Perfect Pot Roast (Print View)
Melt-in-your-mouth beef chuck slow-cooked with root vegetables and herbs in rich savory broth.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 (3 to 4 lb) beef chuck roast
→ Vegetables
02 - 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
03 - 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
04 - 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
05 - 1 large yellow onion, sliced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, smashed
→ Liquids
07 - 2 cups beef broth (gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional, can substitute with additional broth)
→ Spices and Herbs
09 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
10 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
11 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
14 - 2 bay leaves
→ Oils
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
02 - Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season all sides generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the roast and set aside on a plate.
04 - In the same pot, add the sliced onion, carrot pieces, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste, stirring and cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Return the seared roast to the pot. Arrange the quartered potatoes around the meat, then add the dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaves. Pour in the beef broth until it reaches halfway up the sides of the roast.
07 - Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly with the lid and transfer the pot to the preheated oven.
08 - Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the roast is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
09 - Remove the roast and vegetables from the pot. Discard the bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the pan juices if desired. Slice or shred the beef and serve alongside the vegetables, spooning the pan juices generously over each portion.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The red wine deglazing step builds a sauce so rich you will want to drink it straight from a ladle.
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and that is never a small thing.
- The meat falls apart with just a fork and the vegetables soak up every bit of the braising liquid.
02 -
- Do not rush the sear because that deep brown crust is where a huge portion of the final flavor comes from and a pale roast will taste flat no matter how long you braise it.
- The braising liquid should only come halfway up the meat because the goal is a gentle braise, not a boiled roast, and that exposed top portion develops a different texture that makes the dish special.
03 -
- Take the roast out of the refrigerator thirty minutes before cooking so it sears evenly instead of steaming from a cold center.
- If you have the time, browning the vegetables in the rendered beef fat before deglazing adds a layer of flavor that butter or oil alone simply cannot match.