How To Prepare A Rump Roast In A Slow Cooker

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So you want to make a delicious pot roast in your crockpot for a fraction of the cost? This Slow Cooker Rump Roast Recipe has got you (and your budget) covered.

Now, you can turn that bottom round roast into succulent, fork-tender beef, braised in a rich, flavor-packed gravy.

Slow cooker rump roast and mashed potatoes in a bowl.

This is a great slow cooker recipe to have on hand for nights that call for a comfort food dinner fix! Looking for more awesome beefy recipes to try? Bookmark my savory Beef Tips and Rice in your internet browser for next time!

WHAT IS A RUMP ROAST?

Rump Roast is a lean, inexpensive cut of meat that comes from the back end of the cow.

Cuts of Beef

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In comparison to chuck roast (the most popular cut for pot roast-style dishes), a rump roast has much less fat. Fat adds moisture and flavor to the beef. So what does the mean for the Rump Roast? It means it's not quite as easy to slow cook to fork-tender, beefy perfection…but it also means it's a whole lot cheaper.

So what's the solution? This recipe. Turns out, you can indeed slow cook your rump roast and actually enjoy it too!

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE ABOUT THIS RECIPE

Extra (yet easy) steps like a good pan sear and a splash of red wine make a huge difference when it comes to this Slow Cooker Rump Roast Recipe.

Flavors are immediately enhanced by leaving out super processed ingredients like canned cream of mushroom soup/onion soup mix as many other recipes call for.

Instead, we'll be incorporated major flavor vibes with a homemade gravy that comes together quickly on the stovetop with real ingredients. Get ready to meet your new favorite pot roast recipe!

If you're on a budget and wine doesn't fit in it, you'll find a simple substitution for that below!

Slow cooker rump roast with carrots and rosemary on a white platter.

HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER RUMP ROAST

Prep the roast.
Sear the roast.
Make the gravy.
Add the crockpot and cook!

1. PREP THE ROAST

The first thing you'll want to do is prep your roast for a pan sear. Searing the roast will enhance that big, beefy flavor not only on the roast itself, but also on the veggies, the gravy, and overall, throughout the entire dish! It's an extra step, but one well-worth taking.

In order to get a proper sear on your rump roast, you'll first need to pat it dry with a paper towel. Once you have most of the exterior moisture removed, drizzle it all over with the oil, and then sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper.

Oil being drizzled over a large piece of beef.

2. SEAR THE ROAST

To develop bigger, better flavor and to avoid using a bunch of crazy overly-processed ingredients for this slow cooker recipe, we're actually going to kick it off the cooking on the stovetop.

Add a good drizzle of oil to your largest pan (or a Dutch oven, if you have one) placed over medium-high heat. Then, place the seasoned rump roast in the hot pan and allow it to sit for about 4 minutes on each side, and resist the urge to jostle or move it around. The more still your roast is, the better sear you will get!

Rump roast being seared in a pan on the stovetop.

Once you've got your roast seared, you'll add it to the crockpot with the vegetables and rosemary and move on to the sauce!

An overhead shot of rump roast in a slow cooker on top of carrots, onions, and rosemary.

3. MAKE THE GRAVY

Now, we begin on the gravy! You'll sprinkle a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour into the meat drippings, whisk, and then you'll begin adding the beef broth one big splash at a time, stirring well after each addition. This method of incorporating your broth makes for an incredibly smooth gravy!

Beef broth being poured into a pan.
Ingredients being whisked together in a pan on the stovetop.
Wine being poured into a gravy on the stovetop.

Lastly, add in the red wine, stir, and allow the gravy to simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. COOK

Then, pour the gravy over the rump roast and vegetables in the slow cooker. Add rosemary (if using) and cover.

An overhead shot of rump roast in a slow cooker with sauce.

Cook the roast on high for 5 to 6 hours or 8 to 9 hours on the low setting. Once it has finished cooking and is tender to your liking, remove the roast, shred it, add it back to the gravy, and stir to coat.

A close up shot of slow cooker rump roast on a white platter.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles, and enjoy!

IS IT BETTER TO COOK ON HIGH OR LOW?

When it comes to a recipe like this Slow Cooker Rump Roast, cooking on high is actually the best option.

Because Rump Roast is such a lean cut of beef, there's really no marbling or fat to cook down, which is typically the reasoning behind cooking a large cut of beef (such as brisket or chuck roast) at a very slow pace.

Cooking this particular cut on the low setting does not do the same kind of good as it would to a chuck roast. An elongated cook time provides more opportunity to overcook the beef!

CAN I MAKE THIS RUMP ROAST RECIPE IN THE OVEN?

If you happen to have a Dutch oven, you can absolutely make this recipe in the oven!

To make Oven-Roasted Rump Roast, you'll proceed with the stovetop portion of the recipe, both searing the beef and making the gravy in the Dutch oven, only instead of transferring the seared beef into the slow cooker, you'll set it aside on a plate.

Once the gravy is ready, add the rump roast (and any accumulated juice on the plate) back into the Dutch oven, add the rosemary, and cover.

Transfer the Dutch oven to a preheated 325°F oven to cook for a total of 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the roast about halfway through the cooking time. Once the roast is tender to your liking, shred it, add it back to the gravy, serve, and enjoy!

SLOW COOKER RUMP ROAST INGREDIENTS

Rump Roast | When picking out your rump roast, try to find one that is deep red in coloring and avoid roasts with a grayish tinge to them. You might also find Rump Roast labeled as Bottom Round Roast and Round Tip Roast.
Seasoning | The seasoning for this Slow Cooker Rump Roast recipe could not possibly be any simpler. All you need is Kosher salt and black pepper. The majority of the flavor will come from the beef, wine, vegetables, and fresh herbs, if using!
Oil | The oil in this recipe is more important than you might think. In order to get a good sear on the beef, you want to use an oil with a high smoke point. Avocado or canola oil are typically my go-to's, but you could also use vegetable or peanut oil if it's what you have on hand.
Flour | The flour serves as the thickener for the gravy! If you have a gluten allergy in the house, you can sub in gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Vegetables | Carrots and onions were my veggies of choice when developing this pot roast recipe, but some of you might feel appalled to see that potatoes were missing! I left them out solely because it is my family's preference to enjoy this Slow Cooker Rump Roast over a heaping pile of buttery mashed potatoes, but below, you'll find instructions for adding potatoes to the crockpot if desired!
Beef Broth | Make sure that you purchase low sodium or unsalted beef broth/stock for this recipe. Otherwise, your roast might end up too salty!
Wine | The wine is highly recommended, but not entirely necessary. Below, you'll find an explanation as to why it serves as such a benefit to slow-cooked, beefy dishes and substitutions suggestions if needed!
Rosemary | Again, fresh rosemary is one of those ingredients that's highly recommended but not necessary. Fresh herbs add enticing aromatics and fresh, complex flavor notes to recipes. If you don't like rosemary, you can use thyme in its place. And, if you don't want to splurge on fresh herbs, you can leave them out altogether.

CAN I ADD POTATOES TO MY SLOW COOKER RUMP ROAST?

If you can't fathom the thought of a roast without potatoes, feel free to add them in! You can use just about any potato you like, but make sure you leave them fairly large (about 2″ sized chunks) so that they don't end up cooking into mush! A half-pound of potatoes is really all you need.

DO I HAVE TO USE THE RED WINE?

Red meat and red wine are a classic pairing, but if you don't want to purchase wine for a single recipe, that's also understandable. Below, we're going to talk about why I recommend using it for this recipe, and how to avoid using it if you're not convinced.

The acidic nature of red wine makes it a tenderizer and when beef is cooked low and slow with wine, it makes for a more tender and moist pot roast. Not only that, but the wine will add body to your gravy and a welcomed burst of acidity to the dish, helping to break up some of those über savory notes.

If you still aren't sold on why that red wine might be worth the splurge, you can always sub in beef broth in place of the wine, along with a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon will do!

An overhead shot of slow cooker rump roast and mashed potatoes in a bowl.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SLOW COOKER RUMP ROAST

If you've got leftovers, you're in luck — this beef is just as tasty the next day (and the next…and even the next)!

Keep your leftover roast refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. If you'd like to preserve your leftovers for any longer than this, just freeze them!

To freeze leftover Slow Cooker Rump Roast, transfer it to a freezer-safe, gallon-sized zip-top bag or an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to two months!

If you are using a storage container to freeze your roast, make sure there is very little headspace to avoid any freezer burn!

To thaw it out, simply place it in the refrigerator overnight!

6 MORE SLOW COOKER RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

Shredded Beef Tacos
Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
Crockpot Chicken and Rice
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Crock Pot Beef Po Boys

Slow cooker rump roast and mashed potatoes in a bowl.

This Slow Cooker Rump Roast Recipe turns budget-friendly bottom round roast into succulent, fork-tender beef, braised in a rich, flavor-packed gravy!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crockpot Rump Roast, Slow Cooker Rump Roast

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 486 kcal

1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
6 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 pound rump roast
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup avocado or canola oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour separate
3 cloves of garlic, minced minced
2 cups unsalted or low-sodium beef broth
1 cup dry, bold red wine such as Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon (or sub in 1 more cup of beef broth)
2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

Place the carrots and the onion in a 5 to 6-quart slow cooker and set aside.
Pat roast dry with a paper towel, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub all over to adhere.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear 4-6 minutes on each side. Once the entire roast has developed a golden-brown crust, remove it from the heat and transfer to the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the flour into the meat drippings and whisk. Add the beef broth one big splash at a time, stirring well after each addition. Then, add the red wine and stir. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Pour the gravy over the roast and add the rosemary, if using. Cover and cook for 5-6 hours on high or 8-9 hours on low. Remove the roast from the crockpot, shred it, and return to coat in gravy. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Rump Roast

Amount Per Serving

Calories 486 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g 32%

Saturated Fat 5g 31%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 11g

Cholesterol 141mg 47%

Sodium 1481mg 64%

Potassium 1221mg 35%

Carbohydrates 12g 4%

Fiber 2g 8%

Sugar 4g 4%

Protein 53g 106%

Vitamin A 10194IU 204%

Vitamin C 5mg 6%

Calcium 76mg 8%

Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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