Let your Slow Cooker do the work for you when you make this delicious Easy pot roast and gravy! Simple ingredients and a simple prep make for a tasty result! An excellent all day crock pot recipe!
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Every homemaker (and person in general) needs a secret weapon in the kitchen. It’s great to have a recipe in your box that has just a few ingredients, requires minimal effort, and works great for guests. This EASIEST EVER Slow Cooker Pot Roast is that secret weapon for me. Not only does it serve enough for guests, it does not at all taste like it was made with my favorite kitchen shortcut: Cream of Mushroom Soup. You heard it right, I use that salty little can of glory in this recipe. Before you freak out/leave/hit the back button as fast as you can…
Hear Me Out!
It’s delicious.
There is no shame in using some shortcuts now and then, even if you do consider yourself an advanced home cook. I love using those little cans of mushroom goup (yes, I said “goup”, not to be mistaken with “soup”) in all sorts of recipes (like my Poppy Seed Chicken and Rice Casserole), including this one. The good news? If you really really really don’t want to use a can of soup, I’ve developed (what I consider to be) an awesome recipe for Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup.
I’ve used my homemade version in this particular recipe with great success, and I absolutely love the flavor that it imparts. Making the condensed soup from scratch, of course, adds time and takes away the ease of this recipe. BUT, if you are planning on making this sometime in the future, you can make up a batch of my homemade cream of mushroom soup and freeze it for later. I actually did that when making this recipe to photograph and had great results.
Of course, if using a little innocent can of mushroom soup doesn’t bother you in the least, disregard the above statements and keep scrolling!
An All Day Crock Pot Recipe
One of my pet peeves is that many slow cooker recipes have cook times that are on the short side. Now that I’m at home all day, it’s totally fine to set my crockpot for 4 or 6 hours, since I can just prep it in the later morning to be ready for supper around 6PM. When I worked outside of the home though, I would be gone for 8-10 hours a day, and needed to prep my slow cooker meals at 6 AM. I bought a programmable slow cooker to help prevent overcooking and burning, and that was the best investment ever!
Even still, having our meals on the “warm” setting for 4 or 5 hours wasn’t always the best either. It was during this time I learned about the “all day crock pot recipe”. There are a few things that really seem to get better the longer they cook. I consider a recipe an “all day crock pot meal” when it requires at least 8 hours of cooking, but can be cooked longer if needed. This recipe is just that!
My recipe for EASIEST Ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast can be assembled in the morning and cooked slow and low ALL DAY, until you’re ready to serve in the evening. The delicious juices from the beef roast meld with the cream of mushroom soup and seasonings to create a yummy “gravy.” Gravy is in quotations because as a gravy-lover-extraordinaire, it pains me to call something made with condensed soup “gravy.” Nonetheless it functions as such.
Serving Suggestions For An All Day Crock Pot Recipe
We love this pot roast served over an ample serving of mashed potatoes. If you’re looking for ultra convenience, try these Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes from The Salty Marshmallow. I literally make all of my potato sides in the Instant Pot now! It’s the best ever!
You could also serve this with Mashed Cauliflower if you’re being carb conscious, OR these Garlic Roasted Keto Radishes.
Of course, an ample serving of roasted or boiled veggies is much appreciated with a traditional pot roast dinner! I love these Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Roasted Carrots all year round, but especially during the Fall and Winter months.
What Equipment Do I Need?
- Cast Iron Skillet: I find a cast iron skillet does a really good job of browning versus a traditional skillet. My standard skillet is this 12″ one from Lodge.
- Slow Cooker: I have this programmable one and I love how I can set it to switch over to warm after a certain amount of time. This has prevented a lot of overcooked dishes for sure! This recipe is an all day crock pot recipe, so it isn’t totally necessary, but it is still nice to have, especially if you’re gone for a very long time and don’t want the “gravy” to burn.
What Ingredients Do I Need to Make This All Day Crock Pot Recipe?
- Beef: I like to use inexpensive Inside or Outside Round beef roasts in this recipe. You will need 2-3 pounds of whatever cut you opt for. Since it will be cooking in the slow cooker all day, you can go with less expensive cuts. Just make sure to use a lower fat roast, or remove any excess pieces of fat you see.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup: Like I mentioned above, if you don’t want to use the regular canned condensed soup, you can use my homemade recipe. You will need 2 cans of store bought, or about 2 2/3 cup of homemade.
- Butter: The beef is gently browned on each side, and butter is the fat that is used in the pan. I prefer butter to oil because it adds a nice, rich flavor.
- Flour: This is used to coat the roast, and helps thicken the sauce during cooking time. It is essential that you brown the roast rather than place the floured roast in the slow cooker.
- Beef Bouillon: Opt for the granules rather than the cubes. This is the foundation of our homemade onion soup blend, and ensures the resulting “gravy” is rich in beef flavor.
- Seasonings: We use basic salt and pepper, but also feature other seasonings, which form a sort of homemade onion soup mix. You will see dried minced onion, onion powder, dried parsley, celery seed, and paprika in the recipe below.
Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Gravy
Let your slow cooker do the work for you. Cook up a tender pot roast, and the gravy too! All with simple prep and simple ingredients!
Ingredients
Beef
- 2-3 lb Outside Round or Rump Roast Beef
- 2 tbsp. Salted Butter
- ½ cup All Purpose Unbleached Flour
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Gravy
- 2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup, or 2 ⅔ cup homemade
- ½ cup Water
- 4 Tbsp. Dried Minced Onion
- 2 Tbsp. Beef Bouillon Granules
- ¼ tsp. Onion Powder
- ¼ tsp. Dried Parsley
- ⅛ tsp. Celery Seed
- ⅛ tsp. Paprika
- ⅛ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
Beef
- Heat a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat.
- Spread the flour out on a large plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to your taste. Mix with your fingertips, spreading it out evenly. Dredge each side of your roast with flour, rubbing the flour in with your fingers. Get the sides as well.
- Add the butter to the heated skillet, stirring until melted.
- Add the roast, largest side down. Brown the roast for 1-2 minutes or until it lifts easily and is well browned.
- Flip the roast and brown the other side. Continue to flip the roast until all edges and surfaces are browned.
- Add the roast to the slow cooker.
Gravy
- In a large bowl, combine the soup, water and seasonings.
- Pour the soup mixture over the roast and spread it out evenly, ensuring the roast is covered.
- Cook on “Low” for 8-10 hours, turning the roast once if you can. You can also cook on “High” for about 6 hours, but the results from “Low” tend to be better!
- Serve and enjoy over mashed potatoes or rice and the side dishes of your choice!
Notes
Note: If you're looking for an even easier route, you can substitute the beef bouillon and the seasonings for 1 package of onion soup mix!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1/8 of RecipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 734Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 248mgSodium: 730mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 77g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Don’t Forget to “Pin It” for Later!
This is exactly what I needed on this cold winter’s evening! So comforting and easy!!
So easy and yet fragrant and satisfying. Great week-night dish!
There’s definitely something to be said for slow cooker meals that cook all day to let you have something tender and tasty to come home to.
Love that I can make this in the morning and then return home to something fabulously tasty!
Oh this looks so delicious and I can honestly imagine how amazing the entire house is surrounded by the aromas of this pot roast cooking all day!