Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast made with root vegetables, potatoes, dried herbs, and tomatoes. The roast is flavorful and slow-cooked to tender perfection.

Slow Cooker recipes are a staple in our house during busy weekdays. I like a good “fix it and forget it” recipe, that I can just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and later enjoy a tasty meal. 

You should try our easy Slow Cooker White Turkey Chili recipe and the famous Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup. This Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red Wine is very tender and always a success. If you are looking for something fancier, yet easy, these Slow Cooker Short Ribs should be on top of your must-try list.

Picture of slow cooker Yankee post roast with potatoes and carrots.

Best Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

This Yankee Pot Roast is one of our favorite comfort meals, I like to make it for a weeknight dinner or when we have company. You can’t beat the convenience of this recipe, you add everything to the slow cooker and just let it cook to perfection.

The Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast is very tender and flavorful. It is very important to brown the beef before adding it to the crockpot, this is how you lock in the juices. Doing so, you will end up with a very tender and full of flavor roast.

Traditionally, a Yankee Pot Roast is made with root vegetables, I like to add some red potatoes and baby carrots. You can easily add some baby Bella mushrooms and some parsnips. I am also a huge fan of adding a cup of red wine and a can of diced tomatoes to the roast, it makes the gravy a hundred times tastier.

Image of Yankee pot roast with carrots and potatoes on a white plate.

What is Yankee Pot Roast?

A Yankee Pot Roast is usually made with root vegetables, potatoes and sometimes tomatoes for extra flavor. You can also add celery and other veggies that you may like, for example, mushrooms. The roast can be made in a slow cooker, or it can be cooked in an oven.

What are the Best Beef Cuts for Yankee Pot Roast?

  • Chuck Roast: this is a cut from the cow’s shoulder and since that is a heavily exercised muscle, the meat is usually tougher. It still contains about 20% of fat, which makes it the perfect candidate for long slow cooking recipes. The end result is usually full of flavor and tender roast.
  • Beef Brisket: this is a cut from the breast section and it is tougher, it’s best when braised. It should be cooked in a small amount of liquid either in the oven,  slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
  • Round Roast: Top and bottom round roasts are cuts from the rear leg and are leaner than chuck roast. The top round is very lean, but tends to be more tender than the bottom round. The round tip roast is cut from the hindquarters, adjacent to the sirloin and is a very flavorful and lean cut. It should be braised, stewed or slowly cooked in a slow cooker or oven to make it tender.

Slow cooker yankee pot roast with carrots and potatoes photo.

SLOW COOKER YANKEE POT ROAST RECIPE TIPS:

  • Use high-quality meat, you can either use a round bottom, top or tip chuck roast. If I make this meal when we have company, I choose a round tip roast, to be able to slice and plate it nicely.
  • A chuck roast cut is great too, as it has more fat, so it will be more tender and juicy.
  • Use your favorite veggies in this recipe, I prefer a mix of carrots, mushrooms, onions, and potatoes. Celery and parsnips are great additions too.
  • I like adding whole mini red potatoes to the slow cooker, this way they don’t get mushy.
  • Brown the beef, it will improve its taste and also will lock in all the delicious flavors.
  • Use low sodium beef broth, you don’t want to end up with a salty pot roast.
  • Replace the wine with beef broth, if you prefer to not use alcohol.

HOW TO STORE THE YANKEE POT ROAST?

Store the Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast in a large airtight container in the fridge. Make sure that the gravy liquid covers at least partially the beef, so it won’t dry out. Store for up to 3-4 days.

Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast

Catalina Castravet
Slow Cooker Yankee Pot Roast made with root vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes and red wine. The roast is flavorful and slow cooked to tender perfection.
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 hours 40 minutes
Total Time 11 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 384 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Beef:

  • 1 (3.5 - to 5-pounds) top round roast or chuck roast or round tip roast
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Slow Cooker Ingredients:

  • 1 cup red wine or beef broth
  • 1 cup beef broth low sodium
  • 1 large onion quartered
  • 2 large carrots cut into chunks or 2 cups of baby carrots
  • 10 mini red potatoes washed
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 14. 5oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Optional Cornstarch Slurry:

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons water

Garnish:

  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions
 

Brown the Beef:

  • Season beef with salt and pepper.
  • Place a large cast iron pan or dutch oven on the stove over heat. Once hot add oil, and sear roast on all sides.

Add to Slow Cooker:

  • Transfer roast to the slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients from the "Slow Cooker Ingredients" list. Stir to combine.
  • Cover and cook on Low for 8-9 hours or on High for 5 hours. Until the beef is tender.

Optional Cornstarch Slurry:

  • Mix water and cornstarch is a small bowl until the cornstarch is fully dissolved.
  • During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add the slurry to the slow cooker to thicken the gravy. Gently stir to distribute the mixture.
  • Cover and cook for 30 minutes on High.

Serve:

  • Serve the roast with the veggies and topped with the gravy sauce. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
  • Store roast in the fridge in an airtight container topped with the gravy liquid.

Nutrition

Calories: 384kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 9gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 423mgPotassium: 2214mgFiber: 8gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 3530IUVitamin C: 43.1mgCalcium: 101mgIron: 4.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Video

YouTube video

easy slow cooker yankee pot roast pin

5 from 11 votes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

35 Comments

  1. This dish is such a favorite in our house, especially during colder season. We have made it last night and slow cooker version is just yummy!! Loved it!!!5 stars

  2. This looks so yummy! Could I make it in a Dutch oven? If so, how long and at what temp? Or would It not turn out the same.

    1. Yes, you can, after browning the beef and adding everything to the Dutch oven, bake at 300 degrees F for 4-6 hours, until the beef is tender.

  3. This looks delicious. What size slow cooker do you need to make this recipe? I only have a 4-quart but I’ve been thinking of getting a larger one because I love having a lot of leftovers. Would a 6-quart be big enough?5 stars

  4. After previous nit so good attempts from different recipes, I tried this pot roast recipe and it turned out delicious! Perfect, not salty with just enough flavor. Will be making this recipe again.5 stars

  5. I have a roast that’s slightly smaller than the stated recommendation, it’s about 2-2.5 lbs. How would you recommend adjusting the cook time?

  6. I’m going to make this, but I’m wondering if anyone has ever used the more traditional root vegetables. I imagine back in the day, they used rutabaga, turnip and maybe parsnip? I’ve never had a parsnip in my life, lol, but I do know people used to eat these things. Just want to make it as historical as possible, but still want it to taste good. Yea or nay on these root vegetables? Thanks5 stars

  7. I love parsnips, I use them all the time in stews and other one pot meals. Turnips and Rutabaga would be great also. Parsnips are similar to carrots – not as sweet.5 stars

  8. Can I use crushed tomatoes instead of diced. My wife is not a fan of chunky tomatoes in anything. I.E. chili, stew, spaghetti sauce, etc.