**Instructions**
1. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the roast from the pot and set aside.
3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, dry onion soup mix, beef broth, and dried thyme.
5. Return the seared roast to the pot among the vegetables. Pour the soup mixture over the roast.
6. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot tightly with a lid.
7. Transfer the Dutch oven to a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C).
8. Braise for 3-4 hours, or until the roast is incredibly tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
9. Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the roast and shred it using two forks.
10. If desired, you can thicken the gravy by mashing some of the cooked vegetables into the liquid or by creating a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) and stirring it into the simmering liquid until thickened.
11. Season the gravy with additional salt and pepper to taste.
12. Serve the shredded pot roast with the vegetables and gravy.
**Short Tips**
* Don’t skip the searing step! It adds incredible depth of flavor to your pot roast.
* Low and slow is the key to tender pot roast. Resist the urge to crank up the heat.
* For extra flavor, you can add 1/2 cup of red wine to the beef broth in step 4.
* This pot roast is fantastic served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread for soaking up all that delicious gravy.
* Leftovers are even better the next day! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
