Beef Pot Roast Comforting Dish (Printable)

Hearty slow-cooked beef with potatoes, carrots, and onions in savory gravy, perfect for family dinners.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 (3.5 to 4.0 lb) chuck roast
02 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt
03 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 1.5 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 garlic cloves, smashed

→ Liquids

09 - 2 cups beef broth
10 - 1 cup dry red wine (optional; substitute with additional 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 300°F.
02 - Pat chuck roast dry and season all sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
04 - Add quartered onions and smashed garlic to the pot. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
06 - Return roast to the pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves.
07 - Arrange potatoes and carrots evenly around the beef.
08 - Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3½ hours, or until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are cooked through.
09 - Remove beef and vegetables to a serving platter. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid.
10 - Whisk flour or cornstarch with cold water until smooth. Stir into the pot and simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until gravy thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes.
11 - Slice beef and serve alongside vegetables with gravy poured over.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your fork, and the gravy is silky and rich without any fussiness.
  • Everything cooks in one pot, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy your family around the table.
  • It fills your house with the kind of aroma that makes people slow down and ask what's for dinner before they even walk through the door.
02 -
  • The beef will look barely cooked after searing, and that's exactly right—the oven finishes the job, and rushing it by raising the heat will make the meat tough and stringy instead of tender.
  • If your gravy breaks or becomes lumpy when you add the flour mixture, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve and start again with fresh broth; it'll recover.
  • Fat and flavor are the same thing in this dish, so don't feel guilty about that glossy layer on top of the braising liquid—it's keeping your beef moist and delicious.
03 -
  • If you don't have red wine on hand, skip it entirely rather than using something you wouldn't drink—the broth-only version is still delicious and lets the beef shine without any wine tannins.
  • A Dutch oven with a heavy, dark bottom will sear more evenly than a lighter pot, and it holds heat more consistently in the oven, which means more even cooking and better results.
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