Balsamic pot roast with onions is an easy slow cooker roast beef recipe. Chuck roasts cooks to fall apart perfection in a blend of tangy balsamic, rich olive oil, and seasonings for an easy main dish you’ll be making over and over again!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full Disclosure Policy for details.

We are definitely a meat and potatoes kind of family.

With 4 sons how can we not be?

I love to experiment with new versions of tried and true dishes like a classic pot roast dinner.

This balsamic pot roast is an easy way to elevate the classic with just a hint of extra flavor and a little Italian flare.

What does balsamic do to roast beef?

The acid in the balsamic helps break down the protein in the meat so you get tender, juicy, fall apart pot roast.

It also turns syrupy and coats the beef in a delicious tangy sweet thick sauce that adds so much flavor!

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

Chuck roast– A 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast
Montreal steak seasoning – You could use the regular or the spicy variety or substitute another brand of steak seasoning if you prefer.
Olive oil– Extra virgin
Beef stock– Use stock and not broth for maximum richness.
Tomato paste– A small can of it should do nicely
Onions– Peeled, thickly sliced yellow onions
Roasted garlic– You can make your own ahead of time or buy it at the store in the produce department.
Slurry ingredients– Cornstarch and water

How to Make Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast

Making balsamic roast beef in your slow cooker is pretty easy!

To do it, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.

While the oil’s heating rub both sides of the roast down with the steak seasoning so the seasoning evenly covers the pot roast.

Once the oil’s hot and shimmery, put the roast in the hot pan and sear on all sides for about 2 minutes per side or until the roast starts to brown and caramelize.

After you’ve seared all the sides of the roast, lightly spray the bowl of a slow cooker with nonstick spray and spread half of the sliced onions evenly out over the bottom.

Then transfer the seared roast onto the bed of onions.

After you remove the roast from the Dutch oven, pour the broth into the Dutch oven while the Dutch oven is still on the heat.

While the broth cooks, scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with a sturdy wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, making sure to get up all the brown bits.

Let the broth simmer until it reduces by half.

Whisk the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar into the broth until smooth and evenly incorporated.

Then, pour this mixture into the slow cooker directly over the roast.

Spread the remaining sliced onions and roasted garlic cloves over top of the roast.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the roast is cooked to your liking.

When the roast is done, transfer the roast to a waiting serving plate and tent it with foil to keep it warm while you make the gravy.

To make the gravy, carefully pour the hot juices into a waiting skillet set over medium heat.

Let the gravy simmer for 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry.

Whisk in the slurry until it’s evenly combined and then remove the skillet from heat.

The gravy will thicken as it cools.

Serve the roast warm with gravy on the side.

Serving Suggestions

We like to serve this balsamic pot roast with traditional sides like:

It’s also delicious served on a fluffy sandwich roll for roast beef sandwiches.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover roast beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheat in the slow cooker or in the microwave until warmed through or enjoy it cold for sandwiches.

Tips and Tricks

Searing the beef may take a few minutes, but don’t rush it. You want a good sear on all sides.
If the skillet isn’t hot enough the meat will stick when searing.
Don’t skip the searing step! Searing locks the juices into your roast ensuring tender, fall apart meat. If the juices aren’t locked in, they will cook out resulting in tough, dry beef.
If you want pot roast that easily shreds and falls apart, increase the cook time to 8 hours we prefer ours sliceable.
You can rump roast in place of chuck, since chuck can be stringier but both are tough cuts of meat perfect for slow cooking.

Other Pot Roast Recipes

Balsamic pot roast with onions is an upgraded slow cooker recipe that makes the very definition of comfort food.

Make it and enjoy!

Looking for other pot roast recipes?

Try these:

If you’ve tried this BALSAMIC POT ROAST, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

Balsamic Pot Roast With Onions (Slow Cooker Recipe)

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southern

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 6 25

Servings:

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us

Ingredients

3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
2 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cups beef stock
1 6 oz can tomato paste
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 large yellow onions peeled & thickly sliced
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 3 tsp water (to form a slurry)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven, or other heavy bottomed pot, and heat over medium high heat. While the oil's heating rub both sides of the roast down with the steak seasoning to evenly cover.
2 tbsp Montreal steak seasoning, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
Once the oil's hot (will appear shimmery), add the roast to the pan and sear on all sides. This may take a few minutes, but don't rush it- you want a good sear on all sides.
Lightly spray the bowl of a slow cooker with non stick spray, spread half of the sliced onions evenly out over the bottom, then transfer the seared roast onto the bed of onions.
2 large yellow onions
Pour the broth into the pot, and use a sturdy wooden spoon to deglaze the pan- making sure to scrape up all the stuck on browned bits. Simmer until the broth's reduced by half.
2 cups beef stock
Add the paste and vinegar to the broth, whisking together until smooth and evenly incorporated. Pour this mixture into the crockpot directly over the roast.
1 6 oz can tomato paste, 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Spread the remaining sliced onions over top of the roast, and dot with garlic cloves.
6 cloves roasted garlic
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours
When done, transfer the roast to a waiting serving plate and tent it with foil to keep it warm while you make the gravy.
Carefully transfer the hot juices into a waiting skillet set over medium heat. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Whisk in the slurry until evenly combined. Remove the skillet from heat- the gravy will thicken as it cools.
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
Serve the roast warm with gravy on the side.

Notes

Searing the beef may take a few minutes, but don't rush it. You want a good sear on all sides.
If the skillet isn't hot enough the meat will stick when searing.
Don't skip the searing step! Searing locks the juices into your roast ensuring tender, fall apart meat. If the juices aren't locked in, they will cook out resulting in tough, dry beef.
If you want pot roast that easily shreds and falls apart, increase the cook time to 8 hours we prefer ours sliceable.
You can rump roast in place of chuck, since chuck can be stringier but both are tough cuts of meat perfect for slow cooking.