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This Is Why Slow Cooker Pot Roast Tastes So Good

Lindsay D. MattisonUpdated: Mar. 20, 2019

Slow cooked pot roast with carrots, green beans, onions, garlic and gravy on a white porcelain platter with gold rim and serving fork against a gray tablecloth.

Shutterstock / Aimee M Lee

You can use a Crockpot to turn tough cuts of meat into tender, shreddable roasts. But what makes tough cuts work so well in a slow cooker?

The Instant Pot might be hot right now, but there’s a reason the ol’ slow cooker is one of the most purchased kitchen gadgets of all time. It gives us an easy (and hands-off!) way to put a home cooked meal on the table. There are hundreds of fantastic slow cooker recipes, but slow cooker pot roast is our go-to for something that’s comforting, tasty and impossible to mess up.

When you think of fool-proof slow cooker recipes, chicken breasts might be the first thing that comes to mind—after all, those recipes tend to show up a lot on Pinterest. But using your slow cooker to turn tough cuts of meat into tender, shreddable, melt-in-your-mouth bites is really what it’s all about.

What makes tough cuts work so well in the slow cooker?

Here’s the Pot Roast Secret

As many contributors to this Reddit thread point out, the slow cooker works magic on tough cuts of meat because of all the connective tissue. You see, tender cuts (like chicken breast, pork loin or beef tenderloin) come from rarely worked muscles, so they have little fat and almost no connective tissue. That makes them great for quick cooking methods, but they tend to become tough and chewy when simmered for long periods of time.

Psst: Are you using the right beef stew meat? Find out!

Overworked muscles, on the other hand, have both intramuscular fat and connective tissue. Chuck roast, brisket and pork shoulder would taste awful if you cooked them like a steak, but try cooking them low and slow in a Dutch oven or slow cooker and they turn into something completely magical! The collagen-rich connective tissue slowly melts into the meat, releasing gelatin as it goes. That keeps your meat juicy while it breaks down and gives everything a super-rich mouthfeel.

That’s why slow cooker pot roast is so hard to beat. Give our slow cooker Mississippi pot roast a try and tell us we’re wrong! Dump all the ingredients into the crock and, eight hours later, you’ll have a fall-apart roast complete with its own savory gravy. It doesn’t get any easier (or more delicious) than that.

Our Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipes

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Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pot Roast

Slow-Cooked Caribbean Pot RoastThis dish is definitely a year-round recipe. Sweet potatoes, orange zest and baking cocoa are my surprise ingredients. —Jenn Tidwell, Fair Oaks, California

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Pennsylvania Pot RoastThis heartwarming one-dish meal is adapted from a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe. I start the pot roast cooking before I leave for church, add vegetables when I get home, and then just sit back and relax until it's done. —Donna Wilkinson, Monrovia, Maryland

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Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pot RoastSlow-simmered and seasoned with rosemary, mustard and thyme, this tender and tasty crock pot roast and potatoes recipe is so easy to make and always a hit. Substitute burgundy or brandy plus a half-cup of water for the broth…the aroma of this English roast recipe is wonderful! —Jeannie Klugh, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

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Contest-Winning Mushroom Pot RoastWow! The wine-warmed flavors in this recipe are amazing! Packed with wholesome veggies and tender beef, this is one company-special dish all ages will like. Serve with mashed potatoes to enjoy every last drop of the rich, beefy gravy. —Angie Stewart, Topeka, Kansas

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Horseradish Pot RoastWe tasted a dish similar to this while at a horseradish festival in Illinois. I like to serve it over noodles. The recipe is easily adaptable for stovetop cooking, too. —Barbara White, Katy, Texas

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Cajun-Style Pot RoastI often makes this zippy roast when expecting dinner guests. It gives me time to visit with them, and even my friend who's a chef enjoys this dish. —Ginger Menzies, Oak Creek, Colorado

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Slow-Cooker Garlic-Sesame BeefMy mom received this marinade recipe from a neighbor while she lived in Seoul, South Korea, which is where I was adopted from. Mom created heritage night for my brother and me, and she served Korean bulgogi with sticky rice, kimchi and chopsticks. As a busy mom of four, I keep her tradition alive with this slow cooker Korean beef!—Jackie Brown, Fairview, North Carolina

Spice-Braised Pot Roast

Spice-Braised Pot RoastJust pour these ingredients over your pot roast and let the slow cooker do the work. Herbs and spices give the beef an excellent taste. I often serve this roast over noodles or with mashed potatoes, using the juices as a gravy. —Loren Martin, Big Cabin, Oklahoma

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Top-Rated Italian Pot RoastI'm always getting recipe inspiration from newspapers and magazines. Here’s a tender roast with aromatic spices that give it a Moroccan feel. —Karen Burdell, Lafayette, Colorado

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Sweet 'n' Tangy Pot RoastI fixed this roast the first time I cooked for my husband-to-be more than 20 years ago. For dessert, I made chocolate pudding spooned over marshmallow. He thought he'd died and gone to heaven! —Carol Mulligan, Honeoye Falls, New York

Mediterranean Pot Roast Dinner

Mediterranean Pot Roast DinnerI first made this recipe one cold winter day. My family (adults, kids and dogs) were having a blast sledding and playing in the snow all day, and when we came inside supper was ready! This pot roast is perfect served with mashed potatoes, rice or dinner rolls. —Holly Battiste, Barrington, New Jersey

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Moroccan Pot RoastMy husband loves meat and I love veggies, so we're both happy with this spicy twist on beefy pot roast. With garbanzo beans, eggplant, honey and mint, it's like something you'd eat at a Marrakech bazaar. —Catherine Dempsey, Clifton Park, New York

Beer-Braised Roast with Root Vegetables

Beer-Braised Roast with Root VegetablesI like the combination of seasoned vegetables and lean meat in this recipe, and my wife likes how the seasonings complement the meat. I serve the roast with a garden salad and crusty multigrain bread. —Malcolm Cieszko, Washington, North Carolina

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Root Vegetable Pot RoastDuring the hectic holiday season, I make this roast a lot. We've scarfed it down before and after shopping, and while wrapping presents. Root vegetables and roast beef make everyone feel cozy and calm. —Pat Dazis, Charlotte, North Carolina

Flavorful Pot Roast

Flavorful Pot RoastOn hectic days, this is so quick and easy to prep! Convenient packages of dressing and gravy combine to create a sauce worthy of a fall-apart roast. For a filling meal-in-one, serve with mashed potatoes and ladle the juices over top. —Arlene Butler, Ogden, Utah

Slow-Cooked Coffee Pot Roast

Slow-Cooked Coffee Pot RoastMy family raves about my gravy when I prepare this recipe. Whenever I'm fishing for compliments, this pot roast is a sure hit! —Janet Dominick, Bagley, Minnesota

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Slow-Cooker Pot RoastBecause I work full time, this slow cooker pot roast is my go-to when I want a hearty, home cooked meal. It’s a comfort to walk in and smell this roast simmering. —Gina Jackson, Ogdensburg, New York

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Sunday Pot RoastWith the help of a slow cooker, you can prepare a down-home dinner any day of the week, not just on Sundays. The roast turns out tender and savory every time. —Brandy Schaefer, Glen Carbon, Illinois

Bavarian Pot Roast

Bavarian Pot RoastSince all my grandparents were German, it's no wonder that so many Bavarian recipes have been handed down to me. Because the Midwest has such a large German population, I feel this recipe represents the area well. —Susan Robertson, Hamilton, Ohio

Lone Star Pot Roast

Lone Star Pot RoastPot roast becomes especially delicious with the addition of chopped green chiles and taco seasoning. —Helen Carpenter, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Soy-Ginger Pot RoastMy husband really likes roast beef, and I really like my slow cooker. I brought in Asian influences for an all-day pot roast with some oomph. —Lisa Varner, El Paso, Texas

Coffee-Braised Roast Beef

Coffee-Braised Roast BeefThis recipe has been a family tradition since 1974. The meat is quick and flavorful, so it's a nice welcome home after a long day of work. The coffee adds an intriguing flavor to the roast, and the juices can be thickened for a delicious gravy.—Nancy Schuler, Belle Fourche, South Dakota

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Java Roast BeefCoffee adds richness to the gravy, which is perfect for sopping up with crusty bread or draping over mashed potatoes. —Charla Sackmann, Orange City, Iowa

Originally Published: November 27, 2018

Lindsay D. Mattison

Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her skills and experience with home cooks and food enthusiasts. She's passionate about using local, organic ingredients and teaching others how to incorporate seasonal food into their diet. Lindsay still cooks professionally for pop-up events, writes for several publications and is the co-author of two books about Ayurveda.