Bacon makes everything better, right? Well, have you tried it with a slow cooker pot roast? WOWSERS this is a good recipe! Not only is the meat tender and juicy, but guys, the gravy, I could eat an old shoe if this gravy were on it! This keto Pot Roast With Bacon simply must be tried.
It always amazes me that a handful of ingredients can make something so delicious. And, this recipe is so super simple. Thicken the gravy a bit with some xanthan gum (or a bit of cornstarch and water if you don’t mind a few carbs), and dig in!
Hungry? Let’s get cooking!
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What Cut Of Beef Makes the Best Pot Roast
Cheap cuts!
Seriously though, it is the tougher cheaper cuts of meat that often make the best pot roasts. Because a pot roast cooks low and slow and in liquid in a crock pot, you want a gnarly hunk of meat with lots of sinew and connective tissue.
Sounds gross?
Sounds like flavor to me! Look for rump roasts, chuck roasts, blade roasts, and anything labeled shoulder roast.
How Big Should My Roast Be?
A slow cooker pot roast is going to lose a LOT of it’s volume as it cooks. All that lovely liquid is going to mix and mingle with the other ingredients to make a gravy that’s going to rock your world!
So, start with a big enough roast, and hey, leftovers are always great, too!
You want at least a half a pound of pot roast (pre cooked weight) per person. I wouldn’t do a pot roast with anything smaller than 2 pounds or it just isn’t worth the effort.
Ingredients to Make Keto Pot Roast with Bacon
- Chuck, rump or shoulder beef roast
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cooking oil
- Beef broth – use low sodium
- LOTS of bacon – about 3/4 pound
- Fresh garlic
- Turnips
- Onion
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Rosemary
- Xanthan gum (optional)
How To Make a Killer Slow Cooker Pot Roast
There are a few key steps to making a KILLER keto pot roast:
- Season the meat well and brown it in oil. You’re looking for a hard sear – that’s a good dark brown caramelization on the beef.
- Brown the onion, garlic, and bacon. This helps coax the flavor out of these ingredients.
- Deglaze the pan with broth. All those lovely bits stuck to the pan are called fond, and it’s crazy flavorful. Add some liquid to the pan while it’s still on the heat, and scrape up those bits. Add them to the crock pot.
- Cook it low and slow. Set it and forget it – well nearly forget it! This roast will take a good 5 hours on high. Add the cut turnip to the pot about an hour before it’s done.
- Concentrate the flavors of the cooking liquid and make gravy. Pour all that liquid, chunks and all, into a sauce pan and simmer it for about 10 minutes to evaporate off some of the liquid and condense the flavors. Thicken it with 1/4 tsp xanthan gum (you can add more if you need to – see next section) or with a slurry of cornstarch and water if you don’t mind a few extra carbs.
- Dig in!
Chef Jenn’s Tips to Make This Keto Pot Roast with Bacon
- Use thick cut, good quality bacon. I love using bacon ends for dishes like this – you can often find the “ends and pieces” cheaper and I’ve seen big packages in the grocery store or from my favorite butcher.
- Using a tied roast helps keep the meat together, but it isn’t necessary to tie it before cooking.
- Start with a low-sodium – or no salt added – beef broth and adjust the seasonings yourself.
- Your choice of cooking oils is up to you – use what you have!
- Have fresh thyme and rosemary? Use it instead – just use twice as much!
What To Serve With This Pot Roast Crock Pot Recipe
Mashed Cauliflower is my first pick, but you can also serve this tasty keto pot roast with Zucchini Noodles or any of your favorite sides. Another tasty pick is keto baked zucchini! Yum!
Can You Freeze This Slow Cooker Pot Roast?
Yes! Absolutely!
Simply chill it thoroughly in the fridge and then package it it in air-tight freezer safe containers.
Your keto pot roast with bacon will freeze best if you can cover it in liquid, so save that cooking liquid and turn it into gravy!
Start with an inexpensive cut of beef like rump or shoulder, season it, sear it, and then cook it low and slow in a savory liquid.
Start with an inexpensive cut of beef like rump or shoulder, season it, sear it and cook it in savory liquid on high for about 5 hours or low for about 8 hours.
Use a chuck, rump or shoulder roast, and count on about 1/2 a pound of uncooked meat weight per person.
Like This Keto Pot Roast? Also Try:
Step By Step Process to Make Keto Pot roast With Bacon
Keto Pot Roast with Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds rump roast chuck, rump, shoulder, blade roast are all fine
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 cup onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 3/4 pound bacon chopped roughly
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups turnip cut into 1-inch cubes
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat and sear the roast on all sides. Set aside.
- Cook the bacon, garlic, and onion in the skillet for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and the bacon is cooked but not crispy. Set aside.
- Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of the beef broth. Add the pan liquid to the crock pot. Add the rest of the beef broth to the crock pot.
- Add the beef roast, bacon and onion mixture, and herbs to the crock pot. Set it to cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8.
- Add the turnip to the crock pot 1 hour before it is finished if on high, or 2 hours before if on low.
- Drain the liquid from the crock pot into a saucepan. Simmer the liquid for about 10 minutes to reduce it and concentrate the flavors. While this is simmering, slice the roast and keep it warm.
- Take the cooking liquid off the heat and thicken with UP TO 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum. Season the gravy, adjusting the salt and pepper as needed, and serve!
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
I just made this recipe yesterday and the fat in that bacon made this roast fork tender, its a keeper delicious recipe I will make often!
So glad you liked it – it is a keeper!
I’ve been looking for the perfect recipe to make for my meat loving husband and this looks like it is it! Thank you!
A very comforting meal! My husband loves low carb food, this pot roast would be perfect for him.
The bacon just made this pot roast even more delicious! Loved this recipe!
Oh wow, this pot roast looks out of this world… And the bacon must have added so much flavor to the dish – can’t wait to give your recipe a try!