Tender Beef Chuck Roast in the Slow Cooker

Beef chuck roast made in the slow cooker with ranch seasoning and root veggies is such a comforting meal! This crockpot pot roast recipe is Whole30 and Paleo compliant, with an easy Keto adaptation.

It’s officially fall! There’s a chill in the air, so it’s the perfect time to make comfort food meals like chili, beef stew, and of course pot roast. What’s even better is that you can save time preparing dinner by using a crockpot to make some of those meals!

If you ask me, the perfect easy dinner solution is to make a beef chuck roast in a slow cooker! It’s a budget-friendly recipe for fall-apart, tender meat that’s ultra savory and super comforting.

I love everything about this recipe, but my favorite thing is how it makes the whole house smell wonderful as it simmers away throughout the day.

You may also like: Buffalo Chicken & Ranch Casserole, Simple Dutch Oven Chicken.

Why You’ll Love Making Beef Chuck Roast in a Slow Cooker

1. A time-saving dinner! Unlike a classic pot roast recipe, it isn’t necessary to sear the beef roast. Just spend a few minutes washing and peeling the vegetables. Then, dump the remaining ingredients into the crock pot and press start. A few hours later, the tender, fall-apart pot beef is ready to serve!

2. Fantastic combination of flavors. Ranch seasoning gives pot roast recipe a zesty, herby, bright flavor. The pickle juice may sound strange, but it adds a salty, briny flavor that really helps balance the whole thing out.

3. Whole30, paleo, and gluten-free. This meal is nourishing, hearty, delicious, and healthy. There’s no need to cheat on your eating plan. If you’re on a keto or low carb plan, there are keto-friendly substitutions in the ingredients section, below.

If you’re looking for great use for dill pickle juice (besides my Dill Pickle Chicken Salad!), this crockpot chuck roast recipe is the one!

Recipe Ingredients

Scroll down to the substitutions section for ingredient substitutions! ⬇️

Get your shopping lists ready! Here’s what you need to make it happen.

• Boneless Beef Chuck Roast – Chuck roast is one of the best cuts of beef for pot roast. Because it’s a tough cut with a lot of fat, it slow cooks beautifully. The fat melts down, which adds flavor and helps to create tender, flavorful pot roast.
• Ranch Seasoning: Use your favorite store-bought blend or make my ranch seasoning mix using dried parsley, chives, onion flakes, dill, sea salt, and garlic powder.
• Root Veggies – You’ll need a large yellow onion, fresh garlic, carrots, and baby potatoes.
• Pickle Juice: This is the liquid inside a dill pickle jar. The briny, salty flavor is beautiful against the rich beef flavor! You probably know by now that I love Grillo’s pickles from Costco, so that’s the pickle juice I use.
• Beef Stock or Broth

Substitutions and Variations

Beef chuck roast – I order my beef from Porter Road. Other than chuck roast, good cuts of beef for pot roast are brisket, bottom round, and rump roast.

Veggies – If you want to use other vegetables, it’s best to use firm veggies like sweet potatoes, parsnips, or celery.

*Low Carb / Keto Adaptation: The majority of this dish works perfectly for a low carb or Keto eating plan. However, you will need to omit the carrots and potatoes.

Keep it low carb by serving the pot roast with vegetables that are lower in carbs, like green beans, spaghetti squash, asparagus, roasted radishes, or mashed cauliflower. Or, make my Keto Mississippi Pot Roast recipe!

Steps and Tips for Making Crockpot Chuck Roast

The steps to make pot roast in a crock pot are crazy easy! It’s basically a dump and start recipe, and a prime example of why a slow cooker is one of my favorite kitchen appliances.

1. Wash and prep the vegetables. Cut the carrots into 3 inch long pieces, cut the onion into quarters, and mince the garlic.
2. Add all ingredients to the slow cooker. Place the vegetables and cooking liquid into the crock pot. Place the beef chuck roast on top.
3. Seasoning the roast by sprinkling the ranch seasoning blend over the top of the meat.
4. Cover and cook. Set the unit to slow cook the pot roast for 6-7 hours on High or 8-9 hours on Low, until fork tender.
5. Shred the beef. The easiest way to do this is by using two forks to pull the meat apart. You don’t need to remove the roast from the crockpot – just shred it right inside of the cooker!
6. Make the gravy. Don’t skip the gravy, because the ranch and dill pickle flavors in the cooking liquid take the flavor of the gravy to the next level!

To store leftovers: Transfer the meat, vegetables, and gravy to an airtight container. Store covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Serving Suggestions for Pot Roast

This is a hearty, filling meal on its own. There’s a protein, veggies, and potatoes. The only thing you might want to serve with it is a winter fruit salad and/or some bread and butter or dinner rolls.