Crock Pot Rump Roast
Want a Sunday-style roast dinner without babysitting the oven? This crock pot rump roast is a lean beef rump roast cooked low and slow with baby potatoes, carrots, onion and beef broth. Fresh rosemary and thyme flavor the broth, and the vegetables cook right alongside the beef, so dinner is done in one pot. About 5 minutes of prep, 7 hours on low, and it makes 6 servings!
Five minutes is all the hands-on work. Season the roast, tuck the vegetables around it, pour in the broth and walk away. By dinnertime the house smells like rosemary, and the potatoes are tender enough to smash with a fork. I made it exactly as written, and I didn’t make a single side.
For more slow cooker dinner recipes, be sure to also try my slow cooker Mongolian beef recipe, taco soup in the crockpot, or chicken with honey garlic sauce.
What You’ll Love About This Crock Pot Rump Roast
Slow Cooker Rump Roast Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Crock Pot Rump Roast with Potatoes and Carrots:
Ingredient Notes
Rump Roast: Look for a 2 1/2 pound beef rump roast, sometimes labeled bottom round rump roast. It’s lean, so it needs the long, gentle cook in broth to get tender. A 3 pound roast works too. Just add about an hour on low. A boneless rolled rump roast tied with string cooks the same way. Leave the string on and snip it off before slicing.
Baby Potatoes: I use baby yellow potatoes because you don’t have to peel or cut them. They turn soft and buttery in the broth. Red baby potatoes hold their shape just as well.
Baby Carrots: Baby carrots are my shortcut here, since they’re already washed and the right size. Big carrots cut into 2 inch chunks work if that’s what you have.
Beef Broth: The broth is most of the flavor, so it’s worth picking a good one. I like Kettle & Fire Low Sodium Beef Broth, which is made from grass-fed beef bones and real vegetables instead of flavorings. Any low sodium beef broth works. Leftover broth from the carton keeps in the fridge for about a week, and it’s perfect for a pan of rice or gravy later in the week.
Onion: One yellow onion, peeled and cut into quarters. It softens into the broth and adds a little sweetness.
Fresh Herbs: One sprig of rosemary and three sprigs of thyme go in whole. In a pinch? Use 1/2 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and dried thyme.
Salt and Pepper: That’s all the seasoning the roast needs. Taste the broth at the end before adding more salt.
Crock Pot Rump Roast Variations
Make Gravy: Pour 2 cups of the cooking liquid into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Stir 2 tablespoons cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water, whisk it in, and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until thick.
Garlic and Worcestershire: Toss 4 to 6 whole peeled garlic cloves in with the potatoes, and stir 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce into the broth. The garlic turns soft and mellow by the end.
More Veggies: Add 2 stalks of celery, a few chunks of parsnip, or 8 ounces of whole mushrooms around the roast.
A Little Heat: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes over the roast with the salt and pepper.
Lower Carb: Swap the potatoes for 1 1/2 pounds of halved radishes. They soak up the broth and lose their bite as they cook.
How to Cook a Rump Roast in a Crock Pot
Here are quick visual instructions. Be sure to check out the full instructions with exact ingredients in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Set the rump roast in the slow cooker and season it on all sides with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Add the onion, potatoes, carrots and herbs around the roast, then pour in the beef broth.
Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
Step 4: Slice the roast and serve it with the potatoes, carrots and a ladle of the broth.
Rump Roast vs Chuck Roast
Rump roast comes from the back end of the cow, where the muscles are lean. Chuck roast comes from the shoulder and has a lot more fat marbled through it, which is why it’s the classic pot roast cut. Both get tender in a slow cooker, but they get there differently.
A chuck roast falls apart because all that fat melts into the meat. A rump roast stays a little firmer and slices into neat pieces, with less grease in the broth. That’s why I use rump here. If you’d rather use chuck, the same times work, and you’ll want to skim some fat off the broth before serving. For a chuck roast with a crusty outside, try my reverse sear chuck roast recipe.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
How long to cook a rump roast in a crock pot depends on its size. A 2 to 3 pound roast takes 7 to 8 hours on low. Low is better than high for a lean cut, because it gives the meat more time to relax.
Keep the lid on. Every peek lets out heat and can add 15 to 20 minutes to the cook time.
Want an even richer flavor? You can brown the roast in a hot skillet with a little oil until each side is deep brown, then add it to the pot. It’s optional, and the roast is still tasty without it.
Check that the beef has reached at least 145°F on a meat thermometer. For slices that pull apart easily, it should be closer to 190°F.
Rest the roast for 10 minutes before slicing, and you’ll keep more of the juices in the meat. Slice it against the grain for the most tender pieces. Want shredded beef for sandwiches instead? Let it go the full 8 hours and shred it with two forks.
What to Serve With Rump Roast
The potatoes and carrots cook right in the pot, so this crock pot rump roast with potatoes and carrots is a full meal on its own. That’s how I serve it. Prefer mashed potatoes? Mash the cooked baby potatoes right on your plate with a splash of the broth.
If you want something green on the plate, my Italian green beans recipe takes about 10 minutes on the stove. Warm dinner rolls are nice for soaking up the extra broth too.
Frequently Asked Questions
I use 3 cups of beef broth for a 2 1/2 pound roast and 6 quart slow cooker. It covers the potatoes and comes about halfway up the beef. That’s plenty, since the roast and veggies release their own juices as they cook.
Up to a point, yes. Once the beef pulls apart easily with a fork, it’s done. Cook it much longer and it can start to dry out and turn stringy, since there isn’t much fat to keep it moist.
I’d skip it. A frozen roast stays in the unsafe temperature zone too long in a slow cooker, and the USDA recommends thawing meat first. Thaw it in the fridge for a day or two before cooking.
Tried this rump roast recipe on a slow Sunday? Leave a few stars on the card and drop a comment about whether you went for the gravy!
More Dinner Ideas
Crock Pot Rump Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
Ingredients
For the roast
- 2.5 pounds beef rump roast
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 cups low sodium beef broth
Instructions
- Set the rump roast in a 6 quart slow cooker. Rub 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper over every side of the beef.
- Nestle the quartered onion, baby potatoes and baby carrots around the roast, then tuck in the rosemary and thyme sprigs.
- Pour the 3 cups beef broth over the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
- Move the roast to a cutting board and rest it for 10 minutes. Slice it against the grain and serve with the potatoes, carrots and a spoonful of broth. Taste the broth and add more salt if it needs it.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional details for recipes are estimated using MyFitnessPal and can vary with different products, measurement accuracy, and source reliability. We aim to provide accurate information but cannot guarantee the precise accuracy of the nutritional data