This Dutch oven pot roast is tender and juicy, turning an affordable cut of meat into a comforting family meal. As it slowly bakes with potatoes and carrots, you’ll have a delicious one-pot dinner that everyone will adore. It’s the perfect classic Sunday supper!
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED
For this recipe, you’ll need a large, heavy cast iron Dutch oven (I recommend this fantastic investment piece from Le Creuset) or another heavy oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid. Covering a dish with aluminum foil isn’t the best option; the cast iron retains and evenly distributes heat while the snug lid traps moisture inside, creating the juiciest pot roast you’ve ever tasted.
For the pot roast, a boneless beef chuck roast is my top choice, though a bone-in chuck roast works well too if you can find one. Its excellent marbling ensures the roast remains tender and juicy when braised. If needed, you can substitute a different cut, like brisket or round roast. Slow roasting tougher cuts helps to tenderize the meat, resulting in succulent beef and a rich liquid that’s perfect for making gravy.
If your pot roast turns out tough and chewy, it’s likely undercooked, so return it to the oven for more braising. For larger or tougher cuts of beef (other than chuck), you might need to increase the cooking time to allow the meat fibers to break down and become tender.
Keep in mind that cooking the meat for too long can lead to a dry pot roast. This is especially common when using appliances like a Crock Pot or Instant Pot. Just monitor your roast towards the end of the cooking time and remove it once it’s fall-apart tender.
INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (3 lb.) boneless chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 large ribs of celery, cut into ½-inch crescents
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups beef broth, divided
- ½ cup red wine (or extra beef broth)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C). On a sheet of waxed paper, mix the flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Pat the roast dry, then dredge it in the flour mixture, coating all sides.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear the roast for about 5 minutes on each side until it develops a nice brown color. Once browned, transfer the roast to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 cup of the beef broth to the pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and deglaze the pan, loosening any browned bits.
- Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook while stirring for about 10 minutes, until the onions become translucent. Place the roast back into the pot on top of the vegetables.
- Pour in the remaining two cups of beef broth, along with the red wine, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Season with additional salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bake in the preheated oven for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, add the potatoes to the pot, mixing them into the liquid. Cover again and return to the oven for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is fall-apart tender.
