# Pot roast in the slow cooker – temperature? Time? (need answers slowly!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336 "2009-11-12T17:56:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/21 "2009-11-13T04:16:18Z")
As a guideline, you want it smelling up the house for _several_ hours. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/22 "2009-11-13T13:54:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Yeah, you have to go the full time. It’s called a **slow cooker** for a reason. Yes, remember the initial application the slow cooker was designed for - you set it up in the morning before you go to work, and when you come home 9-10 hours later, a perfectly cooked dinner is waiting for you. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/23 "2009-11-13T13:56:25Z")
I made a pot roast on Sunday and have been having it for lunch at work every day. Absolutely fabulous! I went with the recipe of Lipton French Onion Soup, two cups water, baby carrots, and potatoes. Cooked on low for about 7 hours and it was fantastic when done. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/24 "2009-11-13T14:14:04Z")
I made the mistake of pulling my pot roast after about 3-4 hours once when I took its temp and it said 180. I assumed it was either cooked or overcooked, but it was really tough and unpleasant. Turns out you need to cook it way beyond that, to about 200F or so. It seems to defy beef logic but that’s the point where all the collagen is melting and making it fork tender. Just leave it in there and it will definitely get fork tender. ---
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/25 "2009-11-13T17:09:31Z")
So how did it turn out? IIRC, the magic number is 180. The longer you can keep it between 180 & 200, the better it gets. That’s why you roast at low temps, to keep it in that zone longer. I will say that IME, rump roast isn’t really the one to pot roast. The best for pot roast is chuck - it’s got the collagen needed to make braising work. So if it didn’t turn out as good as you expected, try again with a chuck. My rec for rump roast is the Joy of Cooking recipe. It’s a true roast and works well with rump. (It’s something like heat the oven to 500, put the seasoned roast in on a rack and turn down to 400, cook like 15? mins per pound to medium-rare. Slice up thin and serve. Along those lines, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/26 "2009-11-13T17:27:15Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > I will say that IME, rump roast isn’t really the one to pot roast. The best for pot roast is chuck - it’s got the collagen needed to make braising work. So if it didn’t turn out as good as you expected, try again with a chuck. Oh, I didn’t notice that. Yeah, rump roast isn’t that great for pot roasting, and it’s definitely more prone to being tough. Doesn’t quite have the same amount of connective tissue. Chuck, as you say, is the perfect cut for this. Brisket is great, too. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336/27 "2009-11-13T17:40:05Z")
My slow cooker has a straightforward cook setting: I select the time from 4/6/8/10 hours, the cooker sets the target temperature, and I let it sit. After the designated time, the cooker falls into “stay warm” mode. This works very well with Saturday’s dinner. Of course, it means that on Shabbat morning I wake up to the aroma of onion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pot-roast-in-the-slow-cooker-temperature-time-need-answers-slowly/517336.md?page=1)