The Scoop
We’re talking slow-cooked chuck roast melting into caramelized onions…
If you’re trying to secure the ultimate validation from your in-laws and prove you’re that person, this recipe is a literal cheat code. It completely does the trick, delivering fall-apart tender beef and a rich, deeply savory onion gravy that feels like a warm hug. We’re talking slow-cooked chuck roast melting into caramelized onions, swimming in a rich, savory broth that somehow smells like you’ve been cooking all day, even if you haven’t. It’s cozy, dramatic, and quietly showing off without trying too hard.
Ingredients
- 1 (2-pound) chuck roast
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced and divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/8 teaspoon celery seeds, crushed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, plus more as needed
- 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
Directions
- Pat the chuck roast down and season it with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the butter and the oil to the skillet.
- Once the butter has melted and starts to crackle, add the chuck roast and sear, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Transfer the roast to a plate.
- Add 1/2 of the onions, the garlic, the beef broth, the Worcestershire sauce, the vinegar, the onion powder, the thyme, the bay leaf, the celery seeds, the sugar, and the seared chuck roast to a slow cooker.
- Top the roast with the remaining 1/2 of the onions.
- Cover and cook on low until the roast is fall-apart tender, about 6-8 hours.
- Transfer the meat to a plate, covering it to keep it warm.
- Combine the cornstarch and the water to create a slurry.
- Add the slurry to the slow cooker and stir.
- Allow the mixture in the slow cooker to cook until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. If the sauce still seems too thin, add additional cornstarch slurry, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to every 2 tablespoons of water at a time, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Return the meat to the slow cooker and heat through. Serve.
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