Description
Tender chunks of chuck roast slow-cooked with onion, fresh garlic, savory seasonings, beef broth, and butter for an easy dump-and-go dinner with rich garlic butter sauce.
Ingredients
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, optional for thicker sauce
2 tablespoons cold water, optional for thicker sauce
Instructions
1. Lightly coat a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Spread the sliced onion evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Place the beef pieces over the onion. Sprinkle evenly with the garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper.
4. Scatter the minced fresh garlic over the beef and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce.
5. Pour the beef broth around the edges of the slow cooker. Scatter the pieces of unsalted butter across the top of the beef.
6. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. Begin checking around 6 hours. The beef is ready when a fork slides easily into a larger piece and a gentle twist begins separating the meat.
7. If the beef is still firm or chewy, cover and continue cooking for another 30 to 60 minutes before checking again.
8. When the beef is tender, gently stir the beef, softened onions, and garlic butter cooking juices together. Taste and adjust seasoning only after tasting the finished sauce.
9. For a thicker gravy-style sauce, whisk the cornstarch with the cold water until completely smooth. Stir the slurry into the hot cooking liquid.
10. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened enough to lightly coat the beef. Skip this step if you prefer thin garlic butter cooking juices.
11. Stir in the chopped parsley immediately before serving. Spoon the beef and plenty of sauce over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, mashed cauliflower, or rice, or serve with crusty bread.
Notes
Chuck roast is recommended because its marbling and connective tissue become tender during prolonged slow cooking. Precut beef stew meat can be substituted.
Keep the beef pieces around 1 to 1 1/2 inches so they remain substantial during the long cook.
Do not add extra broth at the beginning. Beef and onion release additional moisture inside the covered slow cooker.
If the beef is tough after 6 hours, it generally needs more cooking time. Continue checking in 30-to-60-minute intervals until fork-tender.
For a one-pot beef and potato variation, add 1 1/2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes at the beginning. Halve unusually large potatoes.
For green beans, add 1 pound trimmed fresh green beans only during the final 1 to 2 hours so they retain better texture.
Browning the beef first can add roasted flavor, but it is intentionally skipped in this dump-and-go version.
Refrigerate leftovers with their sauce in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Freeze cooled beef and sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition information is estimated for 8 servings and does not include potatoes, noodles, rice, bread, or other serving accompaniments.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 6 hrs
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 6 ounces beef with sauce
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 1 g