There’s nothing better than a comforting meal that warms your soul and doesn’t require a lot of dishwashing! A Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a fabulous one-pot meal complete with potatoes and carrots. Braised with rich red wine and delicious herbs!
While you need plenty of time for the braising process, everything before that is easy as pie to put together. Main pot roast vegetables usually include carrots, onions and potatoes – which makes this a great all-in-one meal. You can also add parsnips and other veggies, too.
Of course, you can make this without the veggies and still serve up a juicy pot roast with mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus, green beans, or another favorite side dish.
Is there a difference between chuck roast and pot roast?
Chuck roast is the best meat for a pot roast. A pot roast isn’t a cut of meat, but a cooking technique instead.
What is the best meat for pot roast?
Chuck roast is always the best cut for a pot roast!
Look for a cut of chuck roast with beautiful marbling (aka swirls of both fat and meat). The better the marbling, the more tender the pot roast. As the meat cooks, the fat will disintegrate making the meat super tender and melt in your mouth quality!
Leaner cuts like sirloins, round roasts, or shoulders are leaner than a chuck roast and will toughen as they cook.
Is braising the same as slow cooking?
Braising and slow cooking is almost the same thing. If you are slow cooking in terms of using an actual slow cooker, you can’t brown meat like you can when braising.
Braising, in fact, is slowly cooking a large cut of meat in the oven until tender. This is usually done in a dutch oven.
Why use a Dutch Oven?
Roasting in a dutch oven is preferred by many homecooks! A dutch oven is a heavy, cast-iron pot with a lid that can be used on the stove or in the oven.
It’s a sturdy kitchen tool that no one should be without! You can cook all kinds of dishes like soups, stews, large cuts of meat, etc. They also hold their heat really well!
How long do you cook a roast at 350 degrees?
For a 3-4 pound pot roast, cook with the lid on for about 3 hours or until the meat easily shreds.
Pot Roast Ingredients, Variations, & Substitutions
For more tips on ingredients, check out the tips below!
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper – seasoning the meat before searing.
- Beef chuck roast – Remember to account for ¼ pound per person.
- Celery – this can be left out if preferred.
- Garlic
- Onions
- Red wine (or you can use more beef broth instead) – Cabernet, Merlot or Red Wine blend is best. Alcohol will cook off.
- Beef broth – Store bought or homemade (sub beef bones in this recipe)
- Potatoes – This recipe calls for regular baking potatoes with the skins on, but you can use any kind of potato you prefer. Keeping the skins on prevents them from falling apart during cooking.
- Carrots – Buying whole carrots, then slicing and peeling saves money!
- Rosemary and sage – This recipe calls for dried, but a few fresh sprigs of each will work, too.
- Bay leaves
Tips, Leftover Ideas & Other Helpful Hints
- When searing, the meat may “stick” to the bottom of the pot. Instead of pulling the meat, allow it to continue browning until it releases from the pan naturally.
- When accounting for potatoes, carrots or other veggies, thinking about how many people will be eating everything as a meal will help with amounts.
- Peel your carrots with a potato peeler instead of purchasing another kitchen tool!
Recipe
Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Vegetables
Tools
Ingredients
- 4 pound beef chuck roast
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry red wine* red wine blend, cabernet, or merlot is recommended
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 stalks celery cut into 4-inch pieces
- 2 yellow onions peeled and quartered
- 4 carrots* peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1-2 pounds red (or new) potatoes* cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1-3 fresh rosemary sprigs added to the pot for flavor and aroma, not consumption
- 1-3 fresh thyme sprigs added to the pot for flavor and aroma, not consumption
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot (with a lid) over high heat.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Pat the meat dry on both sides. Then, salt and pepper both sides of the roast.kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 4 pound beef chuck roast
- Sear the roast for about two minutes on each side until a nice browned crust forms. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium high. Pour in the wine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.1 cup dry red wine*
- Stir in the garlic. Simmer until fragrant and wine begins to evaporate.3 cloves garlic
- Pour in the broth and stir to combine.3 cups beef broth
- Return the meat to the pot and arrange the carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes around the pot roast.4 pound beef chuck roast, 3 stalks celery, 2 yellow onions, 4 carrots*, 1-2 pounds red (or new) potatoes*
- Arrange sprigs of rosemary and thyme around the meat and vegetables.1-3 fresh rosemary sprigs, 1-3 fresh thyme sprigs
- Bring the liquid to a boil, add the lid, and transfer to the oven. Roast at 350° until the meat is fork-tender and easily shreds – about 3 to 4 hours.
- Serve the roast right from the dutch oven or transfer to a serving plate. Arrange meat and veggies from the pot and spoon on as much liquid as you'd like!
Notes
- Since the sizes of potatoes vary, the amount of potatoes you use should align with the number of people you are serving.
- Baby carrots can be used in place of whole carrots to save time peeling and cutting. (approx. 2 cups)
- Baby potatoes (small mini potatoes) can be used in place of red potatoes without halving or chopping.
Tyra Nunn
Thursday 16th of September 2021
This is just like a beef stew, without the broth and, for some reason, my daughter tends to eat this but not the stew? Haha. Love the red wine braise!