Description
This Crock Pot Chuck Roast recipe delivers a tender, flavorful roast that’s easy to prepare and perfect for a comforting meal. The roast is seared to lock in flavor, then slow-cooked with aromatic seasonings and optional vegetables to create a rich and hearty dish with delicious gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- Oil, as needed 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. Combine 2 tablespoons steak seasoning and 1 tablespoon dried thyme in a small bowl. Liberally season both sides of the roast with this mixture to enhance flavor.
- Sear the roast: Heat a skillet over high heat until very hot. Sear each side of the roast for 2-3 minutes to develop a rich crust that locks in juices. Then, transfer the seared roast to your slow cooker.
- Deglaze the skillet: Pour 1 cup of beef broth into the hot skillet and let it simmer for about one minute. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon — this adds delicious depth to the gravy. Pour the broth and drippings into the slow cooker over the roast.
- Prepare optional vegetables: If using, wash, peel, and chop potatoes, carrots, and onion into large chunks. Place them in a large bowl, drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle 1 tablespoon steak seasoning and 1½ teaspoons thyme, then toss to coat evenly. Arrange the vegetables on top of the roast in the slow cooker.
- Slow cook the roast: Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3.5-4 hours until the meat is tender and beginning to fall apart at the edges.
- Thicken the gravy: When the roast is nearly tender, dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in ⅓ cup water. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker juices. Cover and cook for an additional hour to thicken the gravy and make the roast super tender.
- Finish and serve: If the gravy is not thick enough after an hour, keep the slow cooker on high with the lid off to evaporate extra liquid. Before serving, carefully remove the meat from the cooker, discard excess fat, and place the chunks on a platter or back into the slow cooker to serve with the rich gravy and vegetables.
Notes
- Trim excess fat from the roast before seasoning if necessary to avoid greasy texture.
- Ensure the pan is very hot before searing to get a good crust on the meat.
- Simmer the broth briefly before deglazing to maximize flavor extraction from fond.
- Dissolve cornstarch in water before adding to the slow cooker to prevent lumps in the gravy.
- For prep ahead, season the meat and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Refrigerate overnight or freeze. Thaw in refrigerator 24 hours before cooking and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before searing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6th of recipe with vegetables)
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
