This Low-Carb Keto Pot Roast is easy, flavorful, and fork-tender. It can be made in the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot and is the BEST pot roast recipe around! Plus, it can easily be made paleo and whole30!
What kind of meat is best for pot roast?
For the best fork-tender keto pot roast, I recommend using a chuck roast that is nicely marbled. This cut of meat will break down into a juicy, tender roast.
A beef brisket will also become fork-tender and shred well, but I tend to gravitate towards a chuck roast.
Many people like using an Eye Of Round, but please, don't use this cut! An Eye of Round always results in a tougher, drier roast.
How to make a roast tender
A tough roast is the result of under-baking, not overbaking! If you place your fork into it and turn, it should easily come apart. If this doesn't happen you need to cook it longer!
Seer it and caramelize the veggies for the best flavor. Caramelizing the veggies brings out the sweetness in them and searing the meat locks in the juices and gives it TONS flavor.
This can all be done in an Instant Pot if you have one. If you're using a slow cooker, simply caramelize the veggies and sear the meat on the stove before transferring it to a slow cooker.
Low-carb & keto
The good news is that making a keto pot roast is really easy because it's almost naturally low carb! There are 2 simple steps to make it keto:
- Omit the potatoes. Potatoes are high in carbs so you'll need to omit them or replace them with radishes. I personally don't like radishes so I've never done this, but I've heard it works great!
- Reduce the number of carrots. Carrots aren't usually considered keto, but if you don't add too many, they only add minimal carbs.
- Don't thicken the sauce or thicken it with xanthan gum. The sauce is usually thickened with high-carb starches. But the good news is that, even before we went keto, I rarely did this because the sauce is just as delicious and flavorful unthickened! Simply spoon the juices over the roast as-is or use xanthan gum to thicken it. Or use the drippings to make keto brown gravy!
Otherwise, a keto pot roast is just the same as any other pot roast.
🔪 Easy instructions
Start by liberally seasoning both sides of the meat with salt and pepper. Don't be shy about it! I use about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
Also, chop up an onion and cut the carrots into bite-sized pieces, and set them aside.
Add some oil to the Instant Pot and press the "saute" button. Once heated, add the roast and sear until all sides are nicely browned. Set it aside.
If you're using a slow cooker, sear the meat on the stovetop instead.
Then add the chopped onion and carrot. Saute until the onion is softened, around 3 to 5 minutes.
💭Tip: Carrots aren't typically considered keto, however, we are only using ½ Lb, and once distributed throughout the entire recipe, they only add minimal carbs.
Add some dry red wine or beef broth and de-glaze the pan by scraping up all the yummy pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce.
Place the roast on top, then add the radishes (or potatoes), if using.
*Note- I personally don't like radishes, which is why I used potatoes for the pictures.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 75 minutes.
Many people cook their pot roasts for 60 minutes, but I find that 75 minutes in the Instant Pot makes it extra tender.
If you're using a slow cooker, it needs to be cooked a looong time to get tender. Cook 9-11 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.
Remember again, that a tough roast is the result of under-baking, not overbaking! If it isn't tender, it needs to cook longer.
To serve
Once it's done cooking, remove it to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks.
Serve with the carrots and potatoes or radishes (if using) and spoon the juices over the top.
And I don't know about you, but we can't eat roast without ketchup! Our favorite brands are Heinz No Sugar Added or Tessamae Ketchup and Primal Kitchen Ketchup for Paleo and Whole30.
Storage
- Store: Allow to cool completely, then place in a storage baggie and push out all the excess air. Store in the fridge, along with some of the juices, for 3 to 4 days.
- Freeze: Allow to cool completely, then place in a freezer-safe baggie and push out all the excess air.
- Reheat: Reheat leftover roast in the microwave or on the stovetop with its juices. If frozen, allow to thaw in the refrigerator before heating.
Substitutions
- Not low-carb? Replace the radishes with 1 ½ cups of Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes cut into 2 to 3-inch chunks.
- For Paleo & Whole30, omit the Worchestershire sauce, replace the wine with beef broth, and thicken the sauce with 2 Tablespoons of Tapioca or Arrowroot flour mixed with 2 Tablespoons of cold water instead of the xanthan gum mixture.
💭 Top tips
- For the best fork-tender meat, I recommend using a chuck roast that is nicely marbled. This cut of meat will break down into a juicy, tender roast. Many people like using an Eye Of Round, but please, don't use this cut! And Eye of Round always results in a tougher, drier roast.
- A tough roast is the result of under-baking, not overbaking! If you place your fork into it and turn, it should easily come apart. If this doesn't happen you need to cook it longer!
- Caramelizing the veggies brings out the sweetness in them and searing the meat locks in the juices and gives it TONS flavor. Because of this, I recommend not skipping this step.
- Be sure to use the drippings to make keto brown gravy!
- Many people cook their keto pot roast for 60 minutes, but I find that 75 minutes in the Instant Pot makes it extra tender.
- I don't know about you, but we can't eat roast without ketchup! Our favorite brands are Heinz No Sugar Added or Tessamae Ketchup and Primal Kitchen Ketchup for Paleo and Whole30.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?
If you've tried this Low-Carb Keto Pot Roast Recipe In The Instant Pot Or Slow Cooker please let me know in the comments below!
Or be sure to FOLLOW ME on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or E-Mail to see more delicious food and find out what I've been up to!
📖 Recipe
Keto Pot Roast (Instant Pot Or Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 4 - 5 Lbs. Chuck Roast
- Salt - as needed (I use around 2 tsp.)
- Pepper - as needed (I use around 1 tsp.)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil or Avocado Oil - or as needed
- 1 Medium Onion - chopped
- ½ Lb. Carrots - chopped into bite-sized pieces, peeling is optional
- 1 Cup Dry Red Wine - or additional Beef Broth
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp. Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Thyme
- 3 inch sprig Fresh Rosemary - chopped, or 2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce - optional (omit for whole30)
- ½ tsp. Xanthan Gum - optional, to thicken sauce
- 1 tsp. Melted Butter Or Oil Of Choice - optional, to thicken sauce
- 1 ½ Cups Radishes - cut into quarters, optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Liberally salt and pepper the roast and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a very large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and carrots and cook until onions become tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into greased or lined slow cooker. Remove pot from heat and set aside.
- Stir in the wine (if using), beef broth, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, and Worchestershire into the slow cooker.
- Place pot back over the heat and add more oil if needed. Once hot, sear the meat on all sides until nicely browned.
- Place meat in the slow cooker over the other ingredients. Then, add the potatoes or radishes, if using.
- Cover and cook on low 9-11 hours or high 5-6 hours. Remember that a dry roast is a result of undercooking not overcooking! Once done, remove roast to a large bowl and shred with 2 forks. Serve alongside the carrots, onion, potatoes or radishes (if using) and juice from the slow cooker.
- To thicken the liquid (optional): Turn the slow cooker on high. In a small bowl, mix together the xanthan gum and oil. After the roast is removed, stir the mixture into the liquid and stir until thickened, 3 - 5 minutes. If your slow cooker doesn't get hot enough, the liquid will not thicken. If this happens, transfer the contents of the slow cooker to a pot and bring it to a boil on the stove. The liquid should thicken after a minute or two of boiling.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Liberally season roast with salt and pepper and chop up the carrot and onion. Set aside.
- Add the oil to the Instant Pot and press "Saute". When Instant Pot says "Hot" add the roast and sear until brown on all sides. Set roast aside.
- Add onion and carrots and cook until onion is soft, around 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the red wine or beef broth to de-glaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pot to get all the yummy pieces.
- Stir in the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Place the beef on top, then add the potatoes or radishes, if using.
- Lock the lid in place and set vent to "sealing". Cook on high pressure for 75 minutes. If for some reason the roast is tough after cooking (which it shouldn't be!) cook an additional 15 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot is done cooking, allow to release pressure naturally for 10-20 minutes then release it manually. Remove roast to a large bowl and shred with 2 forks. Serve alongside carrots, onions, and potatoes or radishes and juice from the pot.
- To thicken the liquid (optional): After roast is removed, press "cancel" on Instant Pot. Mix together the xanthan gum and oil and set the Instant Pot to "Saute". Once it says "Hot", add the mixture and stir until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
Add Your Own Notes
Video
Notes
- See how easy this recipe is to make on my YouTube channel! Watch the full video of my and my hubby making this recipe here: YouTube Pot Roast Recipe!
- For the best fork-tender meat, I recommend using a chuck roast that is nicely marbled. This cut of meat will break down into a juicy, tender roast. Many people like using an Eye Of Round Roast, but please, don't use this cut! And Eye of Round Roast always results in a tougher, drier roast.
- A tough roast is the result of under-baking, not overbaking! If you place your fork into it and turn, the roast should easily come apart. If this doesn't happen you need to cook it longer!
- Caramelizing the veggies brings out the sweetness in them and searing the meat locks in the juices and gives it TONS flavor. Because of this, I recommend not skipping this step.
- Be sure to use the drippings to make keto brown gravy!
- Many people cook their pot roasts for 60 minutes, but I find that 75 minutes in the Instant Pot makes it extra tender.
- I don't know about you, but we can't eat roast without ketchup! Our favorite brands are Heinz No Sugar Added Ketchup, Tessamae Ketchup, and Primal Kitchen Ketchup.
Nutrition
NET CARBS = Total Carbs - Fiber - Allulose - Xylitol
Nutritional information is approximate and may vary. Sugar alcohols, xylitol, and allulose are included in the total carbs and fiber.
Looking for more information on the keto diet? Check out my
Meghan says
Made this today and it was incredibly yummy and the meat was so tender. Thank you!
Cassidy Stauffer says
Thank you!!!! I'm SO excited you liked it 🙂
-Cassidy
r.mcnatt says
Yummy!