Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a boneless chuck roast seared until golden, then braised low and slow in the oven with red wine, beef broth, onions, garlic and fresh herbs, with baby carrots and potatoes added partway through so they come out tender, not mushy. It serves 6, and the meat comes out fork-tender enough to fall apart.
How to make it: Season and sear the roast in the Dutch oven, soften the onions and garlic in the drippings, and build the braising liquid with wine, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire and herbs. Return the roast, cover and bake at 300°F for 1 1/2 hours, add the vegetables, and bake 2 hours more, until fork tender.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot: sear, braise and serve from the same Dutch oven.
- Fall-apart beef: low oven heat turns a chuck roast fork-tender.
- A full dinner: carrots and potatoes cook right in the pot.
- Mostly hands-off: about 30 minutes of work, then the oven takes over.
Ingredient Notes
Chuck roast: Three pounds, boneless. Chuck’s fat makes it the classic pot roast cut. Rump, blade, brisket or round roast also work.
Red wine: One cup of a dry red such as cabernet, merlot or chianti. If you’d rather not cook with wine, use more beef broth.
Beef broth: Two to three cups, enough to come about halfway up the roast.
Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce: Two tablespoons of paste and two teaspoons of Worcestershire deepen the braising liquid.
Herbs: Four sprigs of fresh thyme, two of fresh rosemary and two dried bay leaves.
Vegetables: Two large yellow onions, sliced, go in first; a pound of baby carrots and 1 1/2 pounds of baby yellow potatoes go in halfway through.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (or more beef broth)
- 2 to 3 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 1/2 pounds baby yellow potatoes
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
1. Heat the oven and season. Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the roast dry and season it on all sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Sear the roast. Heat the olive oil in a large 7 to 8 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast undisturbed until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Set it aside; don’t wipe out the pot.
3. Cook the onions and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions until they start to brown, about 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits; add a splash of broth if they brown too fast. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
4. Build the braising liquid. Pour in the wine (or broth) and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add 2 cups of the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, stir and bring to a low boil.
5. Braise. Return the roast and its juices to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat; add more broth if needed. Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.
6. Add the vegetables. Add the carrots and potatoes and adjust the salt and pepper. Cover and bake 2 hours more, until the meat is fork tender and falls apart and the vegetables are tender. For even more tender meat, cook another 15 to 30 minutes.
7. Serve. Remove the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve from the pot or a platter.
How Long to Cook Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven
Pot roast is done when it’s fork tender, not when a timer says so. A beef roast is safe to eat at 145°F, but a chuck roast needs hours of gentle braising well past that point before it falls apart. The lower the oven, the longer it takes:
| Oven | Roast alone, covered | After the vegetables go in |
|---|---|---|
| 300°F (this recipe) | 1 1/2 hours | 2 hours, plus 15 to 30 minutes if needed |
| 325°F | About 3 hours | 30 to 60 minutes (potatoes only) |
| 350°F | 2 1/2 to 3 hours in all; start checking at 2 1/2 | |
Why is my chuck roast tough? It almost always needs more time. If a fork meets resistance, put the lid back on and return the pot to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes, then test again. It’s ready when the meat falls apart as you pierce it.
Sear it properly. Pat the roast dry, season it well, and let it sear without moving it until a golden crust forms. If it sticks to the pot, it isn’t ready to turn yet; give it a few more seconds and it will release.
Keep the liquid halfway. A pot roast braises rather than stews: the liquid comes about halfway up the meat instead of covering it.
Add the vegetables later. Carrots and potatoes cook much faster than the roast, so they go in after the first 1 1/2 hours and come out tender instead of falling apart.
Tips for Success
Is it better in a Dutch oven or a crock pot?
Both braise the roast low and slow. When you’re home, the Dutch oven in the oven gives a deeply flavored roast with a seared crust and a rich pan sauce. When you’ll be out all day, a slow cooker does the job; try our slow cooker pot roast with gravy.
What’s the best liquid for pot roast?
Beef broth with a cup of dry red wine, such as cabernet, merlot or chianti. For no wine, use all beef broth.
Should I tie the roast?
For a larger roast, around 4 pounds, tying it with kitchen twine helps it hold its shape. Your butcher can do it for you.
Variations
- Thicker sauce: stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the onions and tomato paste before adding the wine.
- Gravy at the end: lift out the meat and vegetables, shake 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water, stir it into the juices and simmer on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring, about 20 minutes, until thickened.
- With celery: add celery ribs along with the carrots.
- Sweet and savory: braise it in 2 cups of broth with 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons of brown sugar at 350°F.
- Dijon and herbs: stir Dijon mustard and chopped fresh herbs into the braising liquid.
- Other cuts: rump, blade, brisket or round roast in place of chuck.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Freeze the meat and its juices without the vegetables, which don’t thaw and reheat well. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat until the meat reaches 165°F, bringing the gravy to a rolling boil.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with the pan juices spooned over and crusty bread for soaking them up, or with garlic Parmesan mashed potato cups. For the slow cooker way, there’s slow cooker Amish pot roast and slow-cooked balsamic chuck roast. For another red wine braise, make beef bourguignon, and on a cold night, beef and barley soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook a pot roast in a Dutch oven?
At 300°F, about 3 1/2 hours: 1 1/2 hours for the roast alone and 2 more with the vegetables. At 350°F it takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Why is my pot roast still tough?
It needs more time. Cover it and give it another 15 to 30 minutes, until a fork slides in and the meat falls apart.
What cut of beef is best for pot roast?
Chuck roast, thanks to its fat. Rump, blade, brisket or round roast also work.
Can I make pot roast without wine?
Yes. Replace the red wine with more beef broth.
Do I have to sear the roast?
Searing builds the golden crust and the browned bits that flavor the braising liquid, so it’s worth the few minutes.
Final Notes
Resist lifting the lid too often; the roast only needs you when the vegetables go in. If you make it, tell me in the comments how tender yours turned out.
Dutch Oven Pot Roast
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Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast boneless
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine or more beef broth
- 2 to 3 cups beef broth plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 bay leaves dried
- 1 pound baby carrots
- 1 1/2 pounds baby yellow potatoes
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the roast dry and season it on all sides with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large 7 to 8 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast undisturbed until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Set it aside; don't wipe out the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onions until they start to brown, about 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits; add a splash of broth if they brown too fast. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Pour in the wine (or broth) and scrape the bottom of the pot. Add 2 cups of the broth, the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, stir and bring to a low boil.
- Return the roast and its juices to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat; add more broth if needed. Cover and bake 1 1/2 hours.
- Add the carrots and potatoes and adjust the salt and pepper. Cover and bake 2 hours more, until the meat is fork tender and falls apart and the vegetables are tender. For even more tender meat, cook another 15 to 30 minutes.
- Remove the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, garnish with parsley if you like, and serve from the pot or a platter.
