Ultimate Slow-Cooker Grass-Fed Beef Pot Roast with Bone Broth Gravy

Ingredients

For the Pot Roast & Braise:

• 3.5 lbs grass-fed boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tbsp beef tallow, grass-fed ghee, or avocado oil (for high-heat searing)
• 1.5 lbs heirloom carrots, peeled and cut into thick 2-inch chunks
• 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into thick wedges (or 1 cup pearl onions)
• 6 cloves organic garlic, smashed
• 2 cups organic beef bone broth (rich in natural collagen)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (100% organic, no added sugar)
• 1 tbsp organic coconut aminos
• 1 tsp Red Boat fish sauce (secret umami enhancer)
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1.5 tbsp coarse Celtic sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black peppercorns

For the Savory Pan Gravy:

• 2 cups braising liquid (strained from slow cooker)
• 1.5 tbsp arrowroot starch (whisked in 2 tbsp cold water)
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Season & Dry: Pat the chuck roast thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with 1.5 tbsp coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper, pressing the seasonings into the meat.
2. High-Heat Sear: Heat 2 tbsp beef tallow or ghee in a heavy 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat. Sear the roast for 4 to 5 minutes per side without moving it until a deep, caramelized mahogany crust forms. Transfer the seared roast directly into the slow cooker insert.
3. Deglaze the Skillet: Lower the heat under the skillet. Add tomato paste, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and 1 cup of the beef bone broth. Whisk vigorously, scraping up all the flavorful browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. Pour over the roast.
4. Add Aromatics & Vegetables: Arrange carrots, celery, onion wedges, and smashed garlic around and over the beef. Pour in remaining 1 cup of bone broth. Tuck the rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves into the liquid.
5. Slow Cook to Fork-Tender: Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours (or HIGH for 5 hours) until the beef is extraordinarily tender and falls apart under gentle fork pressure.
6. Thicken the Gravy: Transfer the tender roast and root vegetables to a warm serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Discard bay leaves and herb stems. Ladle 2 cups of the savory pan juices into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, whisk in the arrowroot slurry, and cook for 2 minutes until glossy and thickened.
7. Carve & Serve: Pull the beef into rustic chunks, surround with tender braised carrots and onions, and ladle the piping-hot bone broth gravy generously over the top. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Nutritional Breakdown (Per Serving)

Chef's Paleo Nutritional Science

Grass-fed beef chuck contains substantially higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), Vitamin A, and Vitamin E than grain-fed alternatives. Slow braising with grass-fed bone broth hydrolyzes dense intramuscular collagen into bioavailable type-I and type-III peptides, promoting mucosal lining repair and tendon elasticity.

Frequently Asked Questions