Tender Slow Cooker Beef (Print Version)

Hearty slow-cooked beef paired with seasoned vegetables and herbs, perfect for a comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3.5 lb beef chuck roast

→ Vegetables

02 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
03 - 3 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 large onion, chopped

→ Aromatics & Herbs

06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
08 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
09 - 2 bay leaves

→ Liquids

10 - 2 cups beef broth
11 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

→ Seasonings

12 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
13 - 1 tsp black pepper
14 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef roast evenly on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
03 - Place carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion in an even layer at the bottom of the slow cooker.
04 - Set the seared beef roast atop the vegetables. Scatter minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves over the roast.
05 - Pour beef broth and Worcestershire sauce evenly over the roast and vegetables.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
07 - Remove bay leaves and herb stems. Slice or shred the roast and serve with the cooked vegetables and pan juices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It requires barely any active cooking time, just a quick sear and then the slow cooker takes over.
  • The meat becomes so tender it falls apart with just a fork, and the vegetables soak up all that rich, savory goodness.
  • You can smell dinner cooking all day, which honestly makes everything feel a little more homey.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and feeds a crowd without any fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step, even though it feels like an extra task—it builds flavor that nothing else can replace.
  • Chuck roast needs that full eight hours on LOW; going faster on HIGH won't save time and will make the meat stringy instead of tender.
03 -
  • Buy your chuck roast from a butcher if you can—they'll trim it properly and often have better quality meat than the supermarket case.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, even LOW can overcook things, so start checking at the seven-hour mark if you're unsure.

Go Back