The Best Pot Roast
The Best Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, tied
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, as needed for searing
- 4 onions, quartered
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or as needed
- 1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the 4-pound boneless beef chuck roast generously with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Ensure the meat is seasoned thoroughly on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Wrap the seasoned beef tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight (at least 8 hours, up to 12 hours). This process helps the salt penetrate and season the meat deeply.
⏱️ 720 min
- 3
The next day, unwrap the beef chuck roast. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully lower the beef into the hot oil. You should hear an aggressive bubbling sound, indicating proper searing. Brown the meat on all sides to develop a rich flavor and caramelization, which is crucial for the pot roast.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Once the beef is browned on all sides, remove it from the Dutch oven and place it on a plate to rest.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the 4 quartered onions to the Dutch oven, along with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Stir and cook the onions until they are slightly softened but not fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and the 4 minced garlic cloves to the onions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste has turned a dark, brick-red color, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Pour 1 1/2 cups of dry red wine into the Dutch oven to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. The alcohol will cook off during this process. As an alternative, if you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute with more vegetable, beef, or chicken broth.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Continue cooking until the wine has reduced by approximately half and the onions have absorbed the beautiful red wine color, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Add the 2 bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the pot. Stir well to combine; the flour will help give the sauce a velvety consistency, about 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir to incorporate.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Return the browned beef chuck roast to the Dutch oven, nestling it down into the sauce and onions. Scatter the halved small red-skinned potatoes, chunked carrots, and chunked celery around the roast in the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Place a tight-fitting lid on the Dutch oven. Transfer the pot to a preheated 275°F oven and cook for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the meat is tender but still holds its shape (not completely falling apart).
⏱️ 210 min•🌡️ 275
- 13
Once removed from the oven, leave the pot roast covered in the Dutch oven for about 45 minutes to rest. This resting period is important to keep the meat from drying out.
⏱️ 45 min
- 14
The pot roast will have shrunk slightly, appearing dark brown and almost glazed, with all the vegetables submerged in the rich liquid. Remove the meat from the pot and carefully snip off the tying string with kitchen shears. Slice the meat, which should be very tender but still hold its form. Serve the sliced pot roast with the cooked vegetables and sauce, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
The Best Pot Roast
- 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, tied
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil, as needed for searing
- 4 onions, quartered
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or as needed
- 1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, halved
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the 4-pound boneless beef chuck roast generously with 3 tablespoons of kosher salt. Ensure the meat is seasoned thoroughly on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Wrap the seasoned beef tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight (at least 8 hours, up to 12 hours). This process helps the salt penetrate and season the meat deeply.
⏱️ 720 min - 3
The next day, unwrap the beef chuck roast. Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully lower the beef into the hot oil. You should hear an aggressive bubbling sound, indicating proper searing. Brown the meat on all sides to develop a rich flavor and caramelization, which is crucial for the pot roast.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Once the beef is browned on all sides, remove it from the Dutch oven and place it on a plate to rest.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the 4 quartered onions to the Dutch oven, along with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Stir and cook the onions until they are slightly softened but not fully cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and the 4 minced garlic cloves to the onions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is tender and the tomato paste has turned a dark, brick-red color, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Pour 1 1/2 cups of dry red wine into the Dutch oven to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. The alcohol will cook off during this process. As an alternative, if you prefer not to use wine, you can substitute with more vegetable, beef, or chicken broth.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Continue cooking until the wine has reduced by approximately half and the onions have absorbed the beautiful red wine color, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Add the 2 bay leaves and 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the pot. Stir well to combine; the flour will help give the sauce a velvety consistency, about 1 minute.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth and a generous amount of black pepper. Stir to incorporate.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Return the browned beef chuck roast to the Dutch oven, nestling it down into the sauce and onions. Scatter the halved small red-skinned potatoes, chunked carrots, and chunked celery around the roast in the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Place a tight-fitting lid on the Dutch oven. Transfer the pot to a preheated 275°F oven and cook for approximately 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the meat is tender but still holds its shape (not completely falling apart).
⏱️ 210 min•🌡️ 275 - 13
Once removed from the oven, leave the pot roast covered in the Dutch oven for about 45 minutes to rest. This resting period is important to keep the meat from drying out.
⏱️ 45 min - 14
The pot roast will have shrunk slightly, appearing dark brown and almost glazed, with all the vegetables submerged in the rich liquid. Remove the meat from the pot and carefully snip off the tying string with kitchen shears. Slice the meat, which should be very tender but still hold its form. Serve the sliced pot roast with the cooked vegetables and sauce, garnished with chopped fresh parsley.
⏱️ 10 min