Crock pot roast with brown gravy mix and onion soup mix

This Crock Pot 3-Packet Pot Roast with gravy is incredibly easy but incredibly tender and flavorful. Set it and forget it!

Table of Contents Show

A TENDER POT ROAST RECIPE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT 3-PACKET POT ROAST:
CRAVING MORE? GIVE THESE RECIPES A TRY!
Reader Interactions
Do you put the roast in the Crock
Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the Crock
Do you have to cover a roast with liquid in a Crock
How much liquid do you put in a slow cooker for pot roast?

A TENDER POT ROAST RECIPE

Slow cooking can take a rather boring and tough cut of meat and make it come out so tender and tasty. And, in my case, I save on electricity because this roast isn't cooking in my oven for hours on end. So that's just a bonus right there.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is the best type of roast to use for this?

A beef chuck roast works perfect. It's an inexpensive cut of meat and the low and slow cooking process will make the meat so tender. But any type of beef roast will work. Just make sure you are getting a large enough size

Can I use low sodium options?

Of course. Wherever you can find low sodium options, please do so.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

beef chuck roast
ranch dressing mix
brown gravy mix
Italian dressing mix
dried chopped onions
water
cornstarch

HOW TO MAKE CROCK POT 3-PACKET POT ROAST:

I like to brown the roast before putting it in the crock pot. It really gives it a great color and adds to the overall flavor. Heat up a large skillet on high heat. You want to get it really hot. Add about a tbsp. of vegetable oil into the bottom of the pan. Take a paper towel and dry the meat really good. Season the roast with salt & pepper. When pan is really hot, add the roast. You aren't going to cook it all the way through. You're just browning both sides to give it some added flavor.

Once browned, put the roast into the bottom of your slow cooker.

Mix together 2 cups of water with all the seasoning packets and chopped onion. Give it all a good stir.

Pour gravy mixture over the roast.

Cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours. Around the last 2-3 hours of baking, you can add in some diced potatoes, carrots and celery if you want to add those. This next step is also optional (but I personally think is necessary) to make the gravy thicker. Whisk together cold water with cornstarch.

Pour corn starch mixture into the slow cooker and turn the slow cooker up to the high setting. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high to thicken the gravy. Then serve!

CRAVING MORE? GIVE THESE RECIPES A TRY!

▢ 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
▢ 1 packet ranch dressing mix
▢ 1 packet brown gravy mix
▢ 1 packet Italian dressing mix
▢ 1 tablespoon dried chopped onions (or half an onon, finely diced)
▢ 2 cups water
▢ 3 tablespoons cold water
▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat up a large skillet on high heat. You want to get it really hot.
Add about a tablespoon of vegetable oil into the bottom of the pan.
Take a paper towel and dry the meat really well Season the roast with salt and pepper.
When pan is really hot, add the roast. You aren't going to cook it all the way through. You're just browning both sides to give it some added flavor and color.
Once browned, put it into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Mix together 2 cups of water with all the seasoning packets and chopped onion. Give it all a good stir.
Pour gravy mixture over the roast.
Cover and cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours. If you want to cook potatoes, carrots and celery with the roast, add them in about 2-3 hours before the roast is finished cooking.
When roast is fully cooked, whisk together cold water with cornstarch.
Pour corn starch mixture into the slow cooker and turn the slow cooker up to the high setting.
Cook for an additional 30 minutes on high to thicken the gravy.

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Originally published: February 2012
Updated & republished: September 2020

I’m a regular home cook, like most of you, doing my best to get a good meal on the table for my family. I like to say the recipes on here are recipes for the busy cook (you know who you are). You can still get a good meal on the table, with a few shortcuts to help you along the way. I hope you’ll find lots of recipes here that you’ll love and hopefully will become family favorites. Read more...

Reader Interactions

Do you put the roast in the Crock

Layer wisely: For even cooking, cut food into uniform-size pieces. Place firm, slow-cooking root vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the crock and pile the meat on top.

Do you have to brown a roast before putting it in the Crock

"Browning, or caramelizing, meat before putting it into a slow cooker isn't one hundred percent necessary, but it is well worth the effort for the most flavorful and full-bodied end result," he says. "The caramelized surface of the meat will lend rich flavor and color to the finished dish."

Do you have to cover a roast with liquid in a Crock

Should the roast be covered with liquid in the slow cooker? You don't need a lot of liquid to cook a roast in the slow cooker. In fact, I often cook very fatty pork roasts without any liquid at all. However, the liquid adds flavor and keeps a lean roast from getting dry.

How much liquid do you put in a slow cooker for pot roast?

Place roast on top of vegetables. Place 3 bouillon cubes randomly on top of the roast and pour in 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours.