It’s not hard to make perfect Pot Roast. All you need is the time to do it right.
Sometimes I add extra vegetables like carrots and celery to the pot while the meats cooks. However I don’t serve these veggies with the meat. I strain them out towards the end of cooking (about the time I add the roasted vegetables). It’s an extra step and it’s not mandatory, but it assures beautiful vegetables on the side and a very flavorful sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 beef chuck roast (about 5 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more for seasoning vegetables)
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (plus more for seasoning vegetables)
- 2 cup beef stock (plus more as needed)
- 1 cup red wine (optional)
- 3 onions (peeled and quartered through root end)
- 6 clove garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 sprigs fresh thyme (divided)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 pound potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 ½‑inch chunks)
- 1 pound carrots (cut into 1 ½‑inch chunks)
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Arrange oven racks in the top and bottom positions; preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast all over with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place in pan, and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Turn meat fat side up. Add stock, wine (if using), onions, garlic, bay leaves, and ½ the thyme sprigs. Stir in tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, cover; put in the oven on the bottom rack to cook for about 3 hours. Turn the meat over two or three times during the entire cooking process. Checking occasionally to make sure there is always about 1‑inch of liquid in the pot. If not add more stock or water.
Meanwhile, roast the vegetables about 1 hour before the roast is finished. Place the carrots and potatoes in a shallow sided baking dish, large enough to hold them in nearly a single layer. Top with remaining thyme sprigs, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat.
Place vegetables on top rack in oven and roast for about 40 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and well browned. Remove them from the oven, discarding the thyme sprigs. About 20 minutes before the pot roast is fully cooked, add the roasted vegetables to the pot to finish cooking.
Transfer the roast, carrots, and potatoes to a platter. With a spoon, skim the fat off the surface of the cooking liquid. Cut the roast into slices, and serve with the vegetables. Pass the pan juices separately. If you have the time you can make this the day before. Slice as described, then return the slices to the cooking liquid to cool completely. The next day use two forks to coarsely shred the meat; reheat and serve. It’s even better this way.
