When the cold weather months come around, this Dutch Oven Pot Roast is one of the first requested recipes by my husband and boys. It’s a one pot meal with minimal prep time (30 minutes) and includes delicious root vegetables for a cozy dinner that tastes so gourmet with hardly any effort.
If you’ve never made a pot roast in a Dutch oven before, you’re in for a treat! We sear the chuck roast until deeply golden brown for extra flavor. Then braise it in red wine for hours until it becomes buttery fork tender. Served with mashed potatoes or homemade bread, it’s truly a home-cooked meal that’s better than going out to eat (and so much more affordable too).
If you love a delicious, tender beef recipe, our Mississippi Pot Roast and Classic Beef Stew are two others that are incredibly popular on the site. Be sure to give them a try and let me know how you liked this recipe in the comments below!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Hearty one-pot meal the whole family will love. There’s minimal equipment and minimal cleanup for this delicious recipe!
- Great for serving a crowd or for meal prepping. I love to make this Dutch oven beef chuck roast for a dinner party since it can feed lots of people easily. It’s also ideal to make for a Sunday dinner and enjoy as leftovers for lunch and dinner throughout the week (the flavors get even better!).
- A restaurant-quality recipe that’s simple to make at home. There’s no need to be intimidated; this style of pot roast in the oven is quick to prep and then the oven does the rest of the cooking for you.
Ingredients
- Chuck roast: Buy a boneless chuck roast. Other options are also a rump roast, or blade roast. You want a well-marbled roast, the fat is what eventually (through slow cooking) makes it fall-apart tender! Remove your roast from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before searing.
- Avocado oil: Use a high smoke point oil like avocado oil or your favorite oil that’s used to sear and brown the chuck roast beautifully for extra flavor. You can use olive oil, but it’s smoke point isn’t as high.
- Yellow onions: Infuses the roast with sweet vegetable flavor.
- Garlic: Infuses every bite with a light garlic flavor for added richness.
- Dry red wine: Use a wine that you would drink. If you prefer, you may substitute it with beef broth.
- Beef stock: Buy a high-quality brand for the richest flavor and avoid the concentrated type that’s high in sodium.
- Tomato paste: Adds another layer of rich flavor that complements the beef so nicely.
- Worcestershire sauce: A little goes a long way, adds a nice hint of umami.
- Fresh thyme: Gives a warm herbal flavor with a hint of lemon. If you don’t have fresh, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme.
- Fresh rosemary: Adds rich herbal flavor that’s cozy and makes this pot roast very flavorful or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary.
- Bay leaves: Just a couple add even more warm and lightly bitter flavors, try not to skip the herbs, they build the layer of flavor!
- Yukon gold potatoes: We love a waxy potato here so they don’t break down too much in the braise. You can also use baby potatoes uncut or quarter larger potatoes if needed.
- Baby carrots or whole carrots: Just be sure to cut the whole carrots into thirds so they cook until tender in the pot roast.
- Flat leaf Italian parsley: A bright herb garnish that also adds a hint of fresh flavor.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Kathleen’s Tip: If you need to thicken your sauce, make a slurry of cornstarch and water mixed together. Adding this to the cooking liquid and simmering for a couple of extra minutes will thicken it into a gravy to the perfect glaze-like consistency that’s restaurant-quality and so delicious.
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Step 1 – Preheat the oven
Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) – 300°F (150°C). If I make it earlier in the day, I tend to lower the temp so it cooks a little slower; remember, low and slow is the name of the game here!
Step 2 – Sear the roast
In a large 6–8 quart Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium-high heat (you want the pan HOT, without the oil smoking). Go ahead and turn on your exhaust now, you will have smoke once you add the meat! Meanwhile, pat your Chuck roast dry with paper towels and generously season it with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides, giving it a little rub as you do.
Carefully lower the beef into the hot oil in the Dutch oven (I like using a heavy-duty fork for this; it’s less likely to slip) and, without moving it, sear the beef for 4–6 minutes per side. Note: You don’t have to sear the sides of the beef, but you can if you’d like! 1-2 minutes per side.
Once seared, remove to a plate, but don’t wipe or clean that pot- no-no, that’s the flavor building.
Step 3 – Sauté onions and garlic
Reduce heat to medium then add the onions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until golden, about 3–5 minutes. Heating should release some moisture in the onions, but if needed, add a teaspoon or two of oil, butter or broth to the pan to prevent it from drying out. During the last minute of cooking, toss in the garlic and stir until fragrant.
Step 4 – Deglaze the pan
Increase the heat slightly, then pour the wine into the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits; this is called deglazing. Simmer until reduced by about half, but not totally evaporated.
Step 5 – Add liquids and herbs
Pour in 2 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer.
Kathleen’s Tip: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, make sure your Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free along with your broth. Lee & Perrins (US only) is gluten-free!
Step 6 – Begin the Braise
Return the meat to the pot, including any accumulated juices. The liquid should come to about halfway up the meat; if not, add a little more beef broth. Place the lid on, cooking for 2 hours without peeking.
Step 7 – Add vegetables and continue cooking
Remove from oven and close door. Add carrots and potatoes (cut into equal chunks) to the pot carefully, tucking them into the liquid. This is a great time to add liquid if needed. Cover, return to the oven, and cook for another 1 ½–2 hours until the meat falls apart.
Pro Tip: If your meat is still tough and not falling apart, cook it for another 30 minutes, making sure it has plenty of liquid.
Step 8 – Make the gravy (optional)
If you desire a thicker gravy, remove the roast and vegetables to a covered platter. I use a spider or a large slotted spoon to make it easier, don’t worry, that meat should fall apart on you.
Over medium-low heat, bring the liquid to a simmer. Mix the tablespoon of cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl (this is called a slurry). While whisking, slowly pour it into the gravy to thicken. Serve poured over the pot roast and veggies.
Expert Tips
- For a perfect sear, preheat the skillet and pat the meat dry! The secret to a great sear is a hot pan and dry meat! Pat your beef dry with paper towels before searing. Wet meat steams when it hits a hot pan. You want a dark, golden, crispy sear on all sides of the chuck roast for maximum flavor.
- Don’t skip the deglazing step. It’s so important to scrape up the browned bits of flavor off the bottom of the Dutch oven after searing the beef and browning the onions. It’s where all the flavor is!
- Fresh herbs are best! I provide substitutions for fresh herbs, but your pot roast will be so much more flavorful if you use fresh herbs.
- Swap the potatoes. Red potatoes or any waxy potato also work great in this recipe. If using baby or fingerling potatoes, no need to cut them. Russets tend to fall apart during the cooking process so it’s best to avoid.
- Make sure you cut all of your vegetables about the same size. This allows them to cook at an even rate so that nothing is under or overcooked.
- Use a dry red wine or swap it for beef broth if desired. The alcohol does cook out, and just the rich flavor is left. But if you prefer not to use it, feel free to substitute.
- Low-Carb: To make this pot roast lower-carb, simply skip the potatoes and reduce the carrots, then swap in hearty vegetables like rutabagas, turnips, radishes, mushrooms, or celery. These veggies cook up tender, soak in flavor, and keep that classic comfort-food feel without the extra carbs. For the gravy, let it naturally reduce or thicken lightly without cornstarch or use ¼ teaspoon xantham gum whisked in place of cornstarch. Serve with mashed or riced cauliflower or roasted veggies.
Variations
The beauty of a pot roast is there are so many ways to cook it depending on your likes or what you already have at home. Here are some other ways we’ve made it before that are also so delicious:
- Add some mushrooms. Sliced baby bella or white are great. Add them in with the onions.
- Make it an Italian-style pot roast. Add Italian seasoning and extra garlic and finish with fresh basil.
- Swap the red wine for beer. This is a rich flavor when tailgating. Replace wine with dark beer or stout, it’s similar to my beef stew!
- We love how rich the vegetables turn out in this recipe. Try adding other root veggies like parsnips or turnips with potatoes and carrots for more variety.
- If you’re in a pinch, make it “onion soup” pot roast. Add a packet of onion soup mix. If you do so, then reduce the added salt since there’s already some in the spice mix.
Storage
This Dutch oven beef chuck roast is a great recipe for meal prepping since you will most likely have delicious leftovers to enjoy throughout the week. You can store any beef and veggies in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
When you want to reheat it, there are several ways to go about it. You can put it into a pot on the stovetop and warm it gently with a splash of broth. Alternatively, add to the oven at 325ºF for 20 to 30 minutes covered. Or the easiest route, microwave for a few minutes until heated through, but this can toughen the meat.
Freezing the leftovers is also a great option to save it for a busy weeknight at a later date. Freeze cooled meat with gravy (potatoes don’t freeze well) for up to 3 months.
When it comes to leftovers, I love to serve it the second night spooned over a baked potato. It’s truly delish!
FAQs
No, it should only cover half of the roast for the braise. This will help it to cook evenly until it’s buttery tender. The top will also brown nicely for an even richer flavor.
This is because you didn’t cook it long enough. Continue braising it in the oven until it’s easy to shred with the prongs of a fork. Check after another 30 minutes and if it’s still tough, repeat the process again.
A Dutch oven is better because it will allow the meat to simmer until tender while browning top for nice texture.
More Comforting Beef Recipes
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ – 4 pounds Chuck roast or rump roast, blade roast
- 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or your favorite oil
- 2 medium onions cut in half and sliced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup red wine may sub with beef broth if desired
- 2-3 cups beef stock not concentrated, more if needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce make sure it's gluten-free if you are concerned
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1- 1 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes if larger, quartered, or other waxy potatoes
- 1 pound baby carrots or or 6-8 whole carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
- Flat Leaf Italian Parsley for garnish
Optional Gravy Thickener
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch use ⅛- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum if gluten-free or leave out
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) – 300°F (150°C). If I make earlier in the day, I tend to lower the temp so it cooks a little slower; remember, low and slow is the name of the game here!
- In a large 6–8 quart Dutch Oven, heat oil over medium-high heat (you want the pan HOT, without the oil smoking). Go ahead and turn on your exhaust now, you will have smoke once you add the meat! Meanwhile, pat your Chuck roast dry with paper towels and generously season it with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides, giving it a little rub as you do.
- Carefully lower the beef into the hot oil in the Dutch oven (I like using a heavy-duty fork for this; it’s less likely to slip) and, without moving it, sear the beef for 4–6 minutes per side. Note: You don’t have to sear the edges, but you can if you’d like!
- Once seared, remove to a plate, but don’t wipe or clean that pot- no-no, that’s the flavor building.
- Reduce heat to medium then add the onions, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until golden, about 3–5 minutes. If needed, add a teaspoon or two of oil or broth to the pan to prevent it from drying out. During the last minute of cooking, toss in the garlic and stir until fragrant.
- Increase the heat slightly, then pour the wine into the pan, scraping the bottom to release the brown bits; this is called deglazing. Simmer until reduced by about half, but not totally evaporated.
- Pour in 2 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, fresh thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring to a low simmer.
- Return the meat to the pot, including any accumulated juices. The liquid should come to about halfway up the meat; if not, add a little more beef broth. Cover and place in the oven, cooking for 2 hours without peeking.
- Add vegetables and continue cooking: Remove from oven and close door. Add carrots and potatoes to the pot carefully, tucking them into the liquid. This is a great time to add liquid if needed. Cover, return to the oven, and cook for another 1 ½–2 hours until the meat falls apart. Note: If your meat is still tough and not falling apart, cook it for another 30 minutes, making sure it has plenty of liquid.
- Optional: Make the gravy: If you desire a thicker gravy, remove the roast and vegetables to a covered baking dish. I use a spider or a large slotted spoon to make it easier, don't worry, that meat should fall apart on you.
- Over medium-low heat, bring the liquid to a simmer. Mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl (this is called a slurry). While whisking, slowly pour it into the gravy to thicken. Serve poured over the pot roast and veggies.
Notes
Store leftover pot roast and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth, covered in a 325°F oven for 20–30 minutes, or in the microwave until warmed through. For longer storage, freeze cooled meat with gravy (potatoes don’t freeze well) for up to 3 months. See post for more storage tips and serving ideas. Tips
- Preheat the Dutch oven and pat the meat dry for the best sear.
- Don’t skip deglazing — those browned bits add major flavor.
- Fresh herbs give the best flavor, but dried will work.
- Use waxy potatoes like Yukon gold or red; avoid russets.
- Cut vegetables evenly, so they cook at the same rate.
- Use a dry red wine or substitute beef broth if preferred.
Nutrition
Rate & Comment