor to the beef and gravy.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Beef stock: Or homemade beef bone broth, plus water.
- Cornstarch: Mix with cold water to thicken gravy.
See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chuck Roast
Step 1: Season the chuck roast all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the roast on all sides. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
Step 2: Add the sliced onions to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup of beef stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour over the meat in the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme to the pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock, water, and the Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork.
Step 4: Lift the roast and vegetables out of the slow cooker and discard the bay leaves. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.
Step 5: Transfer the roast, vegetables, and cooking liquid together to a large, shallow container. Refrigerate within 2 hours and chill overnight so the fat hardens on top.
Step 6: The next day, lift off and discard the hardened fat from the top of the cooking liquid. While the roast is cold, the fat is firm and easy to see, so use a knife to trim away any pockets of fat from the meat. Remove any butcher's twine, then cut the meat into one- or two-inch chunks.
Step 7: Pour the defatted cooking liquid, including any liquid drained from the meat and vegetables, into a saucepan. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor. Add enough beef broth or water to make 2½ cups. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the simmering liquid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
Step 8: Place the roast and vegetables in a large skillet or Dutch oven with a little gravy. Cover and heat over medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meat reaches 165°F. Spoon more gravy over the top and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the roast with the potatoes and carrots, and spoon the gravy over everything.
Want extra vegetables? Peel and cut a few more carrots and potatoes, then simmer them in water or beef broth until tender. Drain and toss with some gravy. For a green vegetable on the side, try these sautéed garlic Parmesan green beans.
Crusty bread or warm dinner rolls are good for soaking up the gravy.
You can also serve the beef over creamy garlic mashed potatoes, white rice, or wide egg noodles
For the bowl pictured here, I went with wide egg noodles, Ritz crackers, and sour pickles. I was going for an old-fashioned diner meal.
Chef's Tips
- Trim the fat while the roast is cold. Chilled fat turns firm and white, so it is easy to spot and cut away with the tip of a knife.
- Don't skip browning. Searing the roast and scraping up the browned bits gives the gravy its deep, beefy flavor.
- Cook on LOW. Chuck roast needs low, slow heat to turn fork-tender.
- Want thicker gravy? Stir another ½ tablespoon cornstarch into 1 tablespoon cold water and whisk it in.
Storage and Reheating
Store the roast, vegetables, and gravy in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days after you cook the roast.
To reheat, place everything in a skillet or Dutch oven with a little gravy or beef broth. Cover and warm over medium-low heat until the meat reaches 165°F.
You can freeze the beef and gravy for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat. The potatoes may soften after freezing.
Slow Cooker Chuck Roast FAQ
Overnight chilling makes it easier to remove excess fat from the gravy. The fat hardens on top of the cooking liquid and on the meat, so you can lift it off and trim it away. If you need it the same day, skim the fat from the hot liquid with a spoon or fat separator, but you will not get as much of it out.
Yes, cook it on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. LOW for 6 to 8 hours gives the most tender, fall-apart texture.
It usually needs more time. Chuck roast has a lot of connective tissue that breaks down slowly. If it does not pull apart easily with a fork, cover it and keep cooking.
Store the roast, vegetables, and gravy in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days after cooking.
Yes. Freeze the meat and gravy in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout. The potatoes may turn a little soft after freezing.
More Chuck Beef Recipes
For more ways to turn this affordable cut into dinner, browse my chuck steak recipes including skillet steaks, hearty chili, and Hungarian goulash.
If you tried this Slow Cooker Chuck Roast or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments. I love hearing from you!
For more affordable family dinners, see my guide to how to cook inexpensive cuts of meat.
Slow Cooker Chuck Roast
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Large skillet or Dutch oven
- Tongs or large spoon
- Saucepan
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring cup
- Food thermometer
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 lb boneless chuck roast
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into pieces
- 1 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes or baby red potatoes, fingerlings, or peeled and quartered russet potatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ cups beef stock
- ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the gravy
- about 2½ cups cooking liquid, strained and defatted
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and brown the roast on all sides. Transfer it to the slow cooker.
- Add the sliced onions to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup of beef stock and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, bay leaves, and thyme to the slow cooker. Pour in the remaining beef stock, water, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Lift the roast and vegetables out of the slow cooker and discard the bay leaves. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Transfer the roast, vegetables, and cooking liquid together to a large, shallow container. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and chill overnight so the fat hardens on top.
- The next day, lift off and discard the hardened fat from the top of the cooking liquid. While the roast is cold, use a knife to trim away any pockets of fat from the meat. Remove any butcher's twine, then cut the meat into one- or two-inch chunks.
- Pour the defatted cooking liquid, including any liquid drained from the meat and vegetables, into a saucepan. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to concentrate the flavor. Add enough beef stock or water to make 2½ cups. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Whisk the slurry into the simmering liquid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Place the roast and vegetables in a large skillet or Dutch oven with a little gravy. Cover and heat over medium-low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meat reaches 165°F. Spoon more gravy over the top and serve.
Felice says
This one takes a little planning, but tomorrow-you will be very happy when dinner is already made. Don’t forget something to soak up that gravy!