This Yukon Gold crock pot roast gives you fork-tender beef, sweet carrots, and creamy potatoes from one slow cooker with very little effort. A chuck roast is seasoned, seared, and set on a bed of vegetables with garlic, bay leaves, beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce, then left to cook while you get on with your day.
Yukon Gold potatoes are the right pick for a long cook because they hold their shape and turn buttery inside. The beef broth and juices from the roast become a savory sauce you can spoon over everything.
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Why This Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast Recipe Works
Chuck roast is marbled with fat and connective tissue, which melts into the juices during a slow cook and makes the meat tender enough to shred with a fork. Searing it first adds browned flavor that the slow cooker cannot create on its own.
Layering the vegetables on the bottom keeps them under the liquid so they cook through, and the roast sits on top where it braises and steams. Yukon Gold potatoes stay creamy rather than mealy, so the whole pot comes out evenly tender.
Ingredients for Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil, for searing
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, optional
Chuck roast: its marbling is what makes pot roast moist and rich. A bottom round or brisket flat also works, but cook it until fork-tender.
Yukon Gold potatoes: they are waxy enough to hold their shape and creamy enough to soak up the juices. Red potatoes are a good swap.
Beef broth: it forms the cooking liquid and the base of the sauce. Choose low sodium so you can control the salt.
Worcestershire sauce: it adds savory depth and a little tang. Soy sauce in a smaller amount can stand in.
Bay leaves and garlic: they perfume the broth quietly. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
How to Make Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
1. Season the roast. Pat the chuck roast dry and rub it all over with the salt and pepper. If it is very large, cut it into two or three big pieces so it cooks evenly.
2. Sear the beef. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides, about 3 minutes per side, until it is deeply golden brown.
3. Prep the vegetables. Chop the onion, carrots, and potatoes into bite-sized pieces so they finish at the same time as the beef.
4. Build the pot. Spread the onion, carrots, potatoes, and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker and tuck in the bay leaves. Set the seared roast on top and pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef shreds easily and the potatoes are soft when pierced.
6. Shred and serve. Remove the bay leaves, shred the beef into large pieces, and spoon the vegetables and juices over the top.
How to Serve Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
Serve the roast in shallow bowls with plenty of juices and a slice of bread for mopping. A pan of fluffy homemade dinner rolls is the classic partner.
If you want to try another slow cooker method, compare this with our slow cooker pot roast or the three packet pot roast. Leftover beef also makes a rich crock pot beef stew when you add more broth and vegetables.
How to Store and Reheat Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
Refrigerate leftovers within two hours in shallow airtight containers with some of the juices. They keep for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat portions on the stove or in the microwave until they are steaming hot and reach 165 degrees F. Do not reheat leftovers in the slow cooker, since it heats too slowly. You can also freeze the beef and vegetables in portions and thaw them overnight in the fridge.
Tips and Variations for Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
Do not skip the sear. Browning builds flavor that makes the juices taste like a real gravy.
Keep the cooker at the right fill. The Clemson slow cooker guide recommends filling it between half and two-thirds full and keeping vegetables under the meat, so choose a cooker that fits the roast.
Cut very large roasts. Smaller pieces heat through more quickly and safely than one huge chunk.
Do not lift the lid. Each peek lets out heat and adds to the cooking time.
Thicken the juices. Stir a little cornstarch mixed with cold water into the hot liquid and cook until it turns glossy.
Add herbs at the end. A pinch of fresh thyme or parsley brightens the finished pot.
Cut the potatoes evenly. Pieces of the same size finish together so none turn to mush.
Frequently Asked Questions About Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
Can I use other potatoes in Yukon Gold crock pot roast?
Yes. Red potatoes and baby potatoes also hold their shape. Russets work but tend to break down and thicken the juices.
Should I cook the roast on low or high?
Low gives the most tender beef, but high works when you are short on time. Either way, the meat is done when it shreds easily with a fork.
How do I make the Yukon Gold crock pot roast gravy thicker?
Ladle some juices into a saucepan, whisk in a cornstarch and water slurry, and simmer until thick. Pour it back over the beef.
Can I use a frozen roast?
It is safer to thaw the roast in the fridge first so it reaches a safe temperature in time. Pat it dry before searing.
Why is my pot roast tough?
Tough pot roast is usually undercooked. Connective tissue needs time to melt, so keep cooking until the meat is fork-tender.
Yukon Gold Crock Pot Roast
Equipment
- Slow cooker
- Skillet
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 3-4 lb chuck roast cut into 2 or 3 pieces if large
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp oil for searing
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 carrots chopped
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cubed
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 bay leaves remove before serving
- 2 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce optional
Instructions
Cooking
- Season and sear. Rub the roast with the salt and pepper, then sear it in hot oil on all sides, about 3 minutes per side, until deeply golden.
- Layer the cooker. Spread the onion, carrots, potatoes, and garlic on the bottom of the slow cooker with the bay leaves and set the roast on top.
- Add the liquid. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef shreds easily and the potatoes are tender.
- Shred and serve. Discard the bay leaves, shred the beef into large pieces, and spoon the vegetables and juices over the top.
