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A close-up view shows a hearty pot roast simmering inside a white cooking pot. The dish features tender chunks of braised beef, diced carrots, and soft vegetables submerged in a thick, creamy brown gravy. A wooden slotted spoon rests angled in the center, stirring the mixture. Dark caramelized cooking residue coats the upper interior rim of the pot, highlighting the slow-braising process.

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Wes Fryer
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet
  • 1 large crock pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 high-quality beef roast 4-5 pounds, excess fat trimmed
  • Seasoning of your choice for the dry brine Terry Blacks Beef Rub
  • Olive oil for searing
  • 2 onions chopped into large pieces
  • 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
  • Carrots chopped
  • Celery chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • Large baking potatoes for serving

Instructions
 

  • The night before: Trim some of the excess fat from the roast, pat it dry, and season it well. Refrigerate it uncovered overnight to dry brine.
  • Sauté the aromatics: Cook the onions in a pan until softened, adding the garlic near the end. Spread them across the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the carrots and celery.
  • Make the liquid: Whisk the beef broth and cream of mushroom soup together until smooth.
  • Sear the roast: Brown the roast on all sides in a hot cast-iron skillet with olive oil. Set it on top of the vegetables.
  • Deglaze: Pour a splash of the broth mixture into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits. Add that to the slow cooker.
  • Add the liquid: Pour the broth mixture around the roast so it comes about a third to halfway up the meat. Keep the seared top above the liquid.
  • Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until a fork twists easily in the meat. Don’t lift the lid while it cooks.
  • Finish: Skim any excess fat from the top and taste the gravy before adding any salt, since the soup and broth are already salty.

  • Potatoes (cooked separately)

    Cube the baking potatoes, microwave them covered with a splash of water for 5 to 6 minutes until barely tender, then serve them alongside the roast. Everyone can add as many as they like and spoon the gravy over the top. For a one-pot version, stir the microwaved potatoes into the crock for the last hour on high.

Notes

  • Dry brine overnight. I trimmed some of the excess fat off the roast, seasoned it generously with Terry Black’s Barbecue Beef Dry Rub, and left it uncovered on a wire rack in the fridge overnight.
  • Sear hard. A deep brown crust on every side builds most of the flavor. Don’t skip it.
  • Mix the slurry first. Whisk the beef broth and cream of mushroom soup together before pouring most of it around the vegetables. Set the roast on top so the seared crust stays above the liquid.
  • Glaze the cast iron. After searing, pour a splash of the soup and broth mixture into the hot skillet, scrape up the browned bits, and add it to the crock.
  • Don’t drown the roast. The liquid should come about a third to halfway up the meat. The crockpot adds moisture as it cooks.
  • Cook potatoes separately. Cubed baking potatoes microwaved until just tender and served alongside kept their texture, and everyone could take as many as they wanted.
  • Salt last. The rub, broth, and soup are already salty, so taste the gravy before adding any.
Keyword beef
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