Beef Pot Roast Classic (Printer-Friendly)

Tender slow-cooked beef with hearty potatoes, carrots, and onions in savory gravy.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 (3–4 lb) chuck roast
02 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 1½ lbs Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
06 - 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
07 - 2 large yellow onions, quartered
08 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed

→ Liquids

09 - 2 cups beef broth
10 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional; substitute beef broth if preferred)
11 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
12 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

→ Herbs & Spices

13 - 2 teaspoons dried thyme or 4 fresh thyme sprigs
14 - 2 bay leaves

→ Gravy Thickener

15 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch (for gluten-free)
16 - 2 tablespoons cold water

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven to 300°F (150°C) to prepare for braising.
02 - Pat chuck roast dry with paper towels and season evenly with kosher salt and black pepper on all sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear roast 4–5 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add quartered onions and smashed garlic to the pot; cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and softened.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Return the seared beef roast to the pot, then add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves.
07 - Arrange potatoes and carrots evenly around the roast in the pot.
08 - Cover with lid and transfer pot to preheated oven. Cook for 3 to 3½ hours until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are fully cooked.
09 - Transfer roast and vegetables to a serving platter. Skim excess fat from the remaining liquid in the pot.
10 - Whisk together flour (or cornstarch) with cold water until smooth; stir into the pot and simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until gravy thickens, about 3–5 minutes.
11 - Slice the beef and serve alongside the cooked vegetables with the rich gravy poured over.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it falls apart with barely a fork, and that's the whole magic right there.
  • You get a rich, savory gravy that tastes like it simmered for days, even though the technique is straightforward.
  • It's a one-pot meal that looks far more impressive than the effort it actually takes.
02 -
  • Never skip the searing step, no matter how tempting it is to jump straight to the braising—those brown bits are flavor you'll taste in every spoonful of gravy.
  • Check your beef tenderness around the 2.5-hour mark; some ovens run hot and your roast might be done earlier than expected, and overcooked beef becomes stringy and unpleasant.
  • The flour slurry must be whisked smooth before it hits the hot liquid, or you'll end up with lumps that no amount of whisking can fix.
03 -
  • Invest in a good Dutch oven if you plan to make this regularly; the even heat distribution and heavy lid make a real difference in how evenly everything cooks.
  • If your gravy breaks or gets lumpy, strain it through a fine mesh sieve and start fresh with a clean slurry—one small mistake doesn't have to ruin the whole dish.
  • A splash of red wine at the end, after everything is cooked, wakes up the flavors and adds a subtle brightness that balances the richness.
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