Rump Roast in the Crock Pot

Name: Rump Roast in the Crock Pot
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 495 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 1- 4 pound roast (rump roast is preferred); Salt and pepper for seasoning; 1 pound potatoes (or 3 medium); 5 large carrots; 1 large yellow onion (diced); 4 cloves garlic (pressed); 1 cup beef broth (low sodium is preferred); 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar; 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce; 1 Tablespoon brown sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon rosemary; ¼ teaspoon thyme; Optional garnish: fresh parsley

Cooking rump roast in the crock pot makes the most tender, delicious beef pot roast. The beef is slow-cooked with vegetables adding flavor, but also creating a delicious side dish for your meal. This hearty meal is sure to be one the entire family will love!

Slow cooking is the way to go when cooking a tough piece of meat and you won’t be disappointed in this rump roast pot roast.

But the other thing I love about this slow cooker rump roast recipe is that it cooks all day long without needing lots of attention. That way I can go about my day and do other things without worrying about cooking dinner. Are you ready for me to show you how to make a tender rump roast? Let’s get started!

Try Some of My Other Crock Pot Recipes

When you discover how easy it is to make this slow cooker recipe, I’m certain you will want to add more recipes just like it to your library of easy meals. Crock Pot steak fajitas are one of my family’s that I’m sure you will love too! The Instant Pot also helps save time, so check out this Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli!

While this tender rump roast cooks up with potatoes and carrots to use as a side dish, it also pairs well with Cornbread Casserole or Garlic Knots.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

The crock pot makes the most tender rump roast that everyone will love!
Crock pot rump roast is almost completely hands-off!
An easy one pot meal that saves you time with cleanup!

Ingredients

Olive oil: A healthy oil that’s perfect for searing the outside of the roast.
4-pound beef rump roast: This cooks up into food for 8 servings. If that’s too much it freezes well to use in another meal.
Salt and black pepper: Basic seasoning that’s essential to great tasting food.
Potatoes: I like to use Yukon Gold potatoes, but red potatoes, purple potatoes, fingerlings, and baby potatoes are nice as well.
Carrots: Any type of carrot will work. You can use regular carrots and cut them into chunks or use about 20 baby carrots as a way to save time on prep.
Onions: Any white or yellow onion works great!
Garlic: Fresh garlic is definitely the way to go.
Beef broth: Adds moisture and helps tougher cuts of meat tenderize.
Balsamic vinegar: This dark, rich tasting vinegar is great for adding flavor to the beef and vegetables as the cook.
Brown sugar: Just a touch to balance the vinegar.
Worcestershire sauce: This handy pantry staple is a great way to season beef.
Rosemary and thyme: Herbs infuse the broth and beef with their flavors as it cooks.

*See the recipe card for detailed measurements.

Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need

Skillet
Crock pot or Slow cooker
Cutting board
Sharp knife

How to Cook Rump Roast in the Crock Pot

Step 1: Pat the roast with a paper towel to remove any moisture. Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Drizzle the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Then sear the top, bottom, and sides of the roast. This will take just a few minutes per side. When done cooking, move the roast into your slow cooker.

Step 3: The potatoes should be cut into uniform cubes about 1-inch in size. If you are using baby potatoes, cut them in half. Add them to the slow cooker, around the meat.

Step 4: The carrots should be cut in half lengthwise, then into 2-inch segments. Add them to the slow cooker, along with the diced onions and garlic surrounding the meat.

Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme. Pour this mixture on top of the roast.

Step 6: Cover with the lid and set the crock pot to cook at high temperature for 1 hour, then turn it to low heat for the remaining 7 hours. If you are able to have a longer cooking time, you may just start with the power on the low setting and cook this way for 10 hours. (If you are in rush, I have also made this in 5.5 hours on high and the meat was still very tender and pulled right apart!)

Step 7: When the roast is finished cooking, remove the roast beef to a cutting board and cover it with aluminum foil. Let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing/pulling the meat against the grain.

Step 8: Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the crock pot and add them to the serving tray.

Step 9: You may remove the cooking liquid from the crock pot and serve it on the side or use it to make gravy.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

It’s best not to lift the lid until the cooking time is finished because this will release too much heat from the pot and may increase the amount of time needed to cook fully.
Don’t skip searing the beef. It may seem like an extra step that isn’t necessary but it makes a better-tasting roast beef.
Cut the potatoes and carrots into similar-sized pieces so they cook more evenly.
Don’t overfill the slow cooker. Check the fill line of your slow cooker, or aim for no more than two-thirds full.
Let the meat rest after removing it from the crock pot. This allows the juice to absorb into the meat which results in juicier, more flavorful beef.

How Can I Make a Slow Cooker Rump Roast with Gravy?

If you’d like to make gravy, then you could do that while the meat is resting on the cutting board. There should be enough liquid to make at least 2 cups of gravy.

Pour the cooking liquid from your slow cooker into a dutch oven pot and bring it to a boil.
Make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 Tablespoon of cold water.
Whisk this mixture gradually into the broth. Keep whisking the gravy until it is to the desired thickness. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you end up with lumpy gravy, use an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender to smooth it out. Another option is to pour it through a fine mesh sieve.

Substitutions and Variations

Rump roast: A tough cut of meat such as round roast, chuck roast or blade roast are the best substitutes. The crock pot cooks for a long time at a low temperature which helps break down the connective tissue and muscle fibers in the meat.
Veggies: Lots of different vegetables will work when making this delicious roast. Try mushrooms, bell peppers, celery, or parsnips. Another good choice would be green beans.
Beef broth: If you don’t have any beef broth the next best thing would be beef stock. Alternatively, you can also use a cube (or envelope) of bouillon dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water. Last, mushroom broth would also make a fine substitute in this recipe.
Balsamic vinegar: Red wine can be used as a substitute for balsamic vinegar in this slow cooker pot roast. Or, you could use tomato juice, or even tomato paste mixed with a little water.
Garlic: You can swap out cloves of garlic with garlic powder instead. Use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder whisked into the broth mixture.
Onion: I prefer fresh onions but if needed to substitute, the best option is onion powder. Just mix 1 Tablespoon into the broth mixture. You could also pick up onion soup mixes at the store and mix it into the broth.

Storage Notes

Leftovers should be cooled (but not left out for more than 2 hours) before storing. When ready, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or you may freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Is it really necessary to sear the roast before putting it into the slow cooker?

I find that this extra step is a great way to add so much flavor by creating a browned crust on the outside of the beef. It is definitely worth it!

Can I start with a frozen roast?

I don’t recommend cooking a frozen pot roast in the slow cooker. I prefer to allow the roast to thaw in the fridge the night before cooking it because I really think the roast tastes better if it is seared, and that doesn’t work with a frozen roast. However, if you decide to cook a roast from frozen, you’ll have to allow a longer cook time (about an extra 2 hours).

I have a small crock pot. Will this roast cook properly?

It is best not to fill your crock pot more than ⅔ full. If you have a very small crock pot, you may want to reduce the number of vegetables that you are adding so that the crock pot is not too full. You can cook the extra vegetables either roasted in the oven or on the stovetop.

How do you keep rump roast from drying out in a slow cooker?

The trick to keeping meat from drying out in the crock pot is making sure there is plenty of liquid in the crock pot around the meat. In this recipe, the broth is added to the slow cooker and then cooked slowly which keeps the liquid from evaporating too quickly and the meat from drying out.

Should the meat or vegetables go in the crock pot first?

I prefer to add the meat to the pot first and then the vegetables on top. This makes it easier to only add the vegetables that will fit in my crock pot. Also, it means the beef will be sitting in the liquid that collects in the pot which keeps the beef nice and moist.

What’s the best way to reheat leftover pot roast?

I suggest adding the pot roast to a deep pot on the stove top. Add additional liquid if needed and cook over medium heat until everything is heated through. You can also reheat in the oven at 350-degrees F. Spread it out in a deep baking pan and add more beef broth to the pan. Then heat covered in the oven until hot.

If you’ve made this recipe or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how they turned out. We love hearing from you! You can also follow along with me on FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM to see more colorful recipes!

More Slow Cooker Recipes:

*If you are in a hurry try making my Oven Baked Rump Roast instead. You can bake it directly on the rack in less than two hours!