Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Onions (Print Version)
Tender beef chuck roast with caramelized onions and rich gravy, effortlessly prepared in the slow cooker for authentic comfort.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3 lb beef chuck roast
02 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Vegetables and Aromatics
04 - 3 large yellow onions, sliced
05 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
→ Liquids
08 - 1 cup beef broth, gluten-free if needed
09 - 0.5 cup dry red wine, optional
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, gluten-free if needed
→ Herbs and Seasoning
12 - 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
14 - 2 bay leaves
→ Thickener
15 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional
16 - 2 tablespoons cold water, optional
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels and season all sides evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
03 - In the same skillet, add the sliced onions and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer onions and garlic to the slow cooker with the beef.
04 - Arrange the carrot and celery pieces around the roast in the slow cooker.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, red wine if using, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture over the roast and vegetables.
06 - Add thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
07 - Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 hours until the beef is fork-tender and vegetables are completely soft.
08 - Transfer the cooked beef and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard herb stems and bay leaves. Reserve the cooking liquid for gravy.
09 - To thicken the sauce, mix cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker liquid, cover, and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until thickened.
10 - Slice or shred the pot roast. Plate with vegetables and spoon enriched gravy over the top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The slow cooker does all the hard work while you live your life, returning you to a home filled with an aroma that instantly makes your shoulders drop with relief.
- Those caramelized onions practically melt into the richest gravy that somehow makes even the worst day better when spooned over mashed potatoes.
02 -
- After multiple disappointing attempts, I realized that opening the slow cooker even once during cooking can add nearly an hour to the total time needed for that perfect fall-apart texture.
- The roast might look alarmingly dry after searing, but that exterior is actually sealing in moisture that will gradually redistribute throughout the meat during slow cooking.
03 -
- If you find your gravy separating with visible fat, place it in the refrigerator until the fat solidifies on top, then simply scrape it off with a spoon before reheating for a cleaner, less greasy sauce.
- After making this dozens of times, I discovered that placing a whole, unpeeled garlic head cut in half horizontally alongside the roast adds incredible depth without overpowering the dish, even for those who claim to dislike garlic.