Slow cooker pot roast recipe that browns the beef first to enhance flavor then potatoes, onion, and carrots cook alongside the meat for a complete dinner.
Ingredients
12ounces(340g)carrots, peeled and cut into 1 ½" pieces
1pound(454g)Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 ½" pieces
5sprigsthyme
3pounds(1.4kg)chuck roast, or chuck roll, excess fat trimmed
Prepare Vegetables - In a 6-quart slow cooker, add potatoes, carrots, and thyme sprigs.
Season Beef - Dry the surface of the chuck roast with a paper towel. Evenly season all sides of the beef with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
Brown Surface - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Once hot, add the beef to the pan. Sear until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to the slow cooker. Reserve the pan and drippings to cook onions.
Saute Aromatics - Heat the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, and saute until lightly golden and tender, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add balsamic vinegar and cook until reduced and coats the onions, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste, stir and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
Make Pan Sauce - Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and flour, whisk to combine, and cook for 30 seconds. Gradually add beef stock, vigorously whisking to create a smooth and lightly thickened sauce, about 1 to 2 minutes. The liquid should be near a boil to thicken. Increase the heat if needed once all of the stock is added. Stir in soy sauce and ½ teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Slow Cook - Add the pan sauce to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the High setting for 4 to 5 hours or the Low setting for 7 to 8 hours. The vegetables should pierce easily with a fork, and the meat should be tender when sliced.
Slice Meat - Look for the grainline, and cut the beef perpendicular across the grain into slices. Optionally, cut the slices further into smaller pieces. Return the meat to the slow cooker to keep warm before serving.
To Serve - Serve pot roast with vegetables and sauce. Garnish with parsley.
Notes
Storing: Cool and store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Cover and reheat on high setting in the microwave in 15 to 30-second intervals until hot.
Make it Gluten-Free: Use cassava flour as a 1:1 replacement for flour. Alternatively, omit butter and flour and mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water to make a cornstarch slurry. Add to the slow cooker in the last 30 minutes of cooking the pot roast.