Description
Hearty pot roast from Joy of Cooking brings classic American comfort to dinner tables. Tender beef braised with root vegetables creates a rich, savory meal that warms hearts and satisfies hungry families with deep, nostalgic flavors you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kilograms) whole chuck roast
- 2 whole onions
- 6 to 8 whole carrots
Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) red wine (optional, you can use beef broth instead)
- 2 to 3 cups (480 to 720 milliliters) beef stock
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil, plus more as needed
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or more to taste
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or more to taste
Seasoning:
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Select a well-marbled chuck roast with generous fat content, ensuring rich flavor. Generously season the meat with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, covering all surfaces.
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit (135 degrees Celsius). Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil (or use a combination of olive oil and unsalted butter) to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Slice onions into rough two-inch chunks. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, carefully add onions and caramelize them until golden brown on both sides. Transfer browned onions to a separate plate.
- Quickly sauté carrots in the same hot pan for approximately one minute, allowing them to develop a light caramelization and release their natural sweetness.
- If necessary, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Carefully place the seasoned roast into the hot pan, searing each side for about one minute to create a deep, rich brown crust.
- Deglaze the pan with one cup of robust red wine or hearty beef broth, using a whisk to scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Once the pan is clean, return the roast to the pot. Pour beef stock until it reaches halfway up the meat. Sprinkle fresh rosemary, thyme, and chopped onion leaves over the roast for aromatic depth.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. For a 3-pound (1.4 kilograms) roast, cook for 3 hours. Larger roasts weighing 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3 kilograms) will require approximately 4 hours of slow roasting.
Notes
- Choose a well-marbled chuck roast for unbeatable tenderness that melts in your mouth.
- Patience transforms tough meat into a luxurious, falling-apart dinner that’ll make everyone swoon.
- Generous seasoning builds deep, rich flavor layers that penetrate every single bite of the roast.
- Slow cooking breaks down muscle fibers, creating an incredibly soft texture that requires minimal effort.
- Resting meat after cooking lets juices redistribute, guaranteeing each slice remains incredibly moist and delicious.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg