1 (2-pound) chuck roast
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced and divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon celery seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch, plus more as needed
1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
1 Pat the chuck roast down and season it with salt and pepper.
2 Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3 Add the butter and the oil to the skillet.
4 Once the butter has melted and starts to crackle, add the chuck roast and sear, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5 Transfer the roast to a plate.
6 Add 1/2 of the onions, the garlic, the beef broth, the Worcestershire sauce, the vinegar, the onion powder, the thyme, the bay leaf, the celery seeds, the sugar, and the roast to a slow cooker.
7 Top the roast with the remaining 1/2 of the onions.
8 Cover and cook on low until the roast is fall-apart tender, about 6 to 8 hours.
9 Transfer the meat to a plate, covering it to keep it warm.
10 Combine the cornstarch and the water to create a slurry.
11 Add the slurry to the slow cooker and stir.
12 Allow the mixture in the slow cooker to cook until thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. If the sauce still seems too thin, add additional cornstarch slurry, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to every 2 tablespoons of water at a time, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
13 Remove and discard the bay leaf.
14 Return the meat to the slow cooker and heat through. Serve.
Time: 8 hours 25 minutes
Yield: 5 servings