This Slow Cooker Roast Beef will be become your favorite Sunday Roast – incredibly tender slow cooked beef in a rich and delicious gravy. 10/10 for flavor and almost zero effort! Serve with my incredible Goose Fat Roast Potatoes and Yorkshire Puddings.
Perfect for serving a crowd so why not make it this weekend for the whole family’s Sunday dinner? This slow cooked beef recipe is gluten free and slimming friendly.
Check out my Air Fryer Roast Beef recipe!
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Sometimes a recipe comes along that
- Is incredibly tasty and beloved by everyone
- Is SUPER EASY and almost cooks itself
Simply pop the meat and veggies in your slow cooker in the morning and you have the best dinner waiting for you by supper time. Take a look at the recipe video and step by step photos to see how it’s done.
Super easy and tastes amazing. My family commented on how amazing the gravy tasted, the best they’ve had apparently. Definitely going to keep this recipe on rotation! “
Table of contents
What makes this recipe such a winner?
- The PERFECT pot roast: If you are intimidated by roast beef because it is tricky to get just right then this is the beef recipe for you. Technically it is not a roast but a beef pot roast since it is cooked in a slow cooker.
- It is almost hands off, practically a ‘dump and go’ recipe. After some initial prep, the meat simply cooks slowly for several hours until it becomes perfectly tender and succulent.
- Finally a roast beef recipe that comes with gravy built in! The flavor-packed broth in which the roast cooks becomes the totally addicting thick gravy you will want to bathe in (or maybe that’s just me)
- You can also cook potatoes and other veggies at the same time – one less job to do!
Which is the best cut for slow cooked roast beef?
You can use any cut of beef joint that’s suitable for roasting or pot roasting, from boneless chuck roast (that’s the same as braising steak in the UK) to other budget friendly options such as brisket and topside. I usually order my beef joint from Amazon Fresh – such good quality!
Make sure your cut of beef will fit in your Slow Cooker – as you will see from the recipe video my joint was rather mahoosive! You can cut it in half if necessary.
Different beef cuts will yield different results. If you prefer a fall-off-the-fork tender beef roast then go for a brisket joint. If you want to slice your beef then a topside or top round will be a better option.
Remember that beef will shrink slightly as it cooks so buy medium-large joint, allowing for at least 200g (7oz) meat per person if you’re planning to feed the entire family this delicious meal.
Grocery List
If you have the GreenPan Slow Cooker you can brown the beef directly in it saving washing up and energy!
- Beef stock (beef broth) – I usually use Knorr Stockpots but you can use a stock cube or your favorite fresh or canned beef broth, preferably a low sodium one. Check this is gluten free if that is a concern
- Worcestershire sauce, Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce (use Tamari for GF version)
- Concentrated tomato paste
- Onion and garlic
- Bay leaves
- Carrots – these add depth of flavor to the gravy and you can serve them on the side, win-win!
- Potatoes – these are optional. I actually prefer crispy roast potatoes with my roast beef so I usually cook these separately in the oven or an Air Fryer.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken the gravy. You can also use Xanthan Gum.
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER BEEF
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
STEP 1. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper. Allow your beef joint to come to room temperature before cooking.
STEP 2. Spray a large skillet or shallow casserole dish with olive oil spray and sear the beef on all sides. This can take up to 10-15 minutes, but adds so much flavor. You want to trigger the Maillard reaction – in layman’s terms you want to brown the beef until nicely colored.
STEP 3. Set the beef aside and deglaze the bottom of the pan with white wine, red wine or beef stock, scraping any browned bits into the broth with the back of a wooden spoon. This is where a lot of the flavor comes from so don’t skip it!
STEP 4. Add the onions and carrots and stir until they get a bit of color and and almost all of the liquid is gone.
STEP 5. Add beef stock (broth), soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, minced garlic, salt and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
STEP 6. Add the beef and then the vegetables, pushing them down into the liquid. Top with extra hot beef broth to come up halfway up the side of your joint.
STEP 7. Cover the slow cooker and cook for 5 – 8 hours on LOW or 3-6 hours on HIGH depending on the beef cut and your preferences. If your crock pot has a ceramic insert it will likely need to cook for longer – modern slow cookers which allow for searing heat quicker and therefore the total cooking times are shorter.
STEP 8. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the slow cooker. Check the beef using a meat thermometer (see guidelines below) or by piercing with a knife – it should be tender.
ROAST BEEF INTERNAL TEMPERATURE
The best way to check your beef is cooked to your liking is to check the temperature with a digital thermometer. Insert the probe in the thickest part of the joint and check the temperature against these guidelines.
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Medium rare – 55°C (131°F)
Medium – 60°C ( 140°F)
Medium-well – 65°C (149°F)
Well done – 70°C+ (158°F)
Best ever beef gravy
A good gravy can make or break your roast beef dinner! It’s definitely one of the best things about this slow cooker beef roast recipe. All you have to do is strain all the braising liquid from the slow cooker into a saucepan discarding any solids (but hold on to carrots and potatoes if used).
Stir in some cornstarch slurry and bring the gravy to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a low heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes or until slightly reduced. Taste and season if needed.
Serving suggestions
Slice the beef against the grain and arrange on a platter with the carrots (and potatoes if you have added any). Drizzle with gravy and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve the roast with extra gravy and stuffing balls on the side.
If you are not cooking the potatoes in with the roast then these scalloped potatoes and creamy Brussels sprouts would be lovely served on the side.
TIPS FOR BEST-EVER SLOW COOKER BEEF
Brown the beef before cooking
This triggers the Maillard reaction which adds tons This triggers the Maillard reaction which adds tons of flavor to your pot roast. If you are really short of time you can ‘dump and go’ skipping this step but for the best flavor in this tender roast beef, sear the meat first.
Deglaze the pan
Pour a generous splash of wine or broth into the hot pan after you have set the beef aside. Use the back of the spoon to scrape any browned bits into the stock. These are called the “fond” and can create the base for a pan sauce.
Do the prep work the night before
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, allow to cool and place in fridge overnight (in the slow cooker or a suitable container). The next day turn your cooker on and forget about it for at least 8-9 hours. The roast will take a bit longer if cooked straight from the fridge.
LEFTOVERS AND STORAGE
Keep any leftover meat for up to 4 days in the fridge and use in sandwiches, pasta bakes (try my Stroganoff pasta bake or this yummy Philly Cheesesteak Soup). If you have any leftover gravy you can freeze it – pour cooled gravy into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid. Pop the cubes out into a freezer bag and use within 3 months.
If you loved my Slow Cooker Roast Beef, you may like these popular beef recipes:
- Best (and easiest) ever Slow Cooker Prime Rib
- If you prefer your beef on the rare side try my Topside Beef Roast
- Ultimate comfort food: Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings
- Tender, juicy and delicious Slow Cooker Roast Pork
- Slow Cooker Brisket (low carb / keto)
- No beans! Slow Cooker Chili (low carb / keto)
- Cold weather comfort food? Try this Slow Cooker Lamb Casserole
- Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb for tender, fall off the bone, lamb.
HAVE YOU MADE MY SLOW COOKER ROAST BEEF RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Slow Cooker Roast Beef
Equipment & Tools
Ingredients
- Olive oil cooking spray or 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1.4 kg (3 pounds) beef joint such as brisket or topside
- Salt and pepper to season
- 60 ml (¼ cup) red or white wine (or stock) to deglaze pan
- 2 onions , roughly chopped
- 4 carrots , halved (add more if you like)
- 6 potatoes , peeled and halved (optional)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce (or Tamari for GF version)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 480 ml (2 cups) hot beef stock (low sodium beefbroth)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) diluted in 1 tbsp cold water
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley , chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Take the beef joint out of the fridge for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season well with salt and pepper.
- Spray a large pan or casserole dish with olive oil spray and sear the beef on all sides until nicely coloured. This can take up to 10-15 minutes but adds so much flavour so don’t skip!
- Set the beef aside and deglaze the pan with white wine (or red wine or beef stock), scraping any browned bits into the stock with the back of a wooden spoon.
- Add the onions and carrots and stir until they get a bit of colour and and almost all of the liquid is gone.
- Add beef stock (broth), soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, minced garlic, salt and bay leaves to your slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Add the beef and then the vegetables, pushing them down into the liquid. Check the levels of the stock, it should come up halfway up the side of your joint. Top with extra hot beef stock if necessary.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook your beef joint for 5-8 hours on LOW or 3-6 hours on HIGH. A large topside joint requires around 5-6 hours on LOW setting or 3 on HIGH whereas a brisket can happily cook for up to 8 on LOW and 6 on HIGH. If you can, flip the beef joint over about halfway through the cooking.
- Check the beef using a digital thermometer (this is best for a Topside joint which requires less coooking time – Medium rare – 55°C (131°F) | Medium – 60°C ( 140°F) | Medium well – 65°C (149°F) | Well done – 70°C+ (158°F).
- Remove the joint from the crockpot and rest for half an hour, loosely covered with foil.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the slow cooker. Strain all the liquid into a saucepan discarding any solids.
- Stir in the cornflour slurry and bring the gravy to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until reduced. Taste and season if needed.
- Slice the beef against the grain and arrange on a platter with the vegetables. Drizzle with some of the gravy and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve the roast allowing everyone to pour extra gravy on top – SO YUMMY!
Video
Notes
- Remove the meat from the fridge and pat the topside of beef dry as much as possible. Season really well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Brown the beef before cooking. This triggers the Maillard reaction which adds tons of flavour to your pot roast. If you are really short of time you can ‘dump and go’ skipping this step but for the best flavour sear the meat first.
- Deglaze the pan – pour wine or stock into the hot pan after you have set the beef aside. Use the back of the spoon to scrape any browned bits into the stock.
- If your beef is a little tough, even after cooking for 8 hours, slice then add back in the pot for another hour.
- If you haven’t time to prep the meat in the morning, do the prep work the night before. Add all the ingredients in your slow cooker and allow to cool then store in the fridge overnight (in the slow cooker if fridge space allows, otherwise in a suitable container). The next day turn your cooker on and forget about it for at least 8-9 hours. The roast might take longer to cook if cooked straight from the fridge.
Aaron says
I’ve mistakenly purchased 1.6kg silverside, will this recipe still work? I was going to cook for a minimum of 8 hours with silverside being a tougher cut?
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Aaron – if it fits in the slow cooker I don’t see why not. And yes 8+ hours on low setting.
Hope this helps,
Lucy
Elly Thomson says
The best Beef we ever had the gravy is delicious, a family favorite.
Michelle Kelly says
I am in agreement just love this gravy… so delish thank you 🙂
Martin says
absolutely love this method
Rebecca Walder says
How do you keep the roast from drying out? They always do.mine was 5 hours on low, still not tear apart tender, but dry as a bone inside and well done.
Lucy Parissi says
Five hours on low doesn’t sound long enough. In a slow cooker it will be well cone if you want a medium rare or rare roast you can try my topside beef recipe in the oven or the air fryer
Elleanor says
I just made this and it is the best slow cooker roast meal I’ve ever made! I used lamb leg and it turned out so tasty and tender falling apart. My lamb was 1.1kg and I cooked it on low for about 7hrs. Will definitely be saving this recipe as a new go to!
Joanne Luxford says
about to cook
will let you know
Angel says
Just cooked this for a Xmas baguette and it’s absolutely gorgeous. Thank you xx
Gary says
at what stage and order does everything go into the slow cooker? beef first? vegetables and liquid first?
Lucy Parissi says
If you scroll to the end there’s a recipe card
Gary says
yes, i read the recipe card which is why i’m asking the question.
at step 7 you are switching the slow-cooker on but nowhere in steps 1-6 do you advise when anything goes in to the slow-cooker?
Lucy Parissi says
Apologies if it wasn’t clear, I have updated the recipe card. Happy holidays 😘
Gary says
Excellent! Many thanks 🙂
Carol Walden says
Could this be cooked the day before & reheated the next day somehow?
Lucy Parissi says
Yes – keep the beef submerged in the liquid. Next day you can slice and reheat