Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Herbs
This Dutch oven pot roast cooks low and slow with fresh thyme, rosemary, and oregano for tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich pan gravy. The chuck roast is seared first, then braised in a flavorful broth and a splash of red wine until it shreds easily with a fork. It’s a classic comfort-food dinner with a little extra flavor from the fresh herbs.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Pot Roast
- 3 pound chuck roast
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large onions peeled and cut in bite-size pieces
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine optional
- 3 cups beef broth or chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 to 6 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 to 6 Yukon Gold potatoes cut in half
- 4 sprigs Fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh oregano
- 2 bay leaves
For the gravy:
- 2 cups pan drippings
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
For the Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- Preheat the oven to 300° F.
- Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or dinner plate. Add the beef to the flour and coat each side, including the edges.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pot, searing and browning it on both sides and the edges (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Transfer the beef to a plate.
- Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the Dutch oven then return the seared chuck roast. Add the potatoes, carrots, thyme, rosemary, oregano and bay leaves. (If you want firmer vegetables, add them during the last hour of the cooking time). Put the lid on the Pot and transfer it to the preheated oven and roast for 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
- Transfer the meat and the vegetables to a serving plate and cover with foil to stay warm while making the gravy.
For the Gravy/ Sauce:
- Discard the herbs and pour the braising liquid through a strainer. Measure out 2 cups of the braising liquid and return it to the Dutch oven or a small saucepan.
- Combine the butter and flour in a small dish. Stir until it becomes a smooth paste.
- Bring the braising liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter-flour paste until completely melted. Return the pan to the heat and simmer briefly (stirring constantly), until thickened.
- Transfer the gravy to a serving container and serve with the pot roast.
Notes
No beef broth?: Mix 2 tablespoons of beef paste, such as Better Than Bouillon, with 3 cups of water. Since beef paste can be salty, you may want to reduce the added salt.
No wine?: Replace the red wine with additional beef broth.
Cut the vegetables large: Do not cut the carrots and potatoes too small or they can get mushy and fall apart. You can even leave them whole if they fit in the pot.
For firmer vegetables: The potatoes and carrots soften quite a bit and soak up some of the braising liquid as they cook. If you want them firmer, add them during the last hour of cooking.
No need to peel the potatoes: You can leave the skins on, just give them a good scrub first.
About the gravy thickener: The butter-flour paste used in this recipe is called beurre manié. It is a quick way to thicken the pan drippings at the end of cooking.
Want more gravy?: For each cup of liquid, mix 1 tablespoon of soft butter with 1 tablespoon of flour until smooth, then whisk it into the hot liquid.
Want thicker gravy?: Use 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour for each cup of liquid.
Use the beurre manié right away: Once added, simmer the gravy briefly to cook the flour, but do not boil it. Overcooking or reheating can cause the gravy to thin out.
Other cuts that work well: Bottom round, top round, and beef brisket also work well in this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 544kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 316mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g
