Sour Cream & Onion Bison Chuck Roast Recipe in Slow Cooker
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This Sour Cream and Onion Bison Chuck Roast Recipe is a delightfully zesty roast with creamy, tangy gravy. Made right in your crock pot, this delicious meal is the perfectly hearty “meat and potatoes” Sunday dinner that all meat lovers will love!
The American Bison has been my family’s choice of red meat for several years now. It’s tender, sweet, and so full of nutrients! Especially bison chuck roast–it’s such a treat.
Growing up, beef pot roast was a food my mom made often. It is one of the top meals that screams “comfort food!” to me. When we bought our first quarter bison, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to make the dishes I had grown up loving.
However, once I got cooking, I realized that couldn’t be further from the truth! Bison is not only so similar to beef when cooked properly, it’s a special comfort in and of itself.
This bison chuck roast recipe is also a great way to eat pot roast in a more “macro-friendly” way–check out the differences in fat and calories in the comparison chart below!
You can also see the differences in micronutrients. While bison and beef are both nutritious options and very similar in many ways, bison has a higher vitamin B12, iron, zinc, & selenium content while also boasting a more favorable omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. Beef is higher in phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B6.
You can also see the differences in micronutrients. While bison and beef are both nutritious options and very similar in many ways, bison has a higher vitamin B12, iron, zinc, & selenium content while also boasting a more favorable omega 6 to omega 3 ratio. Beef is higher in phosphorus, niacin, and vitamin B6.
When I unpacked my first order of bison from a local bison farmer, I was delighted to unpack all of my favorite cuts that I was familiar with from beef. Learning how to cook the chuck roast was at the top of my list! Many years later, cooking this delightful cut of meat is second nature.
Want some tips for buying high-quality bison meat from a local farmer? Check out my guide!
Equipment & Ingredients
Slow cooking is a great way to prepare a bison chuck roast. For this recipe, I use a slow cooker with stove top settings to sear the roast and saute the onion. You could also use a skillet or large dutch oven on the stove to do this, and then transfer the onions and roast to the slow cooker after searing/sauteing them.
For the ingredients, along with some pantry staples, you will need:
Bison Chuck Roast– The size of the roast should be around three pounds. That is a good size for an average-sized family meal with a manageable amount of leftovers. Bone in or bone out works.
Baby Potatoes– Look for small ones you don’t need to cut to make this easy! But larger potatoes work just fine if you cut them.
Yellow Onion– White or sweet onions work, too.
Carrots– I use washed, whole carrots that I cut into coins. Feel free to use baby carrots if you want a quicker prep.
Dried Herbs & Spices– I used parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, celery seeds, paprika, pepper, chives, dill, and salt.
Light Sour Cream– Regular works, too, but light has nearly half the amount of calories while still providing plenty of tang, so I use this to keep the dish lower in fat.
Beef Broth– Beef stock or beef broth are used to add a liquid for cooking.
Instructions:
1. Sear Meat
If your slow cooker has a “stove top” setting, set it to medium-high. If not, use a skillet on your stove. Add your olive oil to the bottom of the pot, then place your roast in the pot/skillet. Cook for a few minutes on each side, including the edges, until the meat has a nice golden-brown sear. Remove from heat. Searing helps give the meat the best flavor!
2. Slice & Cook Onion
While the meat is searing, you can peel & slice your onion thinly. Once the meat is done searing and you remove it from the pot, add the onions to the pot and cook until soft and golden.
3. Prep Carrots & Potatoes
While the onions are cooking, you can wash and slice your carrots into coins. This recipe calls for baby potatoes you don’t need to cut, but if your potatoes are the size of an egg, you should half them. If they are larger than that, quarter them.
4. Combine Seasonings
Into a small mixing bowl, whisk together the parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seeds, pepper, dill, paprika, dried chives, and salt.
5. Add Meat, Spices, & Broth to Pot
Once the onions are cooked to your liking, turn off the heat to your slow cooker or stove. Add all of your ingredients to your slow cooker. Layer the onions on the bottom and set the roast on top. Sprinkle your seasonings over the roast and add your beef stock or broth. Add your carrots and potatoes.
6. Cook on Low for 8 Hours
Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
7. Plate Your Roast & Veggies
After the cooking time is complete, remove your roast from the pot and slice into portions. Scoop out the carrots and potatoes onto a platter leaving the juices in the pot. If your slow cooker has a stove top setting, set the heat to medium-high. If not, carefully pour your juices into a pot and heat the pot on your stove top to medium-high.
8. Make the Sour Cream Gravy
Add one tablespoon of cornstarch to a small bowl and add a 1/2 cup of the meat juices. Whisk it together to combine thoroughly making sure there are no clumps. When it is smooth, add it to your pot of juices. Whisk it together and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat, and add your 1/2 cup of light sour cream. Whisk to combine.
Enjoy! This bison chuck roast recipe is so savory, tangy, and delightful that your family will be asking for it all the time.
Tips & Variations
If you would prefer not to use cornstarch, you can use 1-2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder.
Alternatively, you can leave the thickening powder out of this bison chuck roast recipe and just add the sour cream to the juices in the slow cooker. Keep in mind that this would create a very thin sauce, not a gravy, but you will still get the flavor of the sour cream with less hands on time. I have done this when I didn’t have any corn starch on hand, and it’s still delicious!
If you’re short on time in the morning, you can add the onions and meat to the pot without cooking/searing first. Just be aware that this will affect the final flavor & texture of your dish. However, it’s doable if you’re in a hurry!
The leftover meat also makes great sandwiches with a little BBQ sauce!
Serving Suggestions
The best thing about this crockpot meal is that it’s great for both weeknight dinner meals or a special occasion!
Make up some green veggies to go with your pot roast. Green beans are our go to, but if you want some other side dishes, try out these Orangey Roasted Brussel Sprouts.
A slice of whole grain sourdough would be another perfect side dish.
Recipe Notes
This recipe reheats well for leftovers. Leftovers are best eaten within 3-4 days.
If you want to turn this into a quick prep, you can skip searing the meat and cooking the onions. The final texture and flavor of the dish may be slightly different, but it will still be good. However, I do recommend spending the time to finish the gravy with the cornstarch and sour cream–while the tender bison meat is what makes the dish, the tangy gravy is a close second!
FAQ
I recommend cooking your bison roasts to an internal temperature of around 150 degrees. 150 degrees is enough that everyone in the family, including young kids, will like the taste and texture. However, bison can easily be overcooked due to how lean it is, so you don’t want to go a whole lot higher than that.
The good news is that if you use a slow cooker, such as in this recipe, you don’t really need to worry about it. It will come out to the right temperature if you follow the recommended cooking times of 8 hours on low (or 4 hours high).
Yes! Bison chuck roast can be just as tender as the beef roasts most people know and love. The key is making sure to cook them low and slow, not with high heat.
Other Bison & Beef Recipes
Want some other ideas for bison meat?
Try our Easy Baked Bison Meatballs, Bison Chili with Roasted Vegetables, or our Autumn Spiced Bison Stew!
If sour cream and onion isn’t your thing, try my garlicky crockpot bison roast or Bison Osso Buco!
If beef is more your speed, try our Fall Apart Slow Cooker Sirloin Tip Roast, my Instant Pot Roast Beef & Veggies, or my Healthy Tater Tot Hot Dish.
You’ll Love this Hearty Bison Pot Roast!
Make this delicious sour cream & onion chuck roast today! Please leave a comment and review! It means the world!
Sour Cream & Onion Bison Chuck Roast
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 3-5 lb Bison Chuck Roast
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Onion large
- 3/4 tsp Onion Powder
- 3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
- 3/4 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1/4 tsp Celery Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Dried Chives
- 3/4 tsp Dried Dill
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 cup Beef Broth or Bison Broth, if you have it
- 4 Carrots whole
- 1 1/2 lbs Baby Potatoes
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1/2 cup Light Sour Cream
Instructions
- If your slow cooker has a stove top setting, set it to medium high. If not, heat a large skillet on your stove top to medium-high.
- Add your olive oil to the pot/skillet. Set your chuck roast inside and sear all sides of your meat, cooking about 1-3 minutes per side, including the thinner sides, until you have a light golden brown all around. Remove the pot roast from the pot and set aside.
- While the pot roast is searing, slice your onion. Cut your onion in half, and then thinly slice each half.
- After your bison chuck roast is done searing and is removed from the heat, add your onion to the pot. Cook until soft & golden.
- While the onion is cooking, prepare your spices. Add your onion powder, garlic powder, parsley flakes, celery seeds, paprika, black pepper, chives, dill, and salt to a small bowl and whisk together.
- Wash your carrots and cut them into bite size coins. If your potatoes are true baby potatoes, they do not need to be cut. But if they are medium size or larger, you will want to at least halve them, if not quarter them.
- When your onions are golden, nestle your pot roast on top of the onions. Take your spice mixture and sprikle it evenly across the whole pot. Tuck your bay leaf in to one side.
- Add your cup of beef broth to the slow cooker. Then evenly distribute your carrots and potatoes across the pot.
- Place the lid on your crock pot and set it to low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-6 hours.
- At the end of your cook time, grab a cutting board and use tongs to remove your roast from the pot. Grab a serving platter and carefully spoon out your potatoes and carrots onto the plate leaving all of the juices in the pot. Cut your pot roast into individual serving pieces, though it should be falling apart. Add the meat to the serving platter with your potatoes and carrots.
- If your crock pot has a stove top mode, heat it on medium-high. If not, pour the juices from the crock pot into a medium-size pot and heat it to a simmer on the stove. Measure out 1 tbsp of cornstarch and add it to a small mixing bowl. Scoop out 1/2 cup of meat juices and add it to the bowl of cornstarch. Whisk it together until smooth. Add it back to the pot of juices. Cook, whisking constantly, for 2-5 minutes. It should get slightly thicker.
- After your juices have thickened, turn off the heat. Add your 1/2 cup of light sour cream and whisk until it's evenly combined.
- Pour your gravy over your meat, potatoes, and carrots on the platter and serve!
Video
This is so good! Our go-to bison roast recipe for sure. Sour cream and onion is perfect flavoring!