Perfect Pot Roast Beef (Printable)
Tender beef chuck slow-braised with root vegetables and herbs until fork-tender in rich pan juices.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
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 (use gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 cup dry red wine (or substitute with additional beef 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
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and generously season all sides with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until a deep golden-brown crust forms, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the roast and set aside.
04 - In the same Dutch oven, add the sliced onions, carrot pieces, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Stir in the smashed garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Allow the wine to reduce by half, about 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Return the seared roast to the Dutch oven. Arrange the quartered potatoes around the meat, then add the dried thyme, 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 gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly with the lid. Transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the roast is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
08 - Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard the bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the pan juices if desired. Slice or shred the beef and serve alongside the vegetables, spooning pan juices over the top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The meat literally falls apart under a fork, no knife skills required beyond quartering some potatoes.
- Everything cooks in one pot, meaning cleanup is almost embarrassingly easy for a meal this impressive.
- Leftovers make the best next day sandwiches with a little horseradish and whatever bread you have lying around.
02 -
- Skipping the sear or rushing it is the single biggest mistake, that brown crust is where half the flavor lives.
- Do not peek by opening the lid during the braise, every time you do the oven loses heat and extends the cooking time.
03 -
- Start this recipe a day ahead if you can, pot roast reheated the next day always tastes better because the flavors continue to deepen overnight.
- The fond left after searing the meat is pure concentrated flavor, never wash the pot between steps.