• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
  • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy

Chefjar logo

Home / Beef Recipes

Balsamic Vinegar Crock Pot Roast

Jump to Recipe -

Tender fall-apart crock pot roast slow cooked in a balsamic gravy with veggies is a perfect hearty weekday dinner with minimum efforts. I included crock pot, instant pot and oven methods!

This pot roast recipe guarantees great results every time! Even the pickiest of eaters will love this ultimate comfort food.

crock pot roast


 

Crock pot roast

When it comes to comfort food, nothing beats a good pot roast! It is an effortless meal that is super easy to put together. Throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it do the job for you. And leftovers are great for sandwiches the next day. I prefer to use a crock method for this recipe, but I also provided instant pot and oven methods. Choose the one you are comfortable with!

crock pot roast

What is Pot Roast

Pot roast is a classic beef dish made with big tough beef cut. The beef is seasoned, seared and slow cooked in a rich balsamic gravy with veggies for 8-10 hours. Cooking at a low temperature makes the beef super tender because this method breaks the tough tissues.

To make a great pot roast, you can use chuck roast, round roast, briskets or rump roast.

best cut for pot roast

Pot roast ingredients

To make this delicious pot roast you will need:

  • Roast beef: Chuck roast, Brisket, Round roast and plate roast are great cuts for pot roast. When you slow cook these tougher cuts, the high amount of collagen turns into gelatine and the meat becomes really tender and braising liquid turns into a delicious rich broth.  
  • Onions: If you don’t like onion, cook the whole onion and later discard.
  • Garlic cloves: I usually smash the garlic with the back of the spoon. You can mince it using a microplane grater.
  • Carrots & celery stalks: Cut them into 1-inch pieces.
  • Medium potatoes: If using baby potatoes, don’t halve them.
  • Balsamic vinegar: Use high quality Italian balsamic vinegar for the best results. It helps to tenderize the meat and gives so much flavor.
  • Dijon mustard
  • Brown sugar
  • Fresh thyme sprigs: I prefer to use fresh thyme, but you can substitute it with dried thyme.
  • Bay leaf
  • Beef broth: Both homemade beef broth and store-bought low sodium broth will work well.
crock pot roast

How to cook a roast in a crock pot

It is an effortless 3 step perfect pot roast recipe.

  • SEAR the beef roast. Don’t skip this essential step! Searing provides an incredible flavor. When you sear beef, you form a brown crust on the surface and seal the juices on the inside. It is absolutely worth it!
  • ADD VEGGIES and beef broth.
  • SLOW COOK for 8-10 hours on “LOW” or until the meat is tender and falls apart with a fork.

If you look for Instant pot roast or oven method, check the recipe below. I included three cooking methods.

crock pot roast

How long to cook roast in crock pot

The cooking time will vary depending on the weight and type of the cut. Below you can find the guidelines for cooking 3lb, 4lb and 5lb beef roast in crock pot.

  • Slow cook a 3lb (1.3 kg) roast for 4-6 hours
  • Cook a 4lb (2 kg) roast for 8-10 hours
  • Slow cook a 5lb (2.2 kg) roast for 10 hours

Check the roast with a fork, if it falls apart, it is done. If you find it tough, cook further until tender. I recommend to cook pot roast on “LOW” rather than “HIGH”. This guarantees tender meat every time.

crock pot roast

Instant Pot Roast

Turn on your instant pot. Choose ‘sauté’ mode. Heat oil. When it is hot, sear the beef on all sides, about 5-6 minutes each side. Add the remaining ingredients, choose ‘pressure cook’ mode and cook on ‘high’ for 1 hour. Allow natural air release.

Tips for the Perfect Roast

  • Cut the veggies a bit bigger to make sure they won’t overcook.
  • Fresh thyme is best! If you don’t have it on hand, use dried thyme. You will need about 1 teaspoon because dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor.
  • Use a beef cut with lots of marbling for the rich gravy.
  • Slow cook on ‘low’ rather than on ‘high’.

Serve this delicious crock pot roast with Naan bread or Focaccia bread.

crock pot roast

Crock Pot Roast Video

If you enjoy this slow cooked balsamic pot roast, please subscribe to my YouTube channel (thank you for subscribing). Want to be the first to know when I post a new video? Make sure to click the BELL icon.  

More delicious roast recipes

Roasted leg of lamb

Lemon garlic roast chicken

Garlic herb roasted chicken

pinterest-chefjar

If you like crock pot roast recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating!

crock pot roast
Print Recipe

Slow Cooked Balsamic Pot Roast

Tender fall-apart crock pot roast slow cooked in a balsamic gravy with veggies is a perfect hearty weekday dinner with minimum efforts.
Author: chefjar
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time10 hours hrs
Servings: 8
Calories: 401kcal

Ingredients

  • Roast beef boneless and trimmed of excess fat- 4 pounds (2 kg)
  • Salt and pepper- to taste
  • Olive oil- 2 tablespoons
  • Onions diced-2
  • Garlic cloves smashed-8-9
  • Carrots cut into 1-inch pieces-2
  • Celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces- 2
  • Medium potatoes halved-1 pound (500 g)
  • Balsamic vinegar-¼ cup
  • Dijon mustard- 2 tablespoons
  • Brown sugar-1 tablespoon
  • Fresh thyme sprigs- 3-4
  • Bay leaf-1
  • Low-sodium beef broth- 1 cup
  • Flour or cornstarch - 2 tablespoons to thicken the gravy, optional
  • Parsley chopped- 2 tablespoons
  • Black pepper and salt- as needed

Equipment

  • Pepper Mill
  • Tongs
  • Crock pot

Instructions

Crock Pot:

  • In a large skillet heat oil over high heat. Season beef with a generous amount of salt and ground black pepper. Once the oil is hot, sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side.  Transfer to the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker.
  • Add the onion, celery, garlic (smashed with the back of a spoon), carrots, potatoes, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf,  Dijon mustard and thyme sprigs.
  • Whisk together the beef stock and flour until lumps free. Pour  it into the bowl  of your crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on "LOW" for 8-10 hours or until the beef is tender and falling apart with a fork.
  • Adjust the seasoning and garnish with parsley and thyme sprigs.  

Oven:

  • Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Heat oil in a 6 quart  dutch oven or oven safe pot over medium high heat. Sear the seasoned meat on all sides until browned.
  • Arrange the onions, carrots, garlic, celery, potatoes, bay leaf and thyme sprigs around the the roast. Add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and beef broth combined with flour. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a simmer, cover with an oven safe lid or foil  and transfer to the preheated oven. Roast for 4-5 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart. Check the roast after 2 hours of cooking. If there is no liquid, add 1 cup of warm broth and continue to cook until the meat is tender. 
  • Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Garnish with parsley and extra thyme sprigs.
  • Pull the beef into large pieces and serve with vegetables  and gravy.

Instant Pot:

  • Choose "Saute" mode. Add oil and heat. Once it is hot, sear the meat on all the sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes each side.
  • Add the celery, potatoes, carrots, garlic, onions, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, mustard, brown sugar, thyme, salt and pepper. Combine the stock with the flour and pour into the bowl.
  • Choose "Pressure cook" mode on "high" and set time for 1 hour.
  • When the time is over, cancel "pressure cook" mode and allow natural air release for 15 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the lid and transfer the roast to a serving dish.
  • how to make pot roast in crock pot

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 584mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
Course: Beef recipes
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef stew, crock pot recipes, crock pot roast, roast

All rights reserved. CHEF JAR. All images and content are copyright protected. PLEASE do not use my images without my permission. If you want to share this recipe, PLEASE provide a link back to this post.

If you make this recipe, take a photo of your creation and hashtag  it # CHEFJAR on  Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Beef Recipes

[ess_grid alias="beef-recipes"]

chefjar

More Beef Recipes

  • Close-up of sliced, juicy steak drizzled with melted herb butter and garnished with fresh thyme, served on a textured plate.
    Cowboy Butter Steak
  • The image shows a close-up of a spoonful of Cowboy Cornbread Casserole, highlighting the golden cornbread topping and the savory meat, beans, and vegetable filling.
    Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
  • The image of Air fryer steak fajitas for easy beef dinners.
    5-Day Beef Meal Plan
  • Beef in oyster sauce served over steamed white rice and topped with sliced green onions.
    Beef in Oyster Sauce ( Stir Fry)

About Tatiana

Hi, I’m Tatiana! I’m all about making easy, delicious family meals that bring everyone to the table. From quick weeknight dinners to comforting classics, my recipes are simple, flavorful, and made with love. Read more

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel 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.

Primary Sidebar

Footer

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE RECIPES STRAIGHT INTO YOUR INBOX!

CONNECT WITH ME – CHEFJAR

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Privacy Policy
  • ABOUT ME
  • Recipe index

Copyright © 2025 · CHEFJAR