Low-Carb Balsamic and Onion Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast
• 1-2 T steak rub
• Black pepper to taste
• 1-2 T olive oil
• 1/4 cup water to deglaze pan
• 2-3 large onions, peeled and thickly sliced
• 1 cup beef stock, reduced to 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce

Directions

1. Trim away as much visible fat from the roast as you can, and cut it down if needed so it fits in the Crockpot. Coat the meat generously with steak seasoning and black pepper.
2. Warm a heavy pan with a small amount of olive oil, then sear the roast until it is deeply browned on both sides. This takes a few minutes, so don’t hurry it.
3. While the roast is browning, pour 1 cup beef stock into a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and simmer until it has reduced to 1/2 cup. Let it cool a bit, then stir in the balsamic vinegar and tomato sauce.
4. Peel the onions and slice them thickly. Add 1/4 cup water to the browning pan, scraping up the browned bits, then pour that liquid into the sauce mixture.
5. If you want to prep ahead, you can pause here and chill the browned roast, sliced onions, and combined sauce ingredients, then transfer everything to the Crockpot in the morning. Don’t store them in the crockery insert. Starting with cold meat will lengthen the cooking time by several hours, which can be helpful if it will cook while you’re out all day.
6. Spread the onions over the bottom of the Crockpot. Set the roast over them, then pour the beef stock mixture on top.
7. Set the Crockpot to low and cook for 6-8 hours, until the beef is tender. After that long, the roast may be sitting partly in the liquid. If you’re around, you can turn the meat once or twice as it cooks.
8. Lift the meat out of the Crockpot and cover it with foil so it stays warm.
9. Pour the liquid out of the Crockpot and skim off as much fat as possible with a fat separator or skimmer. Simmer the liquid until it has reduced by about 1/3, then serve the sauce with the meat and onions.