Slice the yellow onion and rinse the potatoes and carrots. If the potatoes are large, cut them in half. Cut the carrots into 2-inch pieces. Add the carrots, potatoes, and sliced onion to the bottom of the slow cooker and toss to mix.

Place the chuck roast on top of the prepared vegetables in the slow cooker. Pour the beef broth over the meat. Sprinkle the minced garlic, sea salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on the meat. Add Worcestershire sauce for extra flavor at this time. I find that Worcestershire sauce really deepens the flavor of the dish—don’t skip it if you have it on hand.

Set the slow cooker to low heat. Cover and cook for 8-10 hours, or until the meat shreds easily and the vegetables are soft. The low and slow cooking gives the best results—be patient for the meat to become fall-apart tender! If you want the carrots and potatoes a bit firmer, you can add them 2 hours into cooking instead of at the beginning.

Once the roast is done, use tongs or two forks to break the meat into chunky pieces and gently stir everything together. For a thicker sauce, whisk the water and corn starch together, then slowly pour the mixture into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Allow it to cook for another 30 minutes so the sauce thickens. I always thicken the cooking juices to make a rich gravy that coats the meat and vegetables beautifully.