Description
This Crock Pot Chuck Roast recipe delivers a tender and flavorful slow-cooked beef roast that’s incredibly easy to prepare. The chuck roast is seasoned and seared to lock in flavors, then slow-cooked with beef broth and optional hearty vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onion to create a rich, comforting meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Oil (for searing)
- 3 lb chuck roast, trimmed if needed
- 2 tablespoons steak seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 cup beef broth
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Optional Vegetables
- 2 lbs potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into large pieces
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
- 1 tablespoon steak seasoning
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
Instructions
- Season the roast: Coat each side of the chuck roast with oil. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons steak seasoning and 1 tablespoon dried thyme. Liberally season both sides of the roast with this mixture.
- Sear the meat: Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. Sear the roast on each side for 2-3 minutes to develop a brown crust and lock in flavors. This step enhances the overall taste of the dish.
- Transfer to slow cooker: Place the seared roast into the slow cooker.
- Deglaze the skillet: Pour 1 cup beef broth into the hot skillet and allow it to simmer for one minute. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet; this adds rich flavor to the cooking liquid. Pour this liquid into the slow cooker over the roast.
- Prepare optional vegetables: If using, wash, peel, and cut potatoes, carrots, and onion into large chunks. Place them in a large bowl, drizzle with a bit of oil, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon steak seasoning and 1½ teaspoons dried thyme. Toss to evenly coat. Arrange the vegetables on top of the roast in the slow cooker.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours. The slow cooking will tenderize the meat and meld the flavors.
- Check tenderness and thicken gravy: Around the 7-8 hour mark (or 3.5-4 hours on high), check the roast with a fork. When the edges start to fall apart, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in ⅓ cup water and stir into the cooking liquid in the slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking for another hour until the roast is super tender and gravy thickens.
- Adjust gravy consistency: If the gravy isn’t thick enough after an hour, leave the slow cooker uncovered on high to allow excess liquid to evaporate and thicken the sauce.
- Prepare to serve: Remove the roast carefully from the slow cooker and place it on a cutting board. Trim away any large fatty pieces, discard the fat, and place the chunks of meat on a serving platter or back into the slow cooker for serving.
Notes
- Trim excess fat from the roast before seasoning if there is a thick outer layer to avoid excess greasiness.
- Ensure the skillet is very hot before searing to achieve a good crust.
- Simmering the beef broth before adding it to the slow cooker enhances flavor by dissolving the pan bits.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water fully before adding to hot liquid to prevent lumps in gravy.
- Season the meat ahead of time and store wrapped in plastic wrap and foil in the refrigerator overnight or freeze. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours before cooking and bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 6 oz cooked meat with vegetables)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
