Description
This Slow Cooker Balsamic Roast Beef is fall-apart tender, deeply savory, and kissed with a sweet tang from balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. A full meal cooks right in the pot beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions bathing in a rich, glossy sauce. It’s the kind of comforting, set-it-and-forget-it dinner that makes your kitchen smell incredible all day long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup beef broth (low sodium preferred)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 2 cups carrots, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 cups baby potatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
Instructions
- Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, beef broth, brown sugar, minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, and dried rosemary until well combined.
- Place the sliced onion and chopped carrots in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Lay the seasoned beef roast on top of the vegetables.
- Slowly pour the balsamic mixture over the roast, turning the meat once or twice if needed to help coat it on all sides.
- Nestle the halved baby potatoes around the roast in the slow cooker, submerging them slightly in the liquid if possible.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or on HIGH for 4–6 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Once cooked, carefully transfer the roast and vegetables to a large platter. Tent loosely with foil and let the roast rest for about 10 minutes before slicing or shredding.
- If you’d like a slightly thicker sauce, pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5–10 minutes, or whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the simmering liquid until slightly thickened.
- Slice or shred the roast, arrange it with the carrots and potatoes, and drizzle with the warm balsamic sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side for spooning over each portion.
Notes
- Choose a well-marbled chuck roast for the most tender, flavorful result leaner cuts won’t shred as easily.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the roast 1–2 hours earlier so it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
- You can adjust the sweetness by adding a little more or less brown sugar to taste.
- For a deeper herb flavor, lightly crush the dried rosemary between your fingers before adding it to the sauce.
- If the vegetables are very soft at the end of cooking, that’s normal they absorb flavor and act almost like part of the sauce.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8–10 hours (on LOW) or 4–6 hours (on HIGH)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1/6 of recipe (approximately 6 oz cooked beef plus vegetables)
- Calories: 350 kcal (approximate per serving)
- Sugar: 9 g (approximate)
- Sodium: 680 mg (approximate; varies with broth and added salt)
- Fat: 17 g (approximate)
- Saturated Fat: 7 g (approximate)
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g (approximate)
- Trans Fat: 0 g (approximate)
- Carbohydrates: 18 g (approximate)
- Fiber: 2 g (approximate)
- Protein: 32 g (approximate)
- Cholesterol: 115 mg (approximate)
Keywords: slow cooker balsamic roast beef, crockpot pot roast, balsamic beef, slow cooker chuck roast, beef with potatoes and carrots, easy weeknight dinner, set it and forget it