Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef with Potatoes Recipe
This Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef with Potatoes is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender beef chuck roast slow-cooked with baby Yukon Gold potatoes in a rich garlic butter sauce infused with Italian herbs. Perfect for an effortless and flavorful meal, the beef becomes fall-apart tender while absorbing the aromatic herbs and garlic, making it ideal for family dinners or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours on low or 4.5 hours on high
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes (low) or 4 hours 45 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 lbs baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
- 1 medium onion, sliced (optional)
- 1 cup carrots, chopped (optional)
Garlic Butter Sauce
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (or a mix of thyme, oregano, basil)
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for searing, optional)
Instructions
- Season the Beef: Pat the beef chunks dry using paper towels to remove excess moisture. Generously season all sides of the beef with salt and black pepper, which enhances flavor and helps with browning.
- Sear the Beef (Optional): In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until they develop a browned crust. This step builds flavor but can be skipped for convenience.
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Place the halved baby Yukon Gold potatoes at the bottom of the slow cooker. Layer the seared beef chunks over the potatoes. If using, scatter the sliced onions and chopped carrots evenly on top.
- Make Garlic Butter Sauce: In a small bowl, melt the unsalted butter. Stir in the minced garlic, dried Italian herbs, crushed red pepper flakes if using, and chopped fresh parsley to create an aromatic garlic butter mixture.
- Add Broth and Sauce: Pour the low-sodium beef broth evenly over the beef and potatoes in the slow cooker. Drizzle the prepared garlic butter sauce over everything. Gently toss or stir to distribute the sauce and ingredients uniformly.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes are soft but not mushy, perfectly cooked through the gentle slow heat.
- Adjust Sauce and Thickness: Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. If the sauce is thinner than desired, leave the slow cooker uncovered for 15 minutes to reduce or mash a couple of potatoes into the broth to thicken it naturally.
- Serve: Transfer the beef chunks and potatoes to a serving platter. Spoon the extra garlic butter sauce over the top. Garnish with additional fresh parsley and serve warm for a rich, comforting meal.
Notes
- Searing the beef before slow cooking is optional but enhances the flavor by adding a caramelized crust.
- For a thicker sauce, consider mashing some potatoes into the broth or letting it reduce uncovered after cooking.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to suit your spice preference.
- This dish can be made a day ahead; flavors develop even more after refrigeration.
- Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels and keep the dish balanced.
Keywords: slow cooker beef, garlic butter beef, beef chuck roast recipe, slow cooker dinner, easy beef and potatoes, comfort food, weeknight meal
