When that comfort food craving strikes, my Nana's easy Crock Pot Chuck Roast recipe should be on the menu! Twenty minutes of prep and a long day of slow cooking rewards you with tender, flavorful beef and vegetables and a delicious, already-thickened gravy you'll be eating by the spoonful!
Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste. Dredge the beef in the flour. Melt butter in a large skillet and brown the beef on all sides over high heat, about 4 minutes per side.
Transfer the roast in the slow cooker and add the carrots, onion, and potatoes.
Reduce the heat on the stovetop to medium. In the same skillet, stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, 1-3 minutes.
Stir in the broth, onion soup mix, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper to taste. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until thickened.
Pour the gravy over the contents of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
When cooking time is up, remove bay leaves and thyme and serve the roast with vegetables and gravy, garnishing with more fresh thyme if desired.
Notes
To ensure a tender roast, probe it with a meat thermometer at the 4- (high) or 8- (low) hour mark. If the meat is 170 degrees internally, cook it for only 1 more hour. If not, continue cooking and checking until it reaches 170.
If you're skipping browning the meat, season it and place it in the slow cooker on top of the raw vegetables. Whisk the flour in with the remaining ingredients and pour it over the meat. You will likely have to simmer the gravy on the stovetop with some cornstarch after the roast is cooked to thicken it.