Description
Classic crockpot chuck roast: seared beef slow cooked with potatoes, carrots and onion until fork tender, with a gravy thickened right in the pot. No packets.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into thick wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 lb small red potatoes, halved
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
- Pat the roast dry and season all over with the salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply browned, then set it in a 6 quart slow cooker.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining oil and the onion wedges. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture over the roast.
- Arrange the potatoes and carrots around the sides of the roast, and tuck in the rosemary, thyme and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours, until the beef is fork tender and pulls apart easily.
- Move the roast and vegetables to a platter and cover loosely with foil. Remove the herb stems and bay leaves from the pot and skim the fat off the top of the liquid.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Stir the cornstarch into the cold water, whisk it into the liquid, and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
- Break the beef into large pieces, spoon the gravy over the meat and vegetables, and sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
- No time to sear? Skip steps 2 to 4: put the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker, set the seasoned roast on top, whisk the tomato paste, garlic, broth and Worcestershire together and pour it over. It will still be tender, with a little less flavor.
- Dried herbs work too: use 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary in place of the fresh sprigs.
- Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Store the beef in some of the gravy so it stays moist.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American