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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This slow cooker pot roast features tender beef cooked alongside caramelized onions and herbs, resulting in a hearty, fall-apart texture. The dish is assembled and cooked with minimal effort, developing rich flavors over several hours with the beef becoming succulent and the vegetables soft and flavorful.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast preferably well marbled
  • 2 large yellow onions sliced thick
  • 4 cloves garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 cup beef broth for cooking
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil for searing
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Slow cooker
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Tongs
  • Ladle

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, then carefully place the beef in the pan.
  3. Sear the beef for about 4-5 minutes per side, until a rich brown crust forms, enhancing flavor.
  4. While the beef sears, slice the onions thick and prepare the garlic by mincing.
  5. Remove the seared beef from the skillet and set aside, then add the onions and garlic to the same pan.
  6. Cook the onions for about 5 minutes until they soften and become fragrant, scraping up browned bits from the pan for extra flavor.
  7. Transfer the onions and garlic into the slow cooker, then place the seared beef on top.
  8. Pour the beef broth over everything, then sprinkle the thyme leaves evenly across the top.
  9. Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef is tender and falling apart easily.
  10. Once cooked, remove the beef carefully and let it rest for a few minutes, the sauce will be rich and flavorful.
  11. Shred the beef into bite-sized pieces using two forks, then serve with the tender onions and sauce spooned over.
  12. Enjoy your hearty, melt-in-your-mouth pot roast with your favorite sides!

Notes

For extra flavor, add carrots or potatoes during the last 2 hours of cooking. Using high-quality beef yields the most tender results.