Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan

Beef Manhattan is one of the great Midwestern comfort meals: tender roast beef and hot gravy piled over mashed potatoes and toasted bread, served open-faced with a fork. This Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan makes it easy by letting a chuck roast cook all day with onions and garlic until it shreds, and the cooking juices become a silky homemade gravy. Dinner comes together in about 25 minutes of hands-on time, and it is the kind of meal that gets requested again and again on cold nights. If you love beef and gravy, you might also like my Mashed Potatoes and Gravy.

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Why This Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan Works

• The roast makes its own gravy: the broth, onions, and beef drippings cook together, and a quick cornstarch slurry turns them into a rich brown gravy.
• Chuck roast for tenderness: it has plenty of marbling and collagen, so it stays juicy and pulls apart easily after a long, slow cook.
• A true comfort-food stack: toast, potatoes, beef, and gravy in every bite.
• Great for leftovers: leftover pot roast and mashed potatoes turn into a quick second dinner.

Beef Manhattan is said to have originated in Indianapolis in the 1940s, when workers who had tasted a similar open-faced sandwich in New York brought the idea home. It became a diner staple across the Midwest, and it is still a favorite for using up roast and mashed potatoes.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan

For the beef and gravy:

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

For serving:

• 4 cups mashed potatoes (homemade or prepared)
• 6 slices thick-cut Texas toast or garlic bread, toasted
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan

Step 1: Season and Sear the Roast

Pat the roast dry and rub it with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Searing is optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.

Step 2: Load the Slow Cooker

Put the sliced onion and garlic in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker and set the roast on top. Whisk the broth, Worcestershire, and thyme and pour it around the roast.

Step 3: Cook Low and Slow

Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef shreds easily with a fork. Beef is safe at 145°F, according to USDA guidance on safe cooking temperatures, but roast becomes tender only when cooked well past that.

Step 4: Shred the Beef

Transfer the roast to a bowl and shred it with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat.

Step 5: Make the Gravy

Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the juices thicken into gravy. Return the beef to the gravy and stir until coated. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.

Step 6: Assemble the Beef Manhattan

Place a slice of toast on each plate, top with a scoop of mashed potatoes, add a generous pile of beef, and ladle gravy over everything. Garnish with parsley.

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How to Serve Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan

Serve it hot with plenty of gravy and a green vegetable such as steamed green beans or peas on the side. My Best Mashed Potatoes are a perfect base. The beef also works over buttered egg noodles, biscuits, or hot dinner rolls. If you enjoy shredded beef for sandwiches, try my Slow Cooker Shredded Roast Beef, or for a classic oven roast with vegetables see my Dutch Oven Pot Roast.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Store the beef and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days within 2 hours of cooking. Keep the mashed potatoes and bread separate. Reheat the beef in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of broth, stirring until steaming hot. Freeze the beef and gravy in freezer bags for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Tips and Variations

• Use low-sodium broth, because the gravy concentrates as it thickens.
• If the gravy is too thin, add another teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with water. If it is too thick, whisk in a splash of broth.
• For a more classic Indiana style, use sliced white bread instead of garlic toast.
• Add sliced mushrooms to the slow cooker for a mushroom gravy.
• Use leftover pot roast: warm the sliced beef in gravy and assemble the plates.
• Instant mashed potatoes work for a fast version.
• Swap the potatoes for french fries and melted cheese to make a Beef Horseshoe variation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Beef Manhattan?
It is an open-faced sandwich of bread, roast beef, and mashed potatoes, covered in beef gravy.

What cut of beef is best?
Chuck roast is the best choice for a shredded, fork-tender result. Brisket and rump roast also work.

Can I make it in the oven or Instant Pot?
Yes. Braise in a Dutch oven at 300°F for about 3 hours, or pressure cook for 60 to 70 minutes and then thicken the gravy on sauté.

How do I make the gravy without lumps?
Always mix cornstarch with cold water before stirring it into hot liquid, and stir as it thickens.

Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cook the beef and gravy a day ahead and reheat gently before assembling.

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Slow Cooker Beef Manhattan

Slow cooked chuck roast shredded in homemade gravy and served open-faced over toast and mashed potatoes, a classic Midwest comfort meal.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 hours hrs

Total Time 8 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 620 kcal

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch Mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water.
• 4 cups mashed potatoes Homemade or prepared.
• 6 slices thick-cut Texas toast or garlic bread, toasted
• chopped fresh parsley For garnish.

Instructions

 

Cooking

• Pat the roast dry and rub with the salt, pepper, and paprika. Sear in the hot oil 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Put the onion and garlic in a 6-quart slow cooker, set the roast on top, and pour around it the broth whisked with Worcestershire and thyme.
• Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours (or HIGH 4 to 5 hours) until the beef shreds easily.
• Shred the beef and discard large pieces of fat.
• Turn the slow cooker to HIGH, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and cook uncovered 10 to 15 minutes until thickened into gravy. Return the beef and stir to coat.
• For each serving, top a slice of toast with mashed potatoes, beef, and gravy, and garnish with parsley.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days. Nutrition is an estimate per serving including toast and mashed potatoes.

Keyword Beef, Beef Manhattan, Comfort Food, Hearty Meal, Slow Cooker