Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe

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This pot roast recipe is a Dutch oven braise, not a stew. I sear a chuck roast until the crust is deep brown, keep the liquid only halfway up so the meat doesn’t boil gray, and add the potatoes and carrots for the last 90 minutes so they hold their shape. I put golden garlic bread on the table for the pan juices, and if I want ranch and pepperoncini instead of this gravy I make Mississippi-style pot roast.

Ingredients

• 3½ pounds (1.6 kg) boneless beef chuck roast
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch for the onions
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine, or extra beef broth
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½ pounds (680 g) baby potatoes or Yukon Gold, halved if larger than 2 inches
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for gravy if needed
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, for gravy if needed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Season and sear: Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C) with a rack in the lower third. Pat the chuck dry and season it on all sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then lay in the roast and leave it 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the crust is deep brown and it releases on its own. Transfer the roast to a plate so the onions can take the fat and browned bits. If you flip it early or the pot isn’t hot, you steam the meat and the gravy later tastes pale.
2. Build the braising liquid: Lower the heat to medium, add the onion wedges and a pinch of salt, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until the edges brown and they pick up the stuck bits from the pot. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes, until the paste turns brick-red and smells sweet, not raw and tinny. Pour in the wine (or 1 cup of the broth) and scrape the bottom clean, then let it bubble 1 to 2 minutes until the sharp alcohol smell is gone.
3. Braise halfway up: Return the roast and any plate juices. Pour in the remaining broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves, and thyme. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat, not cover it. If it sits higher, ladle some out; a full bath boils the roast and you lose the crust you just built. Bring just to a simmer on the stove, cover, and put the pot in the oven for 2 hours.
4. Add the vegetables: Nest the potatoes, carrots, and celery around the roast so they sit in the liquid. Cover and cook 75 to 90 minutes more, until a fork twisted in the thickest part of the meat meets almost no resistance and the potatoes are tender but still hold a cube. If the meat is still tight at 3 hours total oven time, cover and keep going in 20-minute stretches. Adding time is the fix, not more liquid.
5. Rest and finish the gravy: Move the roast to a board and tent it loosely for 10 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. If the juices already coat a spoon, you’re done. If they’re thin, set the pot over medium heat, mash the butter with the flour, whisk it in, and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the gravy looks glossy and a spoon dragged through it leaves a trail. Slice or pull the meat into large pieces, return it to the pot, scatter the parsley, and serve.

Slow cooker, wine swaps, and other cuts

• For a slow cooker, sear and build the liquid on the stove, then cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots for the last 2 hours, and drop the broth to 1½ cups so the meat braises instead of boiling.
• Skip the wine and use 3 cups broth total. The tomato paste and Worcestershire still give the gravy a backbone.
• Brisket works the same way, fat cap up. Bottom round dries out in this amount of liquid, so I don’t use it here.
• Leave the potatoes out of the pot and serve creamy mashed potatoes if you want a softer side. Cubed chuck in gravy is a different dish: make beef stew instead of forcing this roast into cubes.

Storage

Cool leftovers and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours. They keep 3 to 4 days. Reheat a portion in a covered skillet over low heat with a spoon of the gravy until the beef is hot, 165°F (74°C) in the center. Freeze portions with gravy for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. USDA leftovers and food safety covers the 2-hour cooling window and that reheat temperature.

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