This flavorful Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast has a unique blend of sweet and savory, and always turns out tender. The secret to making a tender beef roast is to take a tougher cut of meat and braise it in liquid so that it becomes tender. In this recipe, the acid in the Dr. Pepper helps break down the tough tissues of the roast, which makes it a delicious pot roast.
Knowing how to cook a beef roast is important for any home cook. On our site, we’ve shared many roast recipes, from the classic, easy crock pot roast to garlic roast beef. If you’re looking for a new, unique roast recipe, this Dr. Pepper Pot Roast is for you.
The backstory on this recipe is that sometimes I find recipes online that sound so different that I just have to try them. Did you know there are entire cookbooks featuring Dr. Pepper in recipes? It was new to me too, and I was very skeptical about cooking beef in Dr. Pepper, but I was wrong to question it. This Dr. Pepper Roast is an incredibly tender roast.
Why this is a great beef roast:
- Quick and easy, one-pot meal
- Extra tender, juicy beef
- A crowd pleaser. Plus, everyone will be amazed you used Dr. Pepper in a recipe
Ingredients You Need and Why:
- Chuck roast – I typically use a three to four-pound chuck roast. I have made this with other roasts, like arm roast, but my favorite is chuck because of the marbling throughout the meat.
- Dr. Pepper – The acidity in the soda helps break down muscle fibers and tenderize the meat as well as caramelize the exterior. If you don’t have Dr. Pepper, Coca-Cola is a good subsitute.
- Worcestershire sauce – Peppery, tangy, savory, and salty as well as sweet, spicy, and malty. This umami sauce has all the flavors needed to perk up any dish.
- Beef broth – I recommend low-sodium beef broth to get the full flavor of beef without the extra salt. Or, you can also use homemade beef broth.
- Dry onion soup mix – Adds flavor that stands out, but isn’t overpowering.
Beef Success Tips
Good beef roasts come from tougher cuts of beef. Period. The reason for this is because these areas have more marbling and connective tissue. Remember, marbling in beef equals tenderness AND flavor.
The tough cuts of beef come from the areas of the steer that move the most, like the chuck (shoulder area) and round (butt and legs area). These areas have lots of connective tissue that will only soften when cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time.
We’ve made this with a variety of cuts, ranging from arm roasts to chuck cut, but our favorite is chuck roast. Chuck roasts have wonderful marbling throughout the meat. When you give it enough time to cook, it becomes fork-tender and will literally melt-in-your-mouth. It’s typically a less expensive cut, and it’s from the shoulder.
If you’re planning to serve a large crowd with a Chuck Roast, keep in mind that Chuck roasts shrink more than any other roast during cooking.
Let’s Walk Through the Steps:
Step 1: Gather the ingredients
Step 2: Make the marinade. In a small bowl, mix Dr. Pepper, beef broth, dry onion soup mix, and Worchestershire sauce.
Step 3: Pat roast dry with paper towel, and season with salt and pepper. If time allows, prior to placing in the slow cooker, sear roast on both sides in a large skillet with oil over medium-heat. This step is optional, but it helps lock in the flavor of the beef.
Step 4: Pour braising liquid marinade over the roast. Cover with lid. Cook 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high. The USDA recommends cooking roasts until temperature reaches at least 145°F for medium rare, as measured by an instant read meat thermometer, allowing to rest for three minutes.
Recipe FAQ’s:
The only way to tell if beef is done is to use an instant read thermometer. The USDA recommends cooking roasts until temperature reaches at least 145°F for medium rare, as measured by a meat thermometer, allowing to rest for three minutes.
Typically, roast is tough because it wasn’t cooked long enough. Remember, a tough cut of meat needs a long, slow cook time to break down the connective tissue and fat, creating deliciously soft and juicy meat. Extend the cook time, make sure there’s enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
We’ve made this with a variety of cuts, ranging from arm roasts to chuck cut, but our favorite is chuck roast. Chuck roasts have wonderful marbling throughout the meat. When you give it enough time to cook, it becomes fork-tender and will literally melt-in-your-mouth. It’s typically a less expensive cut, and it’s from the shoulder.
Yes! If your roast is tough, it’s usually because the cooking time should be increased, or becasue of the amount of liquid in the slow cooker.
Because this roast is on the sweeter side, we typically make our vegetables on the side so that the beef is alone in the crockpot. However, if you like the marinade, you can easily add carrots or potatoes to the slow cooker, and they will take on the flavor of the Dr. Pepper marinade.
Once the roast has reached your desired temperature, remove it from the slow cooker. Then, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before you cut and serve. Resting the meat lets the beef’s fibers relax and widen so that juices redistribute throughout the cut of beef.
Serving tips:
Because this roast is on the sweeter side, we prefer this roast to be cooked with only the beef. Then, we make baked potatoes and other vegetables to serve on the side. It is possible to make this a one-pot meal and add the root veggies — like carrots and potatoes — to the crockpot, but they will take on the flavor of the Dr. Pepper marinade.
Dr. Pepper Pot Roast is also great for meal prepping and leftovers. You can portion it with brown or cauliflower rice for healthy lunch bowls. For a summertime lunch, use leftovers to make shredded BBQ beef sandwiches.
How to store and freeze:
- Store: Cool Dr. Pepper Pot Roast and transfer to an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Dr. Pepper Pot Roast is great for meal prepping and leftovers. You can portion it with brown or cauliflower rice for healthy lunch bowls. For a summertime lunch, use leftovers to make shredded BBQ beef sandwiches.
- Freeze: Cool completely and place in a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 Chuck or Arm Beef Roast 3-5 lbs
- 2 cups Dr. Pepper
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- 3 tbsp Worchestershire sauce
- 1 pkg Dry Onion Soup Mix
Instructions
- To prepare the roast, pat it dry with a paper towel. Then, season the meat with salt and pepper.
- Sear on both sides in a large skillet with oil over medium-heat. This step is really important and helps lock in the flavor of the beef.
- Place seared chuck into slow cooker.
- Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, stir and cover with lid.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Remove roast from slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
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- Store: Cool Dr. Pepper Pot Roast and transfer to an airtight container. It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Dr. Pepper Pot Roast is great for meal prepping and leftovers. You can portion it with brown or cauliflower rice for healthy lunch bowls. For a summertime lunch, use leftovers to make shredded BBQ beef sandwiches.
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- Freeze: Cool completely and place in a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a pre-heated 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
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- Meat: Pork butt, pork roast or pork shoulder is a delicious alternative in this recipe.
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- Seasonings: This recipe calls for store-bought Dry Onion seasoning becasue it’s easy, but you could also use homemade.
I originally published this recipe in 2015, and have since added new photos and tips.
Favorite kitchen tools:
- Instant read thermometer (this one is our favorite)
- Slow Cooker
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That’s great to hear about the Coca-Cola. I’ll have to try it soon. Thanks for sharing the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Isn’t it amazing how the acid in the Dr. Pepper breaks down the beef proteins to make them even more tender!? Love it!
And yes, using Coca-Cola is also out of this world. I think the Dr. Pepper adds a spiciness to it and that Coca-Cola adds more of a sweet note.