Ingredients:

  • 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess external fat
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
  • 4 large carrots, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 medium yellow onion, wedged
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water

Instructions:

  1. Pat the beef roast completely dry with paper towels and rub both sides generously with sea salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 4–6 minutes per side until a deep mahogany crust forms, then transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
  3. Pour a splash of beef broth into the hot skillet, scraping up the browned bits (fond) with a wooden spoon, and pour these juices over the meat in the slow cooker.
  4. Place the onion wedges and smashed garlic at the bottom of the slow cooker, set the seared roast on top, and surround the beef with halved potatoes and carrot chunks.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables and add the bay leaf.
  6. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4-5 hours) until the beef is fork-tender.
  7. Whisk together cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes until the gravy has thickened.