Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
90 Comments Dec 12, 2023
Updated Jan 16, 2025
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef Sandwich recipe yields delicious fork tender roast beef and brown homemade gravy that can be used to make a classic open faced sandwich or served over potatoes, rice, and more. Your whole family is sure to vote this meal a definite keeper.
Use my Slow Cooker Cheesy Mashed Potatoes recipe to make a delicious bed for these hot beef sandwiches and these Slow Cooker Holiday Green Beans for a tasty side.
Why you should try this hot roast beef sandwich recipe
This is the type of comfort food you would see on the menu at a local diner. In fact, I would order these Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches at Marie Callender’s when I worked there years ago. Marie Callender’s would often run these as a lunch special. You will also love my Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy recipe! Or Marie Callender’s Potato Cheese Soup.
This meal is heaven on a plate. The bread is placed down (often Texas toast), then beef and gravy piled on, and always served with mashed potatoes. Great recipes like this are a must-share and are often considered a family favorite. Another beef recipe we love to make is Slow Cooker French Onion Pot Roast or these No Beef Tips.
Ingredients
- Beef Roast: I use a bottom round beef roast for this recipe (also, called a rump roast). It shreds up nice and has way less fat to pick out before serving as a chuck roast does. We also use this cut in our slow cooker rump roast recipe.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper, as well as onion powder are the only seasonings you need.
- Brown Gravy Packets: These help create amazing homemade gravy and add additional flavor to the overall meal.
- Water: Adds the perfect amount of liquid for the cooking process to make gravy.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images}
Variations
- I do prefer a bottom-round roast for this recipe, but you can use a chuck roast or top-round.
- Onions and mushrooms are great additions, but beware, both may make the gravy thinner, and you’ll need to add a cornstarch slurry.
- You can double the recipe to easily make more gravy. For an extra kick in taste, use beef broth or beef stock instead of water.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place the roast into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle a small amount of salt, pepper, and onion powder onto the beef.
Step Two – In a small bowl whisk together the gravy packets and water until smooth.
Step Three – Pour broth mixture over the roast.
Step Four – Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
Step Five – When the cooking time is done, remove roast and place it on a plate. Shred meat and discard any fat. Cover with foil to keep warm.
Step Six – De-grease the gravy in the slow cooker. Add the shredded roast beef back into the gravy. Serve immediately and enjoy!
How to serve
- Serve the shredded beef and gravy over bread with a nice helping of mashed potatoes.
- Corn, green beans, french fries, or green salad pair perfectly on the side.
- This is also a great recipe to use for baked potatoes, egg noodles, or served over steamed white rice.
Recipe FAQs
I either do this by ladling off the grease with a spoon, or I take a paper towel and lay on top of the grease and pull off, the grease will come off on the paper towel, and the gravy will stay in the slow cooker.
Yes. You can add a cornstarch slurry until your gravy reaches your desired consistency.
It’s best to thaw it out first for some studies show it is not safe to cook frozen meat in the slow cooker for the meat stays in the danger zone too long before it starts cooking.
Add any remaining beef and gravy to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to serve again, heat it over medium heat until warmed throughout. I would not go above medium high heat. Add a nice helping of leftover roast beef between two slices of white bread or any bread of your choice for a quick hot beef sandwich.
Yes. I would cook it for at least 5 hours on HIGH.
More Slow Cooker Sandwich Recipes
- Slow Cooker Spicy Honey Chicken Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Horseradish Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb. bottom round beef roast, chuck will work fine too
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- 1.74 oz. brown gravy mix packets, (two .87 oz. packets)
- 1 ½ cups water
Serving Suggestions
- white or sourdough bread
- mashed potatoes
Instructions
- Place the roast into a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Sprinkle a small amount of salt, pepper and onion powder on to the beef.
- In a small bowl whisk together the gravy packets and water until smooth. Pour that mixture over the roast.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, remove the roast and place on to a plate, shred meat, discard any fat. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- De-grease the gravy in the slow cooker, I either do this by ladling off the grease with a spoon, or I take a paper towel and lay on top of the grease and pull off, the grease will come off on the paper towel, and the gravy will stay in the slow cooker.
- Serve the shredded beef and gravy over bread and with mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Any type of beef roast will work well in this. Though, we do prefer the bottom round roast for it shreds perfectly and has little fat throughout that you have to separate before serving.
- You can add mushrooms and onions to the slow cooker but it may make the gravy a little runny. If so, you can make a cornstarch slurry and add it at the end if needed.
- If you are a gravy lover, feel free to double the gravy ingredients.
- Serve the shredded beef and gravy over bread with a nice helping of mashed potatoes.
- Corn, green beans, french fries, or green salad pair perfectly on the side.
- This is also a great recipe to use for baked potatoes, egg noodles, or served over steamed white rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
See my Chicken Version of this recipe here: Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy
Love this recipe. I replaced the water with beef stock. Delicious. Will be making this again soon.
Super simple. How do they say; “alot of juice in the squeeze”. Delicious. New favorite.
Can I use roast beef lunch meat sliced thin from the deli?
I don’t think you would need as much time in the slow cooker if you go this route. But, yes.
As I am highly allergic to MSG I cannot use many of your recipes. All of the packets & , or bottle gravies contain MSG. As does ranch dressing packets.
Many beef broth makers have removed it from their products.
I always brown my meat and render the fat first. I use water to deglaze the pan and add the water to my gravy. It makes for a little bit richer gravy.
This more than satisfied the craving I’d had all week in anticipation! I added 2 medium onions, sliced, to the crock to cook with the roast and it made the most delectable onion gravy! Served with rustic wood fired sourdough, garlic mashed potatoes, and baby peas. Will definitely be keeping this one and making again when the cold sets in this winter. Wish I could add a picture.
Would a tritip roast work also what about a venison roast
Yes, either will work just fine.
Do you put the frozen roast in the crockpot or thaw it out first before
You want to thaw it first.
You don’t say how much onion powder or did I miss that?
You just add it to taste.
Could you cook potatoes and carrots along with the meat then spoon them out before shredding, mash the potatoes and serve the carrots as a side dish?
Yes, though it may make the gravy a little runny.