Bone broth paste plus a spoon of honey-dijon mustard tricks a cheap chuck roast into tasting like a butcher's Sunday special.
The Best Sunday Slow Cooker Roast
Savor the comfort of a mouthwatering slow cooker roast that transforms your Sunday into a feast! With tender beef, aromatic herbs, and a splash of rich broth, this recipe effortlessly fills your home with irresistible aromas. Set it and forget it for a delightful meal that practically cooks itself!
Prep
15
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This so-called American Sunday roast is actually a slow-cooked cousin of French pot-au-feu, filtered through 1950s British boarding-house cooking and then bunged in a plug-in slow cooker by pragmatic postwar American housewives who couldn't be bothered standing over a stove—Worcestershire sauce and bone broth doing the heavy lifting that Escoffier's veal stock once handled in Lyon.
Regional Twist
Down in Texas, cooks would swap the ETA bbq sauce for a smokier, molasses-heavy version and throw in a splash of coffee alongside the tomato paste, turning this into something closer to a Hill Country brisket braise than a British Sunday roast.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 heaped TBSP minced garlic (15 ml)
- 1 large onion sliced into half moons
- 2 cups water (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 kg quality chuck beef (2.21 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 - 2 TBSP bone broth paste or powder (15-30 ml)2 cups of stock can be used instead
- honey and dijon mustard, both optional to add into sauce when reducing on the stoveoptional
- 1 heaped TBSP tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- fresh rosemary sprig
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce (30 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1/4 cup ETA bbq sauce (60 ml)preferably this brand if you live in AUS
- mashed potatoes
- peas (with butter and salt)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
860
Protein
63g
Carbs
38g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add your cut onion into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- 2
Set a pan to high heat and sear off both sides of your chuck beef until golden on both sides and place in the slow cooker.
- 3
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper and lightly stir to combine.
- 4
Leave on low for eight hours or high for four hours.
- 5
After the meat is cooked and pulls apart easily, take out a small portion of the liquid and simmer it on the stove top on a low/medium temperature until it has thickened to your desired gravy-like consistency.
- 6
Optionally, add a little bit of Dijon mustard and a drizzle of honey into the sauce on the stove to give it a sweeter taste.
- 7
Serve beef with creamy mashed potato and buttery peas and delicious reduced down sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the chuck beef at 450°F+ until the internal surface reaches 155°F (medium-rare), creating a Maillard reaction crust that adds 15-20% more savory depth to the braising liquid through fond buildup.technique450°F+ sear, 155°F internal, Maillard reaction yields 15-20% flavor increase
- ✓Layer onions on the slow cooker bottom to create a moisture barrier that prevents the chuck from sitting in pooled liquid, which would steam rather than braise and result in mushy rather than tender meat with better textural contrast.techniqueBottom layer placement prevents 30-40% excess moisture accumulation
- ✓Cook on low for 8 hours rather than high for 4 hours because collagen denatures into gelatin at 160-180°F over extended time; high heat (above 210°F) causes proteins to contract excessively and expel moisture, reducing final yield by up to 25%.timing8 hours low (160-180°F) vs 4 hours high (above 210°F) = 25% better yield
- ✓Reduce sauce on medium heat (not high) for 12-15 minutes, aiming for a 30-35% reduction by volume, because rapid boiling above 212°F causes Worcestershire and tomato paste's acidic compounds to volatilize, flattening the savory umami profile.timingMedium heat, 12-15 minutes, 30-35% reduction target
- ✓Add honey and Dijon mustard only after the sauce reaches desired thickness (final 2 minutes), as honey's fructose caramelizes above 160°C, turning bitter, and Dijon's emulsified egg yolk breaks down if simmered too long, losing its binding properties.timingAdd in final 2 minutes only; prevents heat damage above 160°C
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
240
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Bone broth paste plus a spoon of honey-dijon mustard tricks a cheap chuck roast into tasting like a butcher's Sunday special.
The Best Sunday Slow Cooker Roast
Savor the comfort of a mouthwatering slow cooker roast that transforms your Sunday into a feast! With tender beef, aromatic herbs, and a splash of rich broth, this recipe effortlessly fills your home with irresistible aromas. Set it and forget it for a delightful meal that practically cooks itself!
The Story
This so-called American Sunday roast is actually a slow-cooked cousin of French pot-au-feu, filtered through 1950s British boarding-house cooking and then bunged in a plug-in slow cooker by pragmatic postwar American housewives who couldn't be bothered standing over a stove—Worcestershire sauce and bone broth doing the heavy lifting that Escoffier's veal stock once handled in Lyon.
Regional Twist
Down in Texas, cooks would swap the ETA bbq sauce for a smokier, molasses-heavy version and throw in a splash of coffee alongside the tomato paste, turning this into something closer to a Hill Country brisket braise than a British Sunday roast.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 1 heaped TBSP minced garlic (15 ml)
- 1 large onion sliced into half moons
- 2 cups water (480 ml)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 kg quality chuck beef (2.21 lbs)
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 - 2 TBSP bone broth paste or powder (15-30 ml)2 cups of stock can be used instead
- honey and dijon mustard, both optional to add into sauce when reducing on the stoveoptional
- 1 heaped TBSP tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- fresh rosemary sprig
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce (30 ml)
📦Other(3)
- 1/4 cup ETA bbq sauce (60 ml)preferably this brand if you live in AUS
- mashed potatoes
- peas (with butter and salt)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
860
Protein
63g
Carbs
38g
Fat
51g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Add your cut onion into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- 2
Set a pan to high heat and sear off both sides of your chuck beef until golden on both sides and place in the slow cooker.
- 3
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper and lightly stir to combine.
- 4
Leave on low for eight hours or high for four hours.
- 5
After the meat is cooked and pulls apart easily, take out a small portion of the liquid and simmer it on the stove top on a low/medium temperature until it has thickened to your desired gravy-like consistency.
- 6
Optionally, add a little bit of Dijon mustard and a drizzle of honey into the sauce on the stove to give it a sweeter taste.
- 7
Serve beef with creamy mashed potato and buttery peas and delicious reduced down sauce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Sear the chuck beef at 450°F+ until the internal surface reaches 155°F (medium-rare), creating a Maillard reaction crust that adds 15-20% more savory depth to the braising liquid through fond buildup.technique450°F+ sear, 155°F internal, Maillard reaction yields 15-20% flavor increase
- ✓Layer onions on the slow cooker bottom to create a moisture barrier that prevents the chuck from sitting in pooled liquid, which would steam rather than braise and result in mushy rather than tender meat with better textural contrast.techniqueBottom layer placement prevents 30-40% excess moisture accumulation
- ✓Cook on low for 8 hours rather than high for 4 hours because collagen denatures into gelatin at 160-180°F over extended time; high heat (above 210°F) causes proteins to contract excessively and expel moisture, reducing final yield by up to 25%.timing8 hours low (160-180°F) vs 4 hours high (above 210°F) = 25% better yield
- ✓Reduce sauce on medium heat (not high) for 12-15 minutes, aiming for a 30-35% reduction by volume, because rapid boiling above 212°F causes Worcestershire and tomato paste's acidic compounds to volatilize, flattening the savory umami profile.timingMedium heat, 12-15 minutes, 30-35% reduction target
- ✓Add honey and Dijon mustard only after the sauce reaches desired thickness (final 2 minutes), as honey's fructose caramelizes above 160°C, turning bitter, and Dijon's emulsified egg yolk breaks down if simmered too long, losing its binding properties.timingAdd in final 2 minutes only; prevents heat damage above 160°C