Can You Cook a Round Beef Roast in a Crockpot

My Spicy Top Round Roast recipe is slow cooked all day in your crockpot for an incredibly tender and flavorful roast. With just a few ingredients you can whip it up in minutes, set it and forget it.

white platter with shredded beef and pepperoncinis, a slow cooker

Want to get the most out of your slow cooker? We've got tons of slow cooker recipes to try! Some of our favorites are also our most popular, like Crockpot Ribs, Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers and Slow Cooker Asian Chicken Drumsticks.

My house never nevers smells better than the day I've had a roast cooking in the slow cooker all day. This Top Round Roast recipe is one of my favorites because it's not only amazingly delicious, it's amazingly simple. You only need a few ingredients – top round roast, butter, beef broth and pepperoncinis. I also add a little bit of the juice from the pepperoncinis for extra flavor a just a little bit of heat.

Ingredients

Top Round Roast – I always buy a couple when they're on sale. It makes a super delicious roast in the crockpot!
Salt and Pepper – Usually I say this is a given, but it's the only seasoning you'll use. You can add a little garlic powder or fresh garlic if you want.
Pepperoncini – You know those little peppers in the jar that you always see on Olive Garden Salad? Yup, throw a bunch of those bad boys in there, along with a little bit of the juice. It's what give this roast its heat.
Beef Broth – not a lot, but enough to add flavor and make the meat nice and juicy.
Butter – You're going to use a lot of butter, a whole stick in fact. This also helps to make the meat tender and juicy, and adds a little bit of fat that the meat might be lacking.

a platter with shredded top round roast, a bowl with shredded meat and mashed potatoes, a blue napkins, three forks

How to Cook Top Round Roast in the Slow Cooker

Season your roast. It's so important to season your roast with salt because it helps to not only improve he flavor but to break down the tissue making the meat more tender.
Add the beef roast, some pepperoncinis (plus some of the juice), beef broth to the pot. You could also use some red wine instead of the broth if you like.
Top the meat with pats of butter. The butter helps to form a crust on top of the meat, and also adds a creaminess to the liquid (which makes for an excellent gravy).
Cook the top round roast on low. You can cook it on high if you need to, but I recommend low and slow for any kind of roast. Higher heat can dry it out and make the meat more chewy so while you can cook on high, I recommend using the low setting.

FAQs

What is a Top Round Roast?

Top Round Roast beef is a budget friendly, lean cut of meat, so slow cooking can tremendously improve the flavor and texture. Sometimes top round is wrongly labeled as Bottom round roast or London Broil which is actually a cooking method rather than a cut of meat. If you can't find this cut, a chuck roast is the best alternative.

What is a Top Round good for?

Cooking top round in the crockpot helps to preserve its tenderness. Slice it thin or shred it for sandwiches or just for serving over mashed potatoes or rice.

Should I brown a roast before slow cooking?

If I'm planning to make gravy I definitely brown the roast in olive oil because it adds so much flavor. If you don't have time you can skip it. For Top Round Roast, I don't always brown it because I usually shred the meat rather than slice it.

slow cooker with beef roast, slices of butter, pepperoncinis

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftovers in an airtight container with some of the juices. When reheating, do so with the juices, or add more beef broth to keep the meat from drying out. Keep in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Freeze top round roast beef in a freezer bag, tightly wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as directed above. Freeze for up to 4-6 months.

Recipe Notes

Want it spicier? Try add a couple of jalapeños instead of pepperoncinis.
Feel free to add in some fresh garlic and onion for added flavor.
Add some root veggies, like potatoes and carrots, to bulk up your meal.
Save the juices to make a pan gravy. You could also thicken it right in the slow cooker like I do with my Slow Cooker Pot Roast.
Want to make it in the Instant Pot instead? Follow the in this Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe.

black slow cooker with shredded beef, broth and pepperoncinis

More Slow Cooker Recipes to Love

Crock Pot Beef and Noodles
Slow Cooker Mexican Beans
Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes (Slow Cooker)
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken

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3 pound Top Round Roast
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
5-10 pepperoncini plus 1 tablespoon of the juice
15 ounce can Beef broth
½ cup Butter 1 stick, cut into 8 pieces

Rub roast all over with salt and pepper and place into a slow cooker. Place the butter on top of the roast and the pepperoncinis around it. Carefully pour the beef broth around the roast, and not over the top. Cover with the lid.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 5-7 hours.
Shred meat into chunks and serve with rice or mashed potatoes, spooning the juices over the top. Or, stuff into tacos or burritos.

Save the juices from your slow cooker to make gravy.
Want it spicier? Try add a couple of jalapenos instead of pepperoncinis.
Feel free to add in some fresh garlic and onion for added flavor.
Add some root veggies, like potatoes and carrots, to bulk up your meal.

Calories: 461 kcal Carbohydrates: 1 g Protein: 52 g Fat: 27 g Saturated Fat: 14 g Cholesterol: 181 mg Sodium: 914 mg Potassium: 833 mg Fiber: 1 g Sugar: 1 g Vitamin A: 501 IU Vitamin C: 7 mg Calcium: 52 mg Iron: 5 mg

Kristin Maxwell is the creator and main recipe developer, writer, and photographer of Yellow Bliss Road. A self-taught cook and self-appointed foodie, she specializes in easy, flavorful and approachable recipes for any home cook.

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