This Pot Roast Recipe is a tried and true recipe our family has enjoyed for over 20 years! I can’t take the credit on this one as it was a recipe passed down from my Grandmother.

We know you hate hearing about stories in recipe posts. While I don’t really do a whole lot of explaining the story of the recipe, this one deserves just that. In short, this recipe was passed down by my (Step) Grandmother, Betty Boop. She was a woman known for golfing, riding her own white Harley’s and could cook like no other. In fact, I inspired to be like her the moment I met her. She was courageous, opinionated and very independent. Maybe that’s where I get it from!
Anyhow, every time the kids and I would arrive at Grandpa’s and Betty Boops house in Hayesville, NC we were greeted with this Pot Roast recipe. I can still smell their house! On the way out from our few day trips, she’d let me invade her pantry. I’d stock up on Blackberry Jam…it was so delicious. But, I was unable to get that recipe before she passed away of cancer.
This is one of those recipes that I hope inspire you to get back into the kitchen and create a delicious recipe for your family! It’s one for the recipe books and is seriously so easy to make….just watch the video below to see how easy it is!

Ingredients for Pot Roast
- roast
- onions
- celery
- carrots
- beer
- beef broth (or water)
- onion soup mix
What is the difference between an oven roast and a pot roast?
Pot roast is cooked in liquid whereas a oven roast is a dry cooked. The cut of meat is typically a rib-eye, rump roast, sirloin or chuck roast.
What cut of meat is a pot roast?
You can use a variety of types of meat to make a pot roast. I perfect a chuck roast, but you can also use a sirloin or round roast.
How does pot roast get tender?
The connective tissues and fat of the roast get softer as the roast cooks. It breaks down and why I like to slow cook the roast. The longer the roast cooks, the softer the meat will be as those connective tissues and fat break down and soften the meat.
I also add beer to my pot roast recipe as it is another way to result in a tender meat.

Are pot roast and beef stew the same thing?
I grew up in the mid-west and there are two different recipes! While they are both best slow cooked, I was raised on pot roast being a thin liquid gravy and a beef stew having a much thicker gravy. In addition, the pot roast I grew up on only consisted of onions, celery and carrots as the vegetables with the occasional potatoes being thrown in. When I think of beef stew, I think of other vegetables being added like corn, peas and even green beans.
Can I add potatoes to pot roast?
Yes! You can add potatoes into the pot roast recipe. I’ll do this on occasion, but I prefer to serve the pot roast over mashed potatoes! The mashed potatoes soak up the gravy and just so damn good.
If you choose to add potatoes to your pot roast recipe I recommend going with a yukon gold potato as they won’t leave your gravy starchy tasting like a russet potato will.
How to Make a Pot Roast Recipe in the Slow Cooker

Place your celery, onions and carrots in the bottom of a slow cooker.

Top your veggies with Lipton Onion soup mix.

Next, pour a beer over the top of your veggies along with a cup of beef broth.

Next, place your roast on top.
TIP: The beer will cook off. However, if you don’t want to use a beer, simply use more beef broth or water. You want to cover the vegetables and the roast.

Slow Cook on low for 6-8 hours until your roast is cooked through and tender.

Using two forks or a Mix N Chop, shred the roast.
Whenever I do recipe videos, I ALWAYS get asked what the tool is that I am using to break down the meat. I have literally used everything on the planet and the Mix N Chop is hands down the best tool, especially for getting fine meat. Not to mention it’ll shred Pot Roast and chicken. I also use it to make mashed potatoes!
How do you thicken sausage gravy?

Serve over mashed potatoes or with buttered bread!
What to serve with pot roast?
Growing up as a kid we often times just ate this by itself. With the vegetables this pot roast recipe is pretty filling. However, sometimes Betty Boop would serve us:
- Salad
- Buttered Bread (literally bread with butter on it, folder in half!)
- Garlic Bread
- Mashed Potatoes – as mentioned earlier I love serving pot roast over mashed potatoes. It’s unexpected, my version and I think way better than chunks of potatoes.


Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3-5 lb roast chuck or whatever is on sale
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 large carrots peeled and diced
- 4 large celery stalks diced
- 2 lipton dry onion soup mix
- 1 16 oz beer I used bud light
- 1 c beef broth or water
Instructions
- Place your celery, onions and carrots in the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Top your veggies with Lipton Onion soup mix.
- Next, pour a beer over the top of your veggies along with a cup of beef broth.
- Next, place your roast on top.
- TIP: The beer will cook off. However, if you don’t want to use a beer, simply use more beef broth or water. You want to cover the vegetables and the roast.
- Slow Cook on low for 6-8 hours until your roast is cooked through and tender.
- Using two forks or a Mix N Chop, shred the roast.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or with buttered bread!
Video
Nutrition
How to store leftover pot roast
Just put any leftover pot roast in an air tight container and store in the fridge for up to a week. I don’t like keeping leftovers any longer than that.
How to Re-Heat Pot Roast
I seriously think pot roast is better the next day. The flavors marry together and it’s sooo good. But, I typically will reheat pot roast in the microwave for a few minutes, stirring it once or twice.

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