Perfect Pot Roast Beef (Printable)
Melt-in-your-mouth beef chuck slow-cooked with root vegetables and herbs for a comforting family meal.
# What You'll 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 (or substitute with additional broth)
→ Spices & 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 Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F.
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 onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste, stirring to combine, and cook 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, 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, cover tightly with the lid, and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the roast is fork-tender and falls apart easily.
08 - Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter and discard the bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the pan juices if desired. Slice or shred the beef and serve alongside the vegetables with pan juices spooned over the top.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The meat literally falls apart with just a fork, no knife required, and that is the kind of drama dinner needs.
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means the vegetables soak up all those rich juices while you barely lift a finger after the first twenty minutes.
02 -
- Do not skip the searing step because trying to save five minutes there costs you an entire layer of flavor that you can never get back later.
- Resist the urge to peek during the braise because every time you lift that lid, you let moisture and heat escape, and the meat needs consistent low temperature to break down properly.
03 -
- If you want a thicker sauce to serve over mashed potatoes, simmer the pan juices on the stove after removing the meat and whisk in a slurry of one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons cold water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Let the roast rest for at least ten minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute through the meat instead of pooling on your cutting board.