Crock Pot Eye of Round with Mushroom & Onion Gravy

Slow-cooked fall-apart tender Eye of Round Roast with the most amazingly rich and decadent mushroom onion gravy!

Y’all this has been my MOST controversial post ever in the history of TKW. Not because of the recipe (as it’s loved by millions) but because of the original photos, I took back in 2013. I was NOT a photographer nor one that was well versed in editing photos. All I cared about was being a chef and creating mouth-watering recipes.

But people went and lost their damn minds over the photos telling me that what I cooked for 9 hours in my kitchen wasn’t pork but that it was beef, chicken, leather (because some craved 5 minutes of attention they didn’t get as a child). Snarky? Yup 🙂

I’ve shared a few of the original photos at the bottom of the post – have a look. I STILL do not consider myself a photographer, not by a longshot but what I do consider myself one damn good chef.

So if you still have issues with the photos… bite me, k? #sorrynotsorry Love you puddin’ ♥

Grab your ingredients

So with this recipe, you can use homemade cream of mushroom soup but I wanted to keep this recipe as easy as possible so that’s why we took a few shortcuts

• Soup – Cream of mushroom soup (canned or you can use the mushroom cream base I make in THIS recipe)
• Beef Broth
• Seasonings – dried onions, sugar, salt, pepper, celery seed, beef bouillon base
• Thickeners – flour (ap or gluten-free), cornstarch
• Veggies – mushrooms, garlic
• Liquid – milk, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth. *optional (but recommended, Gravy Master)
• Meat – Eye of Round – not pork roast, not chicken but EYE OF ROUND BEEF roast – well okay, maybe a can of tuna would work… <rolls her eyes at the haters – seriously, don’t use that)

Let’s Get to Cooking!

1. Remove your meat from the package and pat it dry. To a plastic baggie, add flour, salt, and pepper.
2. Place the meat into the bag and coat all sides.
3. To a large heavy-bottom pot or a slow cooker insert that you can use on top of the stovetop, add the oil.
4. When the oil starts to shimmer, add in the coated eye of round. Sear on all sides for about 5-6 minutes or until all sides are caramelized/browned. Set aside.

5. While the meat is searing, to a bowl, mix the soup, broth, bouillon base, seasonings until well combined.
6. Next, rough slice up the mushrooms. I tend to cut mine in half as I like larger chunks.

7. Place the meat into the slow cooker insert (if you’ve not used it to sear your meat).
8. Sprinkle the mushrooms all around the meat and on top.

9. Pour over the liquid mixture, cover, and cook on low for ~8 hours or until the roast is super tender.
10. Remove the roast from the pan, set it on a platter, and tent with foil while you make the gravy.

Make a Slurry

To a glass/jar/whatever you can mix in, add the milk and cornstarch, mixing until combined.

Chef’s Tip on Slurries

I’m sure you’ve heard of the term “slurry” but may not know what it is. A slurry is nothing more than a starch such as flour, cornstarch or arrow root) mixed with a cold liquid (like water, milk, stock) to be used as a thicker.

The biggest thing to remember about making a slurry is that the liquid MUST BE COLD. If you added the starch directly to a hot liquid, the starch granuales will form and not disperse. Ever heard of lumpy gravy? That’s why folks.

It’s Gravy Baby!

1. If your slow cooker insert can go over direct flame or onto the stovetop, transfer it there. If not, transfer the liquid from the slow cooker to a pot and turn the heat to medium. Bring it to a boil.
2. Once it’s starting to boil, slowly pour in your slurry mixture, while whisking until desired thickness consistency.

Optional Additional (but highly recommended)

I LOVE Gravy Master! Most chefs use it and you should too!  Not only does it add such warmth in color but such a great umami flavor!

Let’s Eat!

This roast is so tender that it practically just falls apart. And it’s so incredibly tender!

Slow cooking Eye of Round is the only way to get it this tender. It’s a huge family favorite!

Storing & reheating

• Fridge – Slice up remaining beef and keep with the gravy for up to a week
• Freezing – Slice into portions with the gravy and freeze for up to 3 months

Reheating

• Whole 1 lb sized Roast – Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the beef and warmed gravy in a casserole dish and cover tightly with foil. Place in the oven, heat for 15-20 minutes, shut off the heat, and check it in about 10 minutes to see that it’s just warmed through.
• Roast Slices – Preheat the oven to 250F. Place the beef slices and warmed gravy in a casserole dish and cover tightly with foil. Place in the oven, heat for ~8-10 minutes or just until warmed through.

 

Substitutions

• Veggies – pearl onions, carrots, potatoes
• Gluten-Free – use gluten-free flour to dredge the meat with. Do NOT skip searing the meat as that is key to the cooking and depth of flavor.
• Herbs – fresh thyme or rosemary pair nicely with this

 

Print

Original photos posted in 2013 (when I knew squat about photography or editing)

Same amazing dish, just better pictures above

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