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Crockpot French onion pot roast with shredded beef and caramelized onions served over mashed potatoes.

Crockpot French Onion Pot Roast

This crockpot French onion pot roast slow cooks a seared chuck roast with onions, garlic, beef bone broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and butter until fall-apart tender, then tops it with melted Gruyère. Includes a Dutch oven method.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American, French
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5-3 lb chuck roast
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 4 yellow onions diced
  • 3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups beef bone broth
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 fresh bundle
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
  • 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese or mozzarella

For Serving

  • mashed potatoes
  • crunchy bread

Instructions
 

Crockpot

  • Pat the chuck roast dry. Rub with 2 tablespoons oil, then sprinkle both sides with flour, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle with the remaining oil, and sear each side for roughly 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove.
  • To the crockpot, add the onions and garlic. Place the roast over the top, then pour in the broth, Worcestershire, seasonings, and thyme. Place butter slices on top of the chuck roast, cover, and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
  • Remove and shred the roast, place it back in the juices, and top with cheese. Cover and allow to melt, then serve.

Dutch Oven

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Toss the beef in the flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
  • Heat an oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over high heat, drizzle with oil, add the beef in an even layer, and brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • In the same pot, leaving the browned bits, add 2 tablespoons butter and the thinly sliced onions. Cook on low, stirring often, until dark golden brown and caramelized, 10-15 minutes.
  • Add the beef back in, along with the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and bake for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. If it is not, continue to cook in 30-minute intervals until tender (do not let the liquid evaporate). Adjust seasonings as needed.
  • Remove from the oven, shred, add back in, and cover with cheese. Return to the oven until melted. Serve over mashed potatoes or alongside crunchy bread.

Notes

  • Onions: dice them for the crockpot method, or slice them thinly for the Dutch oven method so they caramelize.
  • Cheese: Gruyère gives the most classic French onion flavor, but mozzarella works too.
Keyword chuck roast, crockpot, french onion, pot roast
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