Put a raw beef bottom round roast in the slow cooker and 5 everyday additions to get a feast so comforting your entire household will be begging for more!

This 6-ingredient slow cooker beef is exactly the kind of recipe I lean on during a busy workweek: you literally set a raw beef bottom round roast into the slow cooker, add five everyday pantry staples, and walk away. Hours later, your kitchen smells like you’ve been cooking all day, and you’ve got tender, sliceable (or shred-able) beef with a rich gravy-style sauce. Bottom round is a lean, budget-friendly cut that shines when it’s cooked low and slow like this, making it perfect for family dinners, meal prep, or feeding a hungry household after a long day.

Serve this slow cooker beef sliced or shredded with mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or steamed rice to soak up all the savory juices. Add a simple side salad, roasted carrots, or green beans for color and crunch. Leftovers make fantastic sandwiches on toasted rolls with a slice of cheese, or you can spoon the beef over baked potatoes for an easy second-night dinner. A warm dinner roll or crusty bread on the side never hurts for mopping up the sauce.

Servings: 6

3 to 3 1/2 lb raw beef bottom round roast, trimmed of excess surface fat

Place the raw beef bottom round roast directly into the bottom of your slow cooker, fat side up if there is a fat cap. This lets the fat slowly baste the meat as it cooks.

Scatter the sliced onion and minced garlic evenly over and around the roast in the slow cooker so they can flavor both the meat and the cooking liquid.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper until the salt is mostly dissolved. Pour this mixture over the roast and onions.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender when pierced with a fork. Low and slow will give you the most tender result, especially with lean bottom round.

Once the roast is cooked, carefully transfer it to a cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let it rest for about 10 minutes so the juices can redistribute. Meanwhile, skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid in the slow cooker.

Slice the rested roast against the grain for neat slices, or use two forks to gently shred it into the cooking juices in the slow cooker. Stir the beef with the onions and juices so everything is coated. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with a bit more salt and pepper if needed before serving.

For a more herb-forward version, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning or dried thyme and rosemary with the broth mixture. If your family likes a little richness, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold butter at the end until melted for a silkier sauce. To turn the cooking liquid into a thicker gravy, ladle 1 1/2 cups of the hot juices into a saucepan, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water, and simmer until thickened, then pour back over the beef. For a one-pot meat-and-veg dinner, add 3 to 4 peeled and chunked carrots and 1 1/2 lb of baby potatoes around the roast before cooking (make sure your slow cooker isn’t overfilled). If you’re watching sodium, choose low-sodium broth and reduce the added salt, then adjust at the end. For meal prep, cool leftovers quickly, store in shallow containers, and refrigerate within 2 hours; use within 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Always start with a fully thawed roast for even, safe cooking in the slow cooker, and keep the lid on during cooking to maintain a safe temperature. Reheat leftovers to at least 165°F before serving.