The best Sunday night meal for any size group is slow cooker beef pot roast with vegetables that have been seasoned. Top it off with a simple and easy-to-make gravy for one winner of a dinner! .
This is it, everyone: My mother’s famous Sunday dinner in a nutshell. This is basically what we had to eat almost every single Sunday growing up. Beef roast with potatoes and carrots. And salad. And rolls. And Jello. My mother constantly felt the need to cook as though she was feeding an army. Then again, she did have nine children…that’s almost an army. Or a baseball team.
I always wonder why she chose this meal for Sundays over and over again. She could have thrown in the towel and ordered up a bunch of pizzas. She could have had some simple spaghetti or even hot dogs for that matter. I believe she chose this slow cooker beef pot roast beef because she knew it was a complete meal, simple to make, and could feed a lot of people.
For braised beef dishes like pot roast or shredded beef, the cut of meat you use makes all the difference. When slow cooked for hours, the right roast transforms into a tender, mouthwatering meal. But which beef cuts truly shine when made in the crockpot?
Certain roasts have the perfect mix of fat, collagen, and connective tissue to become succulent and flavorful. After comparing popular options and testing recipes, three roasts stand out as ideal for pot roast and other slow cooked beef recipes.
Top 3 Best Beef Roasts for the Crockpot
1. Chuck Roast
Chuck roast comes from the shoulder area and contains a good amount of fat marbled throughout. This keeps the meat moist andtender while cooking low and slow.
Benefits of chuck roast:
- Very flavorful
- Melts in your mouth tender
- Still affordable
- Easy to shred for tacos or sandwiches
- Holds up well when cooking all day
Chuck roast is the classic choice for pot roast or shredded beef The meat easily pulls apart and shreds after 8+ hours in the crockpot Go with a boneless chuck roast between 3-5 pounds.
2. Brisket
Brisket is another excellent slow cooking roast from the breast or lower chest area. It has a lot of connective tissue that must be cooked low and slow to break down
Reasons brisket works well:
- Extremely tender and juicy when slow cooked
- More affordable than other cuts like ribeye
- Fat helps keep brisket moist
- Can still slice brisket across the grain after cooking
- Infuses sauces and broths with rich flavor
Choose a 3-5 pound whole brisket for the crockpot. Opt for a fattier cut to keep the brisket tender.
3. Round Roast
Round roasts come from the rear legs which get more exercise, so they have less fat. Top round and bottom round work well.
Round roast advantages:
- Very lean yet tender when slow cooked
- Holds its shape well when cooked
- Still infuses sauce/broth with flavor
- More budget friendly than premium cuts
- Slices nicely for serving
Look for a 3-4 pound boneless bottom or top round roast. Keep an eye on moisture and add broth as needed.
Honorable Mentions
A few other roasts can work in the slow cooker but may not be ideal:
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Ribeye Roast: Delicious flavor and marbling but extremely expensive for a crockpot.
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Sirloin Tip Roast: Lean yet tender, but can dry out without sufficient moisture.
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Rump Roast: Tenderness varies; may get dry without enough liquid.
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Eye of Round Roast: Very lean so ends up dry without plenty of sauce.
While these roasts can be tasty, chuck, brisket, and round are safer bets for crockpot success.
Frequently Asked Questions About Crockpot Roasts
What is the most tender cut of beef for pot roast?
Chuck roast and brisket are the most tender cuts for pot roast. Their fat content and connective tissues break down into fork-tender meat after hours of slow cooking.
What cut of beef is best for shredded beef?
Chuck roast is the best cut for shredded beef. It naturally shreds and falls apart after cooking all day in the crockpot.
Is bottom or top round roast better?
Both are lean yet tender in the slow cooker. Bottom round has a bit more marbling for moisture. Top round may do better in a cooking bag.
What roast is similar to chuck roast?
Brisket and sirloin tip roast are closest to chuck roast in tenderness. For a budget pick, try eye of round.
Should you brown meat before crockpot?
Browning beef before the crockpot is recommended. It adds deeper flavor through caramelization and helps thicken the sauce.
Is rump roast good for crockpot?
Rump roast can work but is less ideal than other cuts. Make sure to add broth as it cooks to prevent drying out.
Tips for Crockpot Roast Success
- Trim excess fat to prevent greasiness
- Brown roast before slow cooking
- Add carrots, onions, potatoes in the last 2 hours
- Use a cooking bag for leaner roasts
- Make a gravy from the juices
- Shred or slice meat and serve with sauce
With a well-marbled chuck roast or brisket, you can’t go wrong with crockpot cooking. Place the seasoned roast in the slow cooker, add veggies toward the end, and enjoy a downright delicious home cooked meal.
Here’s How You Make It
I love cooking roast in the slow cooker. It’s very easy to do and always results in a tender, juicy roast that has never been dry (hallelujah!). The best part is that you can put all the vegetables in with the roast, making it a one-pot dinner.
- Then, rub the roast all over with the seasonings you made for the steak and Italian food. You can use cooking spray or some other kind of grease to cover your slow cooker. Put the roast that has been spiced, the broth, potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery in the slow cooker. Set the timer for 9 hours on low or 6 hours on high.
- When the slow-cooked beef pot roast is done, make the gravy. Pour the liquid from the bottom of the slow cooker into a sauce pan. Put in the onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Boil it for a while.
- Next, mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the slurry to the pan. Let it cook and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens. That will only take about 3-5 minutes.
- It’s time to eat! Put the slow cooker beef roast on a large serving platter and use forks to pull it apart. Put the vegetables around the side of the roast and pour the gravy over it.
You will still follow all the steps in step 1 to make this pot roast with gravy in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. But when it’s time to cook the beef, set the Instant Pot to 90 minutes of high pressure. Let the Instant Pot release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick-release the rest of the pressure. A slotted spoon should be used to take out the roast. Then, change the setting to “Soup” and add the cornstarch slurry.
Why This Recipe Works
Easy – I love a good slow cooker recipe and this one is no exception. Basically, the directions say to put everything in a slow cooker and do something fun for nine hours. When you come back, the meal will be ready and taste great and be good for you.
Filling – 11 people total in our house. Zero leftovers. Also? Zero complaints. No one was still hungry, no one was reaching for the chips at 8 pm before bed. We all had plenty of this beef pot roast and sides and we were all completely satisfied.
Simple – No fancy ingredients needed here for this beef pot roast. In fact, you probably have everything you need in your fridge and spice drawer. It’s really as simple as it gets.
Very good for leftovers. I grew up with a big family, but now there are only five of us. You know what? I still make this moist beef roast a lot, and I don’t change the amounts because we LOVE the leftovers! This meal easily feeds all of us for two or three dinners (or lunches the next day). Gotta love that!.
