Description
Tender beef and sweet caramelized onions slow-cooked to perfection, served with rich gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 lb chuck roast (well-marbled)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for browning, optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (or more broth)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 3 tablespoons cold water (for thickening, optional)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Peel and slice yellow and sweet onions into thin rings. Mince garlic.
- Set crock pot to high. Add butter, onions, garlic, brown sugar, and balsamic vinegar. Stir, cover, and cook for 20–30 minutes until onions soften and start to caramelize.
- Pat chuck roast dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high and sear roast for 2–3 minutes per side until deep brown (optional).
- Once onions are caramelized, nestle the roast on top in the crock pot. Sprinkle thyme and bay leaves over everything.
- Pour in beef broth, white wine, and Worcestershire sauce. Ensure roast is partially submerged; add more broth if needed.
- Set crock pot to low and cook for 8–9 hours, or high for 5–6 hours, until roast is fork-tender and shreds easily. Check after 7 hours.
- Remove roast and tent with foil. Skim excess fat from liquid.
- Mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into crock pot. Cook on high, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until gravy thickens.
- Let roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding. Return to crock pot and spoon onion gravy over the top.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese and chopped parsley. Serve hot.
Notes
Let the roast rest before slicing to keep it juicy. The gravy can be thickened with cornstarch if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 540 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: crock pot, pot roast, french onion, slow cooker, comfort food