Perfect Pot Roast Beef (Printable Version)

Melt-in-your-mouth beef chuck roast slow-cooked with root vegetables and aromatic herbs for a comforting family dinner.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 (gluten-free if needed)
08 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional; 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 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 onion, carrots, 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, 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 and transfer the pot to the preheated oven.
08 - Bake 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 pan juices over the top.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef literally falls apart when you look at it sideways, no knife skills required for serving.
  • One pot means one dish to wash, which is the real secret to why this lands on my weekly rotation from October through March.
  • It reheats even better the next day, making it the rare leftover you actually fight over in the fridge.
02 -
  • Opening the lid during braising extends the cooking time every single time, so trust the process and keep it sealed.
  • The roast is done when a fork slides in and out with zero resistance, which might happen closer to three hours depending on the size and shape of your cut.
  • If your sauce seems thin at the end, simmer it on the stove and whisk in a slurry of one tablespoon cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons cold water until it coats the back of a spoon.
03 -
  • Let the roast rest for ten minutes under foil before slicing so the juices redistribute instead of pooling on your cutting board.
  • The braise improves dramatically overnight in the fridge, so if you have the willpower, make it a day ahead and reheat gently on the stove.

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