No-Browning Slow Cooker Beef Roast

Ingredients

• 2½ lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed (1100 g)
• 1½ lb Yukon Gold potatoes, chunked (680 g)
• 4 large carrots, chunked (450 g)
• 1 large yellow onion, wedged (250 g)
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth (480 g)
• 1 packet onion soup mix (28 g)
• 1 tsp garlic powder (3 g)
• 1 tsp dried thyme (1 g)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper (1 g)
• 2 bay leaves (1 g)
• 2 tbsp optional cornstarch (16 g)
• 2 tbsp cold water (30 g)

Instructions

1. Layer vegetables. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion to a 6-quart slow cooker, arranging potatoes closest to the bottom. Spread them into an even bed so they contact the broth and support the roast.
2. Add roast. Pat the roast dry, then place it over the vegetables without folding. Sprinkle the soup mix, garlic powder, thyme, and pepper across the top. Do not stir; leaving the seasoning on the meat creates a flavorful surface while the broth carries flavor downward.
3. Add broth. Pour broth around the roast, keeping its seasoned top exposed. Tuck bay leaves beside the meat; the liquid should come partway up the vegetables, not cover the roast. Fit the lid securely and avoid opening it during cooking, which releases heat and lengthens the timing.
4. Cook. Cook on LOW for 8 hours, until the roast pulls apart easily with two forks and the potatoes yield when pierced. Check near the end only. If the meat still resists shredding, replace the lid and continue cooking in 20-minute increments until tender.
5. Finish gravy. Transfer the roast to a board and shred it into large pieces. Remove bay leaves. For thicker juices, whisk cornstarch with cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the cooker. Cover for 10 minutes, return the beef, and serve with the vegetables and juices.

Notes

• Use a 6-quart cooker for this quantity. A smaller cooker can crowd ingredients and slow potato cooking. For a larger roast, allow extra time and judge doneness by easy shredding, not the clock.
• Add the cornstarch slurry only after shredding the beef. Long cooking reduces its thickening effect; end-stage stirring lets you control the juices. Omit it for a thinner broth that is good over noodles or rice.

Nutrition Facts