A bowl of delicious slow cooked pot roast with carrots, celery, onion and sweet potato.

Ever since working in a restaurant and trying the pot roast there, it became one of my favorite dishes. I then started making my own using a slow cooker. Not only is it easy to make but the results are delicious. Even better than the mentioned restaurant I had it at in my opinion. I love having leftovers from this meal, but they do not last long!

There are many different directions you can take this versatile recipe. You can change up a few ingredients for some variation or add more of a certain spice you prefer. This well-rounded version is my personal favorite so far and is loved among family and friends.

Starting with Bone Broth

To start, I fill the slow cooker (I recommend a 7-quart Crock Pot) with the beef bone broth. This can absolutely be homemade bone broth or one of your choice. Kettle and Fire has become a staple in my household and the one I typically use if not using homemade. See my recipe for homemade bone broth if you’d like to make your own. Bone broth adds an extra level of nutrients. Think when you add this, you are leveling up your pot roast and in turn you! Like when Super Mario gets the Super Mushroom. There’s collagen, iron, zinc, vitamins A and K, amino acids and a wealth of other nutrients!

Once the broth is in the pot, stir in the chopped white onion along with the seasonings, mustard and balsamic. If you want to add some powders into the broth, go for it! Mushroom powder (another Super Mushroom for Mario) is a great way to add some earthiness and depth to your pot roast. Not to mention more added health benefits! I say why not?! I used Laird’s Superfoods Performance Mushroom mix. It has Lion’s Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, and Maitake.

Ingredients shown for pot roast. Mushroom powder, Avocado Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Dijon mustard, celery, garlic, Golden Monk Fruit sweetener, white onion, sweet potato, carrots, Kettle and Fire Bone Broth, and seasonings.

Sequence of Adding Ingredients Helps

When it comes to the veggies, I don’t put them all in right away because I like the meat to mostly be covered in broth. In the past, I would get so excited and throw everything in the pot right away. Then I would put the meat in and have trouble covering it with the broth. Some of it may be outside of the liquid, and that is ok. After stirring all the tasty seasonings in the broth, move onto seasoning the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Make a thin crust of salt and pepper covering the roast.

If it is difficult to find a grass-fed or pasture raised chuck roast at your local grocery store, you can always try your local butcher shop. Or opt for the next best option with no hormones added, etc. Once the roast is seasoned, warm up your cast iron skillet (if you don’t have one that’s ok, a regular skillet or a stainless steel one works too). Then add a tablespoon of grass-fed butter or ghee, melt and spread around the skillet on medium heat. Sear each side of the roast for about 1-2 minutes. You can use the sides of your skillet to sear the sides of the meat as well (that’s a Gordon Ramsey tip)!

Chuck Roast being seared in grass-fed butter in a Lodge cast iron pan.

Mustard Levels Up Your Pot Roast

When the entire roast has been seared, place it in a large bowl and immediately brush Dijon mustard all over the roast while it is still warm. Let that sit for at least 5 minutes or while you are preparing your veggies. After the roast has sat for a few minutes to soak up the mustard, (which helps make it more delicious and tender) place it in the slow cooker.

Time for the veggies! Add in 2-3 stalks of chopped celery, I usually make them about ½ inch wide cuts. The carrots should be peeled and to be extra fancy, slice them at a diagonal about an inch wide, they look so nice and a little more pro this way! For the sweet potato, I use 1 large or 2 medium sized ones. Make sure these are peeled and cut into about 1-inch squares. Finally add the crushed and minced garlic cloves.

Carrots that have been sliced diagonally.

Slow Cooker Meals are Forgiving

Honestly if you like bigger or smaller sizes for your veggies, go for it! Slow cooker meals don’t have to be so technical. If there’s a certain seasoning you want to add or want more of, I say, you do you! When I get into cooking, I typically “eyeball” the amount of seasonings I use. This is just based on experience with the dish size using the seasonings I like and how much of certain ones I typically use. By all means add your own flair, or if you want to strictly stick with the recipe that’s why I’m here!

When everything gets in the pot, grind in some sea salt and fresh black pepper (you can always add this at the end to taste). Give a little stir and put the lid on top. I like to cook low and slow, so I set it to low for about 6 hours or until the meat easily pulls apart with forks and the veggies are tender.

Finished Pot Roast in slow cooker with bone broth, sweet potato, onion, celery, and carrots.

Add Some “Fanciness” to Your Pot Roast

When it’s time to serve, throw some fresh chopped parsley on top to give it some bright color a.k.a. “fanciness.” That should make your guests go “Oooooh!” Or it could really be the tantalizing smell of the pot roast! I mean, it is a little torturous smelling it cook for 6 hours without being able to eat it, but so is life with a slow cooker…

If you want to start making some magic in your slow cooker, then keep scrolling for the recipe and ingredient list. I hope you enjoy it and happy cooking!