Braised Chuck Roast
This rich yet easy traditional oven Braised Chuck Roast with potatoes and carrots is fall-apart tender and oh-so-juicy. We love a good, one-pot roast dinner and this chuck roast recipe simmered in red wine is always a hit at any family meal.
Beef Chuck Roast In Oven
I grew up eating loads of braised beef chuck roasts with potatoes and carrots because my Dad was a farmer who raised beef cattle. Boy, did I take that for granted as a kid growing up!
If you’re looking for a very traditional red wine braised chuck roast, just like that very tender and juicy one your Grandmother made you for Sunday dinner, this recipe is for you! If you are searching for a slicing roast, try my Sirloin Tip roast.
Braising (simmering) sounds fancy, but it is super easy. It simply means you cook low and slow, submerging your meat in flavorful liquids. As it simmers, the meat cooks to fork-tender perfection and has zero chance of becoming dried out.
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The braising liquids are two-fold. First, they simmer the beef until tender. Then, it becomes a delicious savory gravy drizzled over the meat and vegetables when served. Another favorite braised meat recipe I love is my braised short ribs.
Ingredients Needed
- Chuck roast: An average chuck roast in the grocer’s meat case will be about 3 lbs. in size. That fits perfectly into a 6-quart Dutch oven or pot very nicely. Most chuck roasts sold where I live are boneless ones, which I use in this recipe. A bone-in chuck roast will also work fine in this recipe.
- For seasoning the roast to make a good crust when seared: Salt, black pepper, and flour.
- For searing the roast: I used olive oil, but feel free to use avocado, vegetable, or canola oil. Any high smoke-point oil/fat works fine for searing since it won’t easily burn.
- Semi-dry Red wine: Choose an inexpensive wine you would enjoy drinking too. If you’re not a wine drinker, purchase cooking wine to keep on hand for cooking roast. The bottles are small, don’t take up much room in the cupboard, and you’re prepared!
- Carrots and Potatoes: No need to peel.
- For the flavorful simmering liquids: Onions, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, smashed garlic cloves, fresh rosemary and thyme, dried bay leaves.
- For the roux to make the gravy: flour and butter
Cooking Instructions
View the complete recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and suggested substitution amounts.
Always let the roast rest, uncovered, at room temperature for a good hour before you begin cooking and searing. Yes, you do have to plan ahead a bit for this recipe, but this resting time is very important.
Resting at room temperature allows some chill from refrigeration to leave the meat. This allows the roast to sear and then braise much more evenly since the protein fibers are relaxed and expanded.
Place the oven rack into the center of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt with the black pepper. Season the roast well on all sides. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour all over the seasoned roast until it is evenly, well-coated.
Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, gently add the prepared roast. Brown the roast on all sides. Make sure to include the sides and ends until it is deep golden brown in color, approximately 5 minutes per side.
Transfer the roast to a large platter and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the drippings in the pot.
Sauté the onions until they are softened and just beginning to caramelize a bit around the edges, 6-8 minutes. Add the red wine to the onions. Deglaze the pan and scrape up all the beautiful browned bits attached to the bottom.1 cup semi-dry red wine
Stir in beef broth, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Return the reserved roast to the pot and any meat juices accumulated on the platter.
Bring the contents of the pot to a simmer. Then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place into the oven on the center rack. Braise the roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes. At this point, the beef will start to get tender but will not fall apart yet.
Uncover the pot and gently place the carrots and potatoes into the braising liquid around the roast. Cover the pot once more. Return it to the oven. Continue braising until the roast falls apart easily when tested with a fork and the vegetables are tender but not mushy. Approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer.
Remove the pot from the oven and set over low heat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a large bowl and section into large pieces; reserve. Remove and discard the thyme and rosemary stems along with both bay leaves.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons flour with the 2 tablespoons butter. It will form a thick paste.
Stir the prepared flour/butter paste into the liquids in the pot. Cook it for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, making sure the liquids do not boil.
Return the pieces of meat to the pot and gently stir to coat in the gravy. Serve the pot roast with potatoes and carrots on the side, drizzled with gravy, as desired, topped with minced fresh thyme.
Cooking Tips
- Always let the roast rest, uncovered, at room temperature for a good hour before you sear it. Yes, you do have to plan ahead a bit for this recipe, but this resting time is very important. Resting at room temperature allows some of the chill from refrigeration to leave the meat. This allows the roast to sear and then braise much more evenly since the protein fibers are relaxed and expanded.
- Before searing a roast it’s a good idea to make sure there’s no moisture on the meat’s exterior. Patting it extra dry with paper towels helps a ton, ensuring you’ll get a very nice sear on the roast. The better the sear (browning), the more flavor you have.
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Enameled 6-quart Dutch Oven: I love using a Dutch oven made from cast iron because it holds the heat very well and braises evenly. Enameled cast iron (unlike traditional cast iron) is safe for smooth top ranges and works great for going right from the stove top straight to the oven.
Two-Prong Stainless Steel Meat Fork or Long-Handled Tongs – You can use either one of these tools for turning the roast as you sear it. Some cooks say you should never insert a meat fork into a roast causing it to lose precious juices. I’ve found that sometimes tongs just won’t open wide enough to encase the thickeness of the meat so I’ve had to use a meat fork.
Silicone-Coated Flat Whisk – You will love this tool when making the gravy in this recipe since the flat edge can reach clear up to the very edge of the pan where a balloon whisk cannot. It takes care of any lumps, making a smooth gravy or sauce every time. The silicone coating keeps from damaging the surface of non-stick pans.
What to Serve With Pot Roast
My guys like bread served with everything! Bake biscuits very quickly in your air fryer. Or, make a quick loaf of no-knead peasant bread.
Since vegetables are cooked right with the roast in this recipe, we like a refreshing shoe peg corn salad or a pasta salad as a side dish.
Other Roasts we love
I pride myself on making some of the best roasts in the Midwest. A few other recipes that are similar to recipe on my site include my shredded arm roast made in the oven, a chuck roast in the air fryer, and this Italian Style Beef Bottom Roast.
Braised Chuck Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast, unpackaged and rested on the counter for 1 hour prior to cooking
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided use
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large onions thinly sliced
- 1 cup semi-dry red wine such as Cabernet or Malbec, or whatever red wine you are currently enjoying by the glass
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 large cloves garlic smashed
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 6 medium carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes unpeeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Place the oven rack into the center of the oven and heat to 325°F.
- Season the roast. In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of the kosher salt with the black pepper; season the roast well on all sides. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the flour all over the seasoned roast until it is evenly, well-coated.3 pound boneless beef chuck roast, unpackaged and rested on the counter for 1 hour prior to cooking
- Sear the roast. Place a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, gently add the prepared roast. Brown the roast on all sides, including the sides and ends, until it is deep-golden brown in color, approximately 5 minutes per side; transfer the roast to a large platter and reserve.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Sauté the onion. Reduce the heat to medium and add the sliced onions and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the drippings that remain in the pot. Sauté the onions until they are softened and just beginning to caramelize a bit around the edges, 6-8 minutes.2 large onions
- Deglaze. Add the red wine to the onions, deglazing the pan and scraping up all the beautiful browned bits attached to the bottom.1 cup semi-dry red wine
- Add the aromatics and roast to the pot. Stir in beef broth, smashed garlic, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Return the reserved roast to the pot, along with any meat juices that have accumulated on the platter.2 cups beef broth, 3 large cloves garlic, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 fresh rosemary sprig, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Cover and braise. Bring the contents of the pot to a simmer, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place into the oven on the center rack. Braise the roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes. At this point, the beef will be starting to get tender, but will not be falling apart yet.
- Add the root vegetables. Uncover the pot and gently place the carrots and potatoes into the braising liquid around the roast. Cover the pot once more, return to the oven, continuing to braise until the roast falls apart easily when tested with a fork, and the vegetables are tender but not mushy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer.6 medium carrots, 6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
- Transfer the meat. Remove the pot from the oven and set over low heat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a large bowl and section into large pieces; reserve. Remove and discard the thyme and rosemary stems along with both bay leaves.
- Prepare the roux (butter and flour paste). In a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons flour with the 2 tablespoons butter until it forms a thick paste.
- Thicken the gravy. Stir the prepared flour/butter paste into the liquids in the pot and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, making sure the liquids do not boil.
- Serve the pot roast. Return the pieces of meat to the pot and gently stir to coat in the gravy. Serve the pot roast with potatoes and carrots on the side, drizzled with gravy, as desired, topped with minced fresh thyme.
Notes
- Always let the roast rest, uncovered, at room temperature for a good hour before you sear it. Yes, you do have to plan ahead a bit for this recipe, but this resting time is very important. Resting at room temperature allows some of the chill from refrigeration to leave the meat, allowing the roast to sear and then braise much more evenly since the protein fibers are relaxed and expanded.
- Before searing a roast (or any meat, truly) it’s a good idea to make sure there’s no moisture on the exterior of the meat. Patting it extra dry with paper towels helps a ton and this ensures you’ll get a very nice sear on the roast. The better the sear (browning), the more flavor you end up with.