French Onion Beef Pot Roast

This French Onion Pot Roast recipe is made in your slow cooker for a set-it-and-forget-it meal packed with flavor. With sweet caramelized onions, beefy broth, and gooey Gruyère cheese, it's truly the best savory beef pot roast recipe!

5 from 4 votes

French Onion Beef Pot Roast

This French Onion Pot Roast recipe is made in your slow cooker and packed with flavor. With sweet caramelized onions, beefy broth, and gooey Gruyère cheese, it's truly the best savory beef pot roast recipe!

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: french onion beef, french onion beef roast

Servings:

Author: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com

Ingredients

French Onions:

3 Tablespoons Butter
2 large Sweet Yellow Onions (thinly sliced)
1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar or Glaze (optional)

Beef Roast:

2 1/2 lb. Beef Pot Roast (chuck) (2 to 3 lbs)
(1) Beefy Onion Soup Mix Packet
1 1/2 teaspoons Black Pepper
1 cup Beef Broth (or 1/2 cup water)
1 to 2 sprig Fresh Thyme
6 to 8 ounces Gruyere Cheese (freshly grated)

Optional Ingredients:

Sliced Mushrooms (saute last 10 minutes with onions)
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard (stir in sauce)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (stir in sauce)

Instructions

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 20-25, until they become soft, golden, and caramelized. For extra depth, stir in 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze during the last minute to deglaze the pan. If adding mushrooms, add them in the last 10 minutes of cooking onions.
While onions are cooking, pat the beef dry and season lightly with pepper. Increase the skillet heat to medium-high, add a drizzle of olive oil and sear the roast on all sides until browned. This step adds a deep, savory flavor but can be skipped if you’re short on time.
Place the seared roast (or raw, if skipping sear) into your slow cooker or Dutch oven. Scatter the caramelized onions over the top. Sprinkle the Beefy Onion Soup mix packet, then pour in the beef broth (or water). Add thyme sprigs and black pepper. For extra flavor, whisk the Dijon and Worcestershire into the broth before pouring it in.
Slow Cooker: Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender. I suggest cooking it only on LOW and this is why -- if you try to rush it by cooking on high heat for a shorter time, the outer parts of the meat can tighten up before the collagen has a chance to break down. This often leads to beef that is cooked through but still tough. When you cook a tough cut of beef — like a chuck roast — for a long time on low heat, you are giving the meat’s connective tissues time to gently break down. Dutch Oven: Cover and cook in a 325 °F oven for 3–3½ hours, or until the beef easily shreds.
Once the roast is done, shred it into large chunks and remove any herb stems. Sprinkle Gruyère (or Gruyère + Swiss) evenly over the top. Cover and allow the cheese to melt. If using a Dutch oven, broil for 2–3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Notes

Do I have to sear the roast first?
If you’re short on time, you can skip this step. If you want to infuse a little more flavor, you can sear the beef in a skillet drizzled with oil over medium-high heat before adding it to the slow cooker.

What kind of cheese is best?
Gruyère gives the classic French onion flavor, but Swiss or provolone also melt beautifully. You can also use half gruyere and half Swiss cheese.

What type of beef roast should I choose?

Chuck is the most popular cut of meat to use when you want to cook a beef roast. Round would be my second choice which can also be called a rump roast or bottom round roast.

Nutrition