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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it dinner that turns a tough chuck roast into fall-apart tender meat. The searing step adds serious flavor, but the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting for 8+ hours.
prep time:20 minutes
cook time:9 hours
total time:9 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients

Ingredients (~8 servings)

  • 4 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
  • 12 small cloves garlic for encrusting the beef
  • 2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 Tbsp fresh thyme and rosemary or 1 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning, minced
  • Olive oil for searing
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes whole or halved
  • 6 sprigs fresh rosemary and thyme
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • Chopped Italian parsley for garnish
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp room temp water

Instructions

  • Pat roast dry with paper towels.
  • Make 12 deep incisions in roast and stuff with garlic cloves.
  • Drizzle roast with olive oil and season with 2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 Tbsp garlic powder, and minced herbs.
  • Heat olive oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear roast 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown.
  • Layer half the onions, carrots, celery, smashed garlic, and potatoes in slow cooker.
  • Place seared roast on top and arrange remaining vegetables and potatoes around it.
  • Tuck herb sprigs around roast.
  • Whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp pepper.
  • Pour liquid mixture into slow cooker until it reaches halfway up the roast.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours until meat shreds easily with a fork.
  • Transfer roast to cutting board and shred with two forks.
  • Arrange shredded meat on platter with vegetables.
  • Strain cooking liquid into saucepan and skim off excess fat.
  • Bring liquid to low simmer.
  • Whisk cornstarch and water together to make slurry.
  • Slowly whisk slurry into simmering liquid and cook 2-3 minutes until thickened.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how you liked it below!