ALL ABOUT: Roasts in the Slow Cooker
The slow cooker is a great vehicle for cooking roasts, especially for the busy cook who has little time to spend monitoring the oven. But simply placing a roast in the slow cooker and walking away isn’t likely going to give you the results you are after. Here are a few important tips to ensure your roasts are successful every time.
Type of Roast: Top Sirloin Beef Roast
Cooking Time on Low: 2 to 3 hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Type of Roast: Boneless Beef Chuck-Eye Roast
Cooking Time on Low: 9 to 10 hours
Cooking Time on High: 6 to 7 hours
Type of Roast: Beef Brisket
Cooking Time on Low: 8 to 9 hours
Cooking Time on High: 5 to 6 hours
Type of Roast: Pork Tenderloin
Cooking Time on Low: 1 to 2 hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Type of Roast: Boneless Pork Loin
Cooking Time on Low: 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Type of Roast: Boneless Pork Butt Roast
Cooking Time on Low: 8 to 9 hours
Cooking Time on High: 5 to 6 hours
Type of Roast: Ham
Cooking Time on Low: 5 to 6 hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Type of Roast: Whole Chicken
Cooking Time on Low: 4 to 5 hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Type of Roast: Turkey Breast
Cooking Time on Low: 5 to 6 hours
Cooking Time on High: -
Pick the Right Roast
When selecting roasts for the slow cooker, our first choices are those that benefit the most from braising, namely the tougher, fattier roasts like beef chuck, beef brisket, and pork butt. These cuts are ideal for the slow cooker because low and slow cooking turns the meat meltingly tender after hours of cooking (when the collagen in the meat has broken down). Leaner roasts such as pork loin, whole chickens, and bone-in turkey breasts also work well, though they require a bit more attention to cooking time and temperature to turn out properly. Avoid premium cuts like beef tenderloin and rib-eye–they would be a waste of money. Save them for the grill or oven.
PORK BUTT
CHUCK-EYE ROAST
PORK LOIN
Pay Attention to Positioning
In our testing, we learned that getting juicy roasts had a lot to do with how we positioned them in the slow cooker. Nestling two pork tenderloins side by side, alternating the narrow and thicker ends, helped to insulate the lean meat and prevent it from overcooking. Positioning larger roasts like brisket, pork loins, and turkey breasts fat and skin side up allowed more fat to render and baste the meat as it cooked. When it came to whole chickens, we found that the trick was to place them in the slow cooker breast side down. This allowed the fat from the legs and thighs to drip down onto the lean breast meat, and as the chicken released its juices, the breast became partially submerged in the rendered fat and juices, which helped it to retain moisture.
Secure Pot Roasts with Twine
Our favorite cuts for pot roast are a beef chuck-eye roast and a pork butt roast (also called Boston butt), because they are well marbled and become very tender over the long braising time. In our experience, these roasts often come unevenly cut or oddly shaped, so to ensure that they cook evenly, we tie them once or twice around the center with kitchen twine to produce a more uniformly shaped roast that will cook through evenly.
Take Temperature of Lean Roasts
While well-marbled roasts can cook all day and still come out moist, leaner roasts like pork loins, whole chickens, and turkey breasts can easily dry out from overcooking. To make sure these roasts remain moist, we cook them on low and monitor their temperature toward the end of cooking and take them out of the slow cooker as soon as they reach the desired temperature.
Type of Roast: Pork Tenderloin
Cooking Temp: 145 degrees
Type of Roast: Pork Loin
Cooking Temp: 140 degrees
Type of Roast: Beef Top Sirloin Roast
Cooking Temp: 120 - 125 degrees
Type of Roast: Chicken Breast
Cooking Temp: 160 degrees
Type of Roast: Chicken Thighs
Cooking Temp: 175 degrees
Maximize Flavor
The moist environment and extended cooking times of the slow cooker are notorious for producing dull, washed out flavors. To prevent our roasts from turning out bland, we season them liberally with spice rubs and convenient flavor-packed ingredients like barbecue sauce or prepared pesto. We also create concentrated bases for braising with plenty of aromatics and spices. As the roasts cook, they are infused with the bold flavor of the braising liquid.
Make a Sauce
Once our roasts are done, we put the flavorful cooking liquid to work by turning it into a sauce to serve with the meat. Often all it needs is a quick skim to remove the excess fat from the surface and some salt and pepper for seasoning. We also frequently stir in some acidic citrus juice or vinegar or some chopped fresh herbs to brighten and balance the flavors.
Make it a Meal
What’s better than making a no-fuss roast in the slow cooker? Having a side dish to serve along with it. To get a complete meal all in one pot, we add beans, rice, and vegetables including potatoes, carrots, onions, and sweet potatoes to the slow cooker along with our roasts. To ensure the vegetables cook through in time, we jump-start them in the microwave before adding them to the slow cooker. Then, while our roast rests, we can quickly mash the sweet potatoes or toss the potatoes in dressing for an easy salad.
