If you don’t have time to make a classic rump roast recipe in the oven, this slow cooker rump roast recipe is perfect!
Slow Cooker Rump Roast
When you’ve got a busy day, but have a few minutes in the morning to get dinner started… This Slow Cooker Rump Roast Recipe is the perfect dinner solution! Here are instructions for cooking your rump roast recipe in a slow cooker:
Rump roast is a tough piece of meat but it transforms to fall apart tender by slow cooking! Hours of slow and low cooking in this slow cooker recipe tenderizes the rump roast beef, turning it into a juicy, flavorful main dish your whole family will love!
Make this easy slow cooker pot roast into a complete meal for the entire family by adding simple ingredients like potatoes and carrots!
How to Make Slow Cooker Rump Roast
First things first, seasoning! Don’t be shy, folks. Generously coat that roast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. I mean really get in there. You want flavor in every single bite.
Now, here’s my absolute must-do trick: searing! If you have the time, please, please, please sear that roast before it hits the slow cooker. It makes a world of difference. Trust me on this one. Grab your biggest skillet – cast iron is my go-to – and get it screaming hot over high heat. Drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of avocado or olive oil, just enough to coat the bottom.
Then, in goes the roast! You’ll hear that glorious sizzle, and that’s exactly what you want. Let it sear for about 3-4 minutes per side, until you’ve got this beautiful, deep brown crust. That crust is where all the flavor lives, folks.
My Personal Touch: I like to add my chopped onion to the skillet during the searing process. It caramelizes right alongside the roast, adding this amazing sweetness and depth. Plus, it makes your kitchen smell absolutely heavenly. And honestly? Seeing that sear happen is just so satisfying.
Pro Tip: Don’t move the roast around too much while it’s searing. Let it really get that contact with the hot skillet. And use tongs! They give you way more control and keep all those precious juices inside the roast. This searing step? It’s the secret to a next-level slow cooker roast. You’ll thank me later
Whether you seared your roast (and I hope you did!), or you’re going straight in, plop that beautiful rump roast right into the bottom of your slow cooker.
Next, we’re building our flavor base… Pour in a cup of beef broth or water. You just need enough liquid to create some steam and keep things moist. Then, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce – that’s my secret weapon for adding a rich, savory depth. Don’t skip it!
Now, for the herbs and garlic! Sprinkle your fresh herbs and chopped garlic generously over the top of the roast. They’re going to infuse the meat with all that amazing flavor as it cooks. And if you caramelized your onions during the searing step? Toss those in too! They’ll add a touch of sweetness that really elevates the dish.
My Personal Touch: Sometimes, I like to add a splash of red wine to the broth for even more flavor. It adds a nice complexity. But beef broth and Worcestershire? They’re a classic for a reason.
Easy Meal Tip: Okay, here’s my favorite part – turning this into a complete meal! If you want a super easy one-pot dinner, add cubed potatoes and chopped carrot sections right around the sides of the roast. They’ll cook right alongside the meat, soaking up all those delicious juices. It’s like a built-in side dish!
Pro Tip: If you’re using potatoes and carrots, make sure they’re cut into even-sized pieces so they cook at the same rate. And don’t overcrowd the slow cooker! You want everything to cook evenly. Just arrange them nicely around the roast, and you’re good to go. This is a real set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal, and I love that!
Let’s talk cooking time! This is where you get to choose your adventure. If you’re planning a lazy Sunday, go for the ‘Low Setting’ and let it simmer away for 8-10 hours. Trust me, the house will smell amazing all day long. If you’re a bit more pressed for time, you can bump it up to ‘medium-high heat’ for 4-5 hours. Either way, you’re going to end up with a tender, flavorful roast.
My Personal Touch: I usually opt for the low and slow method. There’s just something about that long, gentle cooking that really brings out the best in the roast. Plus, it gives you plenty of time to get other things done!
How do you know when it’s done? Well, you’re aiming for fall-apart tender. That means the internal temperature should be around 190-205°F (88-96°C). That’s when all those tough connective tissues break down and become super soft and gelatinous.
Pro Tip: Invest in a good meat thermometer! It’s the best way to ensure your roast is cooked to perfection. Don’t rely on guesswork!
Once your roast hits that magic temperature, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and transfer it to a cutting board. Now, this is important: let it rest! Give it 15-20 minutes to just chill out. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm. This resting period lets all those juices redistribute, so you get a perfectly juicy slice every time.
My Little Trick: I like to use the cooking liquid from the slow cooker to make a quick gravy while the roast is resting. Just strain it, thicken it with a little cornstarch slurry, and you’ve got a delicious sauce to drizzle over your sliced roast. It’s like a bonus flavor boost! And really, trust me, letting it rest is as important as the cook itself. It turns a good roast into a spectacular one!
Slicing & Serving: After resting, use a sharp carving knife to slice the rump roast against the grain into thin slices for serving. Serve your slow-cooked rump roast with a green salad, a loaf of crusty sourdough bread, or a classic apple pie (for dessert, of course;)!
How to Store Leftovers
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftover rump roast makes excellent beef stew, or beef sandwiches for the next day!
Recipe Card
If you try this recipe, I’d love if you give it a review on the recipe card, and let me know how it turned out in the comments or review! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouse_harvest with your delicious creation!
Slow Cooker Rump Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pound boneless beef rump roast.
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil.
- 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil for searing.
- 1 tablespoon Salt.
- One tablespoon ground Black Pepper.
- 1 cup beef broth chicken broth or water.
- One tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder or 2 crushed garlic cloves.
- 2 teaspoons onion powder.
- 1 peeled and chopped bulb of fresh garlic.
- 1 chopped and caramelized onion.
- * Optional – 4 large potatoes cubed or 4 cups of baby potatoes.
- Optional – 3 carrots chopped into 2 inch sections
- * Optional – 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary minced.
Instructions
- Season your roast generously with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- heat a large skillet or pan over high heat.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil to the skillet.
- Sear the rump roast on all sides until it develops a nice brown crust, which should take about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Place the seared or unseared rump roast in your slow cooker.
- Pour in 1 cup of beef broth or water. Add one tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle the fresh herbs and chopped garlic over the top of the roast. *Optional – add cubed potatoes and chopped carrot sections on the sides of the roast to make an easy complete meal!
- Set your slow cooker to the desired cooking time and temperature. For a low and slow cooking method, set it to "Low Setting" and let it cook for 8-10 hours. For a faster cook, you can set it to "medium-high heat" and cook for 4-5 hours.
- Remove roast from pan, let rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Slice / shred rump roast.
- *Optional, make homemade gravy with cooking liquid left in your pot.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Roast Beef Recipes
Tender Oven Roasted Rump Roast
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
5 comments
Monica
Is a rump roast the same as bottom round?
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Monica! Rump roast and the bottom round both come from the hind quarter of the cow… BUT, they aren’t the same. Bottom round is less tender because it has less fat.
Shelah
I did make this and was SO impressed with how moist and tender it turned out! Best recipe ever!
Melissa
My rump roast is a little over 2 pounds. Do I need to adjust the ingredient measurements accordingly?
Juliea Huffaker
Hi Mellissa! Yes you should cut the other ingredients in half… Otherwise it will be too much seasoning. You also need to watch your thermometer to get the right doneness… It will cook much faster because it’s half the size. Hope this helps!