Sear the Beef: Start by heating olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper on all sides. Place it in the hot pan and brown each surface for a few minutes. This step builds flavor that carries through the entire dish. Once browned, transfer the roast into the crockpot.
Build the Flavor Base: Add sliced onions to the same skillet and cook until they soften and pick up color. Stir in garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Pour in a small splash of beef broth to loosen the browned bits stuck to the pan. Those bits add serious depth. Transfer everything into the crockpot over the beef.
Add the Liquids and Seasoning: Pour remaining beef broth into the crockpot along with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Gently turn the roast so it sits in the liquid. Cover with the lid and set the crockpot to low heat.
Slow Cook Until Tender: Let the beef cook for 8 hours. During this time, the meat softens and absorbs all that savory broth. When finished, the roast should shred easily using a fork with almost no resistance.
Shred and Rest: Remove the beef and shred it into bite sized pieces. Return the meat to the crockpot and let it rest in the jus for about 15 minutes. This step keeps the beef juicy and full of flavor.
Toast and Assemble: Butter the sliced rolls and toast them until lightly crisp. Pile shredded beef onto each roll, top with provolone cheese, then place under a broiler briefly until the cheese melts. Serve immediately with small bowls of hot jus on the side.
