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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!
- Remove your meat from the package and pat it dry. To a plastic baggie, add flour, salt, and pepper.
- Place the meat into the bag and coat all sides.
- To a large heavy-bottom pot or a slow cooker insert that you can use on top of the stovetop, add the oil.
- 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.
- While the meat is searing, to a bowl, mix the soup, broth, bouillon base, seasonings until well combined.
- Next, rough slice up the mushrooms. I tend to cut mine in half as I like larger chunks.
- Place the meat into the slow cooker insert (if you’ve not used it to sear your meat).
- Sprinkle the mushrooms all around the meat and on top.
- Pour over the liquid mixture, cover, and cook on low for ~8 hours or until the roast is super tender.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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
Crock Pot Eye of Round with Mushroom & Onion Gravy
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6+ hours
- Category: slow cooker, comfort food, beef
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: slow cooker, comfort food, beef
Fall-apart tender Eye of Round with the most amazing rich and decadent mushroom onion gravy!
Ingredients
- 1 – 10 oz. can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 1 – 10 oz. can low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup dried minced onion
- 2 Tablespoon beef bouillon base/powder
- 1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
- pinch crushed celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3lb Eye of Round Roast
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3–4 cups sliced mushrooms
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- 3 tablespoon milk
- 1 Tablespoon Gravy master *optional
Instructions
- In a bowl combine the mushroom soup with beef broth, minced onion, beef bouillon, onion powder, crushed celery seed, sugar, fresh garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until combined and set aside.
- In a small bowl or large plastic baggie, mix together flour with salt and black pepper. Dredge the roast in the flour/black pepper mixture.
- In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. When the oil begins to ripple, carefully add in the roast and pan sear about 5-6 minutes per side, or until all sides are caramel-colored.
- Transfer the roast to the slow cooker, top with mushrooms, and slowly pour the soup mixture over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until the roast is tender.
- Remove the roast from the crockpot and place it on a plate. Transfer the sauce from the crockpot into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- In a small container mix together the milk and cornstarch to make a slurry.
- Once the mixture starts to boil, pour in the slurry and whisk until thickened. If desired, add in the Gravy Master. Remove from heat and ladle over the sliced eye of round.
Original photos posted in 2013 (when I knew squat about photography or editing)
Same amazing dish, just better pictures above
Diane says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! How many adults will it feed?
TKWAdmin says
Diane,
Well that depends… do you have an eater like Mr. Fantabulous? *wink* If so, then 1 adult. LOL Seriously a 3lb roast will feed 4 adults with some sides.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Dennis says
This was my first attempt and it was FANTASTIC!!!! I need to cut back on the garlic but now I’m having a super hot affair with my crock pot
TKWAdmin says
Thank you so much Dennis! HAHAHA I’m having the same affair with my crock pots too 😉
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Billy says
Looks delicious! I’m going attempt this recipe tomorrow. Should I trim all of the fat from the roast prior to cooking or after?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Billy!
I tend to leave the fat on as that lends to a juicier outcome on the meat. I would then discard it afterwards.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Sheila says
I am going to be making this tomorrow for my fiance’s birthday dinner. I am loving all the rave reviews and yes it does look delicious!!
I have one question on the mushroom slices….Fresh mushrooms ok to use or should I buy the jar kind as I didn’t see anything specific mentioned in the recipe?
Looking forward to making this and YES… I was drooling with every picture and every part of the recipe! Can’t wait!!
Thanks,
Sheila
TKWAdmin says
Hi Sheila!
Well happy early birthday to your very lucky fiance! I never ever used canned/jarred mushrooms. They gag me. Use fresh; always fresh anything unless it’s denoted not to. And honestly that would only ever apply to spices. If you used the jarred ones they would literally just disintegrate.
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the recipe!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Darlene says
Can you put fresh carrots and celery in the crockpot with the roast or is it better to do the vegetables separately?
TKWAdmin says
Of course you can put them in with this (Look how I did it in this roast recipe: http://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2014/10/26/crock-pot-italian-style-pot-roast/). The only thing is they may have the gravy on them (which I would love).
It honestly depends on how you like your veggies.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Violet says
Hi I dont have dried onion, celery seed or worchestire sauce. Anything else that I can substitute?
TKWAdmin says
You can use fresh minced onions and celery. Unfortunately there is no substitute for the worchestire sauce. Just omit it but put it on your shopping list.
Cindy says
From one Pittsburgher to another…this was delicious. I will never make an Eye of Round Roast in any other way. Even my husband loved it, even though he usually hates anything made in a crock pot. My roast came out looking just like your photos and tastes wonderful. Thanks for a great recipe.
TKWAdmin says
That’s awesome Cindy! Yeah this is the only way I will make an eye of round roast as well. I find it’s the secret to taking a not-so-tender piece of meat and transforming it into something truly amazing. So happy your hubby loved it too!
And rock on ‘Burgh girl! Love to hear from my fellow Pittsburghers! 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Jen says
This was SOOOO Good! We had a bunch of extra gravy — and there was NO way I was going to let it go to waste … I ended up making some swedish-style meatballs and buttered noodles with the extra. Yum! Thanks for sharing this!
TKWAdmin says
Hi Jen!
Thank you so much! I love this recipe as well! Mr. Fantabulous isn’t so much a roast type of guy but he requests this dish frequently as he absolutely loves it!
Oh I love the idea of using the gravy for Swedish type meatballs! Bravo!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Jada says
TKW this was amazing in every sense of the word! This was one of the best meals I’ve ever made! This recipe was repinned on my facebook wall to which my friend said “Jada, you have to make this! This is the best dish ever!” She was so right! I so hooked on your recipes right now and can’t wait to make more!
And that gravy! Phenomenal is all I can say!
Living in Texas we live by crock pot cooking due to the extreme heat! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
TKWAdmin says
Well thank you so very much Jada! I honestly fell in love with this recipe. And that gravy… dear lord that gravy! 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Deb says
Ohmygoodness! Ohmygoodness! The gravy!
TKWAdmin says
*nods nods nods* Yep, it’s EPIC! 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!