The Simplest Chuck Roast Ever

This is one of those recipes we come back to again and again — especially in winter. It’s simple, forgiving, and deeply satisfying. The secret is a good sear, and a little patience…

With a little broth and a long, slow cook, the beef flavor concentrates into a rich, robust sauce that feels like comfort in a bowl. It’s the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out and makes the house smell incredible while it cooks.

This recipe works beautifully with our 100% Grass-fed chuck roast, but brisket or short ribs will do just fine too. Bone-in or boneless — either way, let the slow cooker or dutch oven do the heavy lifting.

Serves 4–8

Ingredients
  • 1 (3–5 lb) beef roast, bone-in or boneless (chuck roast, brisket, or short ribs)

  • 2 tablespoons coarse salt

  • 1 tablespoon pepper

  • 1 tablespoon lard, bacon fat, butter, or tallow

  • 1 cup bone broth

  • 1 large yellow or white onion, sliced

  • ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms or 1½ cups fresh (optional)

Instructions

Wipe the roast well with paper towels and rub the salt and pepper into all sides of the meat.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fat and swirl to coat the pan. Sear the roast for about 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned.

Transfer the meat to the bottom of a slow cooker or a dutch oven (we prefer the dutch oven).

Add the broth to the hot skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes, scraping up all the browned bits. Pour this flavorful juice over the roast.

Layer the sliced onion and shiitake mushrooms on top of the meat. Cover and cook at 190°F in a dutch oven or on low in a slow cooker for 5–6 hours, until tender.

Serve with the vegetables and spoon plenty of the rich juices over the top.

Simple, nourishing, and deeply comforting — just the way winter meals should be.

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