Best Pot Roast Recipe (THE Most Tender!)

Ingredients

• 4 oz thick-cut bacon (2½–3 slices), cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (about 3-lb) boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
• ¾ tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided, plus more as needed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme, or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (750-mL) bottle dry red wine
• 12 oz carrots or parsnips (3 medium)
• 1 lb baby yellow, gold, or red potatoes (1½–2 inches wide)
• Chopped fresh thyme or parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
• Serving options: crusty bread, cooked egg noodles

Instructions

1. Preheat — Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Crisp the bacon — Place the chopped bacon in a 5-quart or larger Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes.
3. Prep the roast — Meanwhile, trim any excess surface fat from the chuck roast, then pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with 2 tsp kosher salt and ½ tsp of the black pepper.
4. Sear the roast — When the bacon is ready, use a slotted spoon to transfer it to a large plate. Add the roast to the pot and sear until well-browned on 2 sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the bacon.
5. Sauté onion and mushrooms — Add the diced onion and whole cremini mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
6. Build the sauce base — Stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, dried thyme, and remaining ¼ tsp black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the tomato paste is darkened in color, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with the flour, stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute to cook out the floury taste.
7. Deglaze and braise — Stir in the beef broth and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the bottle of red wine and the bacon. Return the roast and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
8. Prep vegetables — Meanwhile, peel and cut the carrots crosswise into 2-inch pieces. If any pieces are wider than 1½ inches, halve them lengthwise.
9. Add vegetables and finish — Uncover and flip the roast. Scatter the baby potatoes around the roast, making sure they're submerged in the liquid. Scatter the carrots around the roast, mostly submerged. Return to the oven uncovered and cook until the roast is very tender and a knife slides easily into the center, 1–1½ hours more.
10. Serve — Taste the sauce and season with kosher salt as needed. Discard thyme stems if using fresh. Either shred the roast right in the pot with tongs, or transfer to a cutting board and cut across the grain into thick slices (easier if cooled slightly first). Serve with the vegetables and sauce, garnished with fresh thyme or parsley if desired.

Notes

• Mushroom swaps — White button mushrooms work in place of cremini, or sub in wild mushrooms.
• Potato swaps — No baby potatoes? Use larger Yukon Gold or red potatoes cut into 2-inch chunks.
• Wine — A dry, bold wine like Cabernet Sauvignon works well. No need to splurge.
• Make ahead — Can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat covered over medium heat on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven, flipping the roast occasionally, until warmed through.
• Storage — Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

Tags: #recipe #mains #beef #potroast #braise #french #onepot #dutchoven #wintercomfort