Savory Crock Pot French Onion Pot Roast (Printer-friendly)

Tender beef with caramelized onions, herbs, and melted Gruyere in the slow cooker.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

03 - 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 cups sliced mushrooms, optional
06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Liquid and Seasoning

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

→ For Serving

13 - 6 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Season the chuck roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add onions and mushrooms if using. Sauté until onions are golden and beginning to caramelize, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, red wine or additional broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, and rosemary until combined.
05 - Place the seared roast in the slow cooker. Top with the sautéed onions and mushrooms. Pour the broth mixture over the roast and onions.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, until the roast is fork-tender and easily breaks apart.
07 - Remove the roast from the slow cooker and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred as desired.
08 - Place cheese slices over the meat in the slow cooker, cover, and let melt for approximately 5 minutes.
09 - Serve the roast topped with onions, braising sauce, and melted cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It turns a tough cut of meat into something so soft you can cut it with a spoon, and the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting.
  • The onions cook down into a sweet, savory layer that soaks into every bite, and that cheese on top seals the deal.
  • You can start it in the morning and come home to dinner that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Searing the beef is not optional, it builds a layer of flavor that you cannot get any other way and makes the difference between good and unforgettable.
  • If your sauce looks thin at the end, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it in, and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens up.
  • Let the roast rest before slicing or it will lose all its juices on the cutting board instead of staying in the meat.
03 -
  • Use a wine you would actually drink, not cooking wine, because the flavor concentrates as it reduces and you will taste it.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the roast at 7 hours to avoid overcooking it into mush.
  • Let the cheese melt with the lid on and the heat off so it gets gooey without breaking or becoming greasy.
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