October 4, 2024

Slow Cooker Roast Beef

Slow cooker roast beef is a simple, flavourful dish that delivers tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat with minimal effort. By cooking slowly over low heat, the beef becomes incredibly soft as it absorbs the flavours of seasonings, herbs, and vegetables added to the pot. The slow cooker method allows the beef to remain juicy, with natural juices creating a rich broth that enhances the dish. This method is ideal for tougher cuts of beef, like chuck roast, which break down into a delicious, succulent roast when cooked slowly. Perfect for busy days, slow cooker roast beef is a comforting, hearty meal that pairs well with mashed potatoes, vegetables, or a warm slice of bread.

In this blog post, you will learn how to make slow cooker roast beef.

Why Use a Slow Cooker?

Using a slow cooker for roast beef offers several advantages:

Tenderness: Slow cooking allows tough cuts of meat, like chuck or brisket, to break down over time, making them incredibly tender and juicy. The low, steady heat gently softens the meat’s fibres, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Enhanced Flavour: As the roast cooks slowly, it absorbs the flavours of any added seasonings, herbs, and vegetables. The long cooking process lets the beef soak up the flavours, creating a richer and more complex taste.
Hands-Off Cooking: The slow cooker does all the work while you go about your day. You can set it and forget it, making it a convenient option for busy schedules.
Even Cooking: The consistent, low heat ensures that the beef cooks evenly, preventing overcooking or drying out.
Versatility: A slow cooker allows you to cook a full meal in one pot. You can add vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions to cook alongside the beef, absorbing the flavours and creating a complete dish with minimal effort.

Overall, the slow cooker simplifies the process of making roast beef while enhancing the flavour and tenderness of the meat.

Best Cuts of Beef to Use

The best cuts of meat for a slow cooker pot roast are those that are tougher and fattier, as they become tender and flavourful when cooked low and slow. Some of the best options include:

Chuck Roast: The most popular choice for pot roast, chuck roast has a good amount of marbling, which breaks down into rich, juicy meat during slow cooking.
Brisket: This cut is known for its flavour and tenderness when slow-cooked. It has a bit more fat, which helps keep it moist.
Rump Roast: Leaner than chuck roast, but it still benefits from slow cooking to become tender and flavourful.
Bottom Round: A tougher cut that becomes tender when cooked slowly, making it ideal for pot roast.
Short Ribs: Though not as traditional for pot roast, these meaty ribs become extremely tender and flavourful after long, slow cooking.

Best Spices to Use on the Beef

For a roast beef dinner, the right spices can elevate the flavour of the meat and vegetables. Below are some of the best spices and seasonings that you can use for your roast dinner:

Garlic: Fresh or powdered, garlic adds a rich, savoury depth to the roast.
Rosemary: A classic pairing with beef, rosemary offers an earthy, slightly piney flavor that complements the richness of the meat.
Thyme: This herb adds subtle herbal notes that enhance the flavour without overpowering the roast.
Black Pepper: Coarsely ground black pepper provides a robust, peppery heat that works well with roast beef.
Paprika: Smoked or sweet paprika can add a touch of warmth and colour to the beef.
Onion Powder: Adds a mellow, slightly sweet onion flavor that enhances the dish overall.
Bay Leaves: A couple of bay leaves infuse a subtle, aromatic flavor during the slow cooking process.
Dried Mustard: Provides a hint of sharpness and tanginess that cuts through the richness of the beef.
Cumin (optional): For a slightly smoky and earthy flavour, a touch of cumin can add complexity.
Parsley: A light and fresh herb that can brighten up the overall flavours when sprinkled before serving.

I choose to be quite simple with my spices for a roast beef dinner and to just use salt and black pepper; however, there are many spice combinations that you can use. Rosemary is on the list above as it is a popular spice, but I will note that it is not my favourite for beef dinners as it makes the beef taste more like lamb. If you like that flavour, then rosemary is perfect for the roast beef, but personally I prefer not to.

How to Prep Potatoes the Night Before

If you want to prep your potatoes the night before to save time in the morning, they just need to be stored overnight in water. Keeping chopped and peeled potatoes in a bowl of water serves several purposes:

Prevents browning: When potatoes are exposed to air, they oxidize and turn brown. Water acts as a barrier, preventing this reaction.
Removes excess starch: Soaking potatoes in water helps remove surface starch, making them less likely to stick together during cooking and giving them a better texture when fried or roasted.
Maintains freshness: If you’re prepping potatoes ahead of time, storing them in water keeps them from drying out and becoming spongy.

Just be sure to cook them soon after draining, as soaking too long can make them absorb too much water and affect the texture.

Cooking Times

The cooking time for roast beef in a slow cooker depends on the size of the roast and the heat setting. Here are general guidelines:

Low Setting:
- 2-3 lb. (0.9-1.4kg) roast: 7-8 hours
- 3–4 lb. (1.4–1.8 kg) roast: 8–10 hours
- 4–5 lb. (1.8–2.3 kg) roast: 10–12 hours
High Setting:
- 2-3 lb. (0.9-1.4kg) roast: 3-4 hours
- 3–4 lb. (1.4–1.8 kg) roast: 4–6 hours
- 4–5 lb. (1.8–2.3 kg) roast: 6–8 hours

For the most tender results, the low setting is preferred. Always check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – 145℉/65℃.

Resting Time After Cooking the Roast Beef

Letting beef rest after cooking is essential for several reasons:

Redistribute juices: When beef cooks, its juices are pushed toward the center. Resting allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring a moist and flavourful result.
Enhance tenderness: Resting gives the meat fibres time to relax, making the beef more tender and easier to slice.
Improve flavor: With the juices evenly distributed, each bite is more flavourful and juicy.

Resting beef for about 10-15 minutes (or longer for larger cuts) is key to getting a well-balanced, juicy, and tender result.

Ingredients

Roast Beef: the star of the dish, typically a tougher cut like chuck roast, which becomes tender and flavourful when slow-cooked. The beef absorbs the juices and seasonings, creating a savoury, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Salt: salt enhances the natural flavours of the beef and vegetables. It is essential for seasoning the roast, helping to balance and elevate the dish.

Black Pepper: black pepper adds a mild heat and sharp flavour to the roast. Ground black pepper helps to complement the richness of the beef, bringing out its depth.

Peeled Carrots: peeled carrots add a natural sweetness and soft texture to the dish. When slow-cooked, carrots absorb the juices from the beef and seasoning, creating a sweet, tender bite.

Chopped Potatoes: chopped potatoes provide heartiness to the meal. Potatoes absorb the flavourful juices of the roast as they soften, adding a creamy, satisfying element to the dish.

White Onion: white onions enhance the overall flavour of the roast, balancing the richness of the meat and complementing the savoury notes of the other ingredients.

Tips

Chop up your carrots the night before and keep them in a sealed container to reduce the preparation time.
Potatoes can be peeled and chopped the night before as well but must be kept in a bowl of water to prevent browning; however, the potatoes can not be kept for a long period of time in the water or else they will become too water logger.
Make sure to let the beef rest after removing from the slow cooker to allow to juices to be evenly redistributed throughout the roast beef.
Keep the beef drippings and use it to make your own homemade gravy.