Savory French Onion Pot Roast (Print)

Tender chuck roast slow-cooked with sweet caramelized onions, red wine, and savory broth, finished with melted Gruyere cheese.

# Components:

→ Beef

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

→ Vegetables & 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 & Seasoning

07 - 1 cup beef broth
08 - 1 cup dry red wine (or substitute with extra 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

# Directions:

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, about 3-4 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, about 8-10 minutes. Add 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.
05 - Place the seared roast in the crock pot. Top with the sautéed onions and mushrooms.
06 - Pour the broth mixture over the roast and onions.
07 - Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the roast is fork-tender.
08 - Remove the roast and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice or shred as desired.
09 - Place cheese slices over the meat in the crock pot, cover, and let melt for about 5 minutes.
10 - Serve topped with onions, sauce, and melted cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slow cooker transforms tough chuck roast into something that falls apart at the mere suggestion of a fork
  • Those caramelized onions create a sauce so good you'll want to drink it with a spoon
  • It tastes like you spent all day tending a stove, but you really just seared and forgot
02 -
  • Skip the searing step and you'll still have tender meat, but you'll miss that incredible depth of flavor that comes from the browning reaction
  • If you want a thicker sauce at the end, whisk together some cornstarch and cold water, stir it in, and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes
  • The leftovers somehow taste even better the next day, if you can manage to have any leftovers
03 -
  • Pat the meat completely dry before seasoning or it won't get that proper sear
  • Don't rush the onion caramelization step since that's where all the French onion flavor lives
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