It's pot roast season! Pot roast, in general, makes an awesome meal. Choosing to do a slow cooker pot roast recipe makes it an easy meal too! This 5-ingredient crock pot pot roast recipe is NO exception either! It's freezer friendly. Super easy meal prep. It's a one-pot meal. It's pretty enough for company. AND it makes yummy leftover sandwiches too!
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So What's Up with THIS Crock Pot Pot Roast Recipe?
There are so many ways to make pot roast. There are so many ways to USE pot roast. Maybe that's the reason there are so many alternate ways to make it. I don't honestly know.
But there's no reason not to enjoy each and every one of them. Now, concerning THIS recipe...
How to Make Your Crockpot Pot Roast Freezer Friendly
This roast can be prepped and frozen before or after cooking it. I will say like I do pretty consistently, I am not a fan of freezing raw potatoes. I've had a few rounds of luck, but a LOT more epic fails.
IF you decide to freeze this recipe beforehand just make sure the potatoes are:
- Russet or Yukon varieties. NO reds...they pit and sorta dissolve towards the center on me. They have a funky texture most times too.
- Pour the raw potato chunks in your freezer bag then pour the broth over the top. Make sure the potatoes are submerged mostly. This is the only way I've personally seen them work out when freezing raw.
The only thing with freezing the leftovers on this one. Use all the sauce. Place the meat, potatoes, and carrots in whatever sized casserole dish or baggie you want then pour all the sauce over the top. Make sure you hit the meat and potatoes both. This will help keep everything juicy when it gets defrosted.
5-Ingredient Meal Prep & Optional "from Scratch" Ideas
So what's not to LOVE about just 5 ingredients? That's not just the meat and seasonings with this one. We're talking meat, potatoes, carrots, and sauce as well. Excellent yumminess!
If you'd rather do the cook from scratch thing. That's not a problem. That works with this recipe as well. It sure isn't a 5-ingredient crock pot pot roast recipe anymore...but it's still yummy deliciousness!
This recipe calls for onion soup mix. You can use the regular packets that are available in the grocery ~or~ you can make your own too.
Homemade Beefy Onion Soup Mix
This is my favorite onion soup mix recipe. I've adapted a little here and there over the years...
Homemade Beefy Onion Soup Mix
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
- 3/4 cup dried minced onion
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan "pink" salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Process everything except the minced onion in a food processor or blender until very fine and well combined.
- Add the minced onion and "pulse" a couple times to barely chop up the dried onions.
- Store in an air-tight canister until needed.
Here are a couple more onion soup mix options that do not contain beef bouillon:
Homemade Beef Stock
Heck, you can make your own beef bone stock as well if you'd like. This recipe is specifically called "bone broth" BUT that only means it varies by what bones you use. Use beef bones, you'll be beef stock. Simple.
Neither of these "from scratch" recipes are difficult. They just take a little more time. SO now you're armed with the info to do either a "quick and easy" crock pot pot roast recipe. OR you can opt to do the from scratch crock pot roast.
This Crock Pot Roast Makes a Great Sunday Meal
It's pretty enough to plate up and put on the table for guests. It just IS. If you are going for presentation, make sure the sauce is off to the side. It tastes yummy and adds lots of flavors. It is NOT pretty.
I solved this by serving it up in little cups. Just small plastic dipping cups. I had seen them for years in stores here and there. I had personally never seen the point. But I've found they are actually very handy. They hold all sorts of small quantities while you're cooking AND they are perfect for serving individual dipping sauces. Including Homemade Au Jus!
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Homemade Au Jus Sauce for Sandwiches
Remove the roast and vegetables from the crockpot. Plate up for the table or set aside.
Mix 1/4 Worcestershire Sauce into the crockpot and stir well. Taste. It's all about YOUR taste preference here. You might want more...so in the printable version of the recipe down below it says 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Some folks add a bit of garlic powder, others add additional pepper. Others opt for soy sauce instead of the Worcestershire.
I've had a lot of versions. My fav is about 1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce + 1 teaspoon garlic powder mixed into the beef drippings.
Pulled Beef Roast Sandwiches from the Leftovers
Did you make too much roast? It happens to me constantly. It's a good thing we do both freezer meal meals and leftovers without a problem... OR how about cooking a little extra? Even if you don't want to freeze this crock pot pot roast recipe...why not grab a roast that's a little bigger? If it fits in the budget or is on sale...heck, even better.
But DO consider purchasing a slightly larger one. THEN turn the leftover meat into pulled roast beef. It's possible (not probably) you can cut it. As with most slow cooking or pressure cooking meals, it will very possibly fall apart.
But if you're planning on it to fall apart...or just don't care. You'll have a freezer meal (or later-this-week meal) already and it can be tossed together in a flash.
Printable 5-Ingredient Crock Pot Pot Roast Recipe
5-Ingredient Crock Pot Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 pack s beefy onion soup mix
- 6 medium Yukon potatoes halved or quartered
- 6 medium carrots peeled and chunked
- 3 to 3 1/2 pound boneless beef bottom round roast or chuck pot roast cut into 4-5 chunks for instant pot method
Instructions
All Methods
- Optional beginning step: Sear the beef roast on both sides. Use medium-high heat or your saute function on your instant pot. Use either butter or oil and sear 3-5 minutes per side.
Slow Cooker
- Lightly oil or butter the slow cooker insert.
- Place the carrots and potatoes in the bottom of the crock pot.
- Sprinkle with half the onion soup mix, flip and place the roast on top the vegetables.
- Sprinkle with the remaining dry soup mix. Pour the broth around the outside.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours; the beef will be fork tender when it's done.
Instant Pot
- Place vegetables in bottom of insert.
- Place pot roast over vegetables.
- Mix soup mix and beef broth and pour over roast.
- Manual high, 35 minutes. Natural release at least 10 minutes.
Oven-Baked
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Follow slow cooker directions steps 1 through 4 and cover with foil.
- Bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Freezer Meal
- Place beef roast a 1-gallon freezer bag. Pour beef broth and soup mix on top.
- Make a note on your freezer label and in your planner that you'll need the potatoes and carrots on cook day.
Pinnables for Easy Crock Pot Roast
Other Crockpot Beef Deliciousness!
If you enjoyed this crock pot pot roast recipe then we bet you'll LOVE a few of these...
- 4-Ingredient French Onion Crock Pot Pot Roast
- 4-Ingredient Crock Pot Beef Tips and Gravy
- Ground Beef Crockpot Freezer Meals
- 40+ Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Sounds great and I will share this 🙂 Your photos are always perfect!