Herb-Crusted Pot Roast in the Crock Pot

I wasn't in the mood for a big birthday party this year because I have so much going on with school this semester, so instead I decided to celebrate with a small dinner party at home.  Since I was feeling a little overextended, I decided to make something that would impress my guests without involving a ton of work on my part.  Enter the slow cooker!  I love being able to do a little bit of prep early in the day and then have dinner ready when I need it.  This pot roast with herbs and sweet onions is melt-in-your-mouth tender and has great flavor, all for maybe 15-20 minutes of work.  I served it with roasted carrots (cooked separately in the oven a few minutes before the roast was done) and good bread from the grocery.  The leftovers were really tasty too, especially with some blue cheese crumbled on top.

Herb-Crusted Pot Roast in the Crock Pot (adapted from Yammie's Glutenfreedom, original recipe here)
Serves

Beef chuck roast (I used two, 6 pounds total)
Salt and pepper
Oil
Lots of chopped herbs: I used a few sprigs each of thyme, oregano, rosemary, and tarragon)
1 large yellow onion

1. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. In a large skillet, heat just enough oil to coat the bottom over medium high heat.  Add the meat (working in batches if necessary), and cook for a few minutes on each side, until nicely browned.  Be very careful when flipping, as the oil will spatter.
3. Scatter some of the herbs in the bottom of the crockpot.  Place the beef in the crockpot, and then scatter the rest of the herbs on top.  (If you're using two roasts, scatter some herbs between them as well.)
4. Cut the onion into medium-thick slices, and then scatter all over the meat.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.