Melt in your mouth tender and packed with flavor, this Dutch oven pot roast is the ultimate comfort food. Slow cooked with minimal hands-on time, this classic meal is deceptively so easy to make!
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Pot roast is one of those recipes that everyone should have in their wheelhouse. It is so comforting, and despite its humble roots - it is perfect for almost all occasions.
This recipe is similar to my crockpot pot beef roast recipe but slightly more decadent in my opinion. I love to serve pot roast over mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower but you can also add potatoes directly into the roast if you prefer.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
The ingredient list for this Dutch oven pot roast may look a little long, but most of the items are pretty common and easy to find.
- Salt and Pepper
- Oil suitable for high heat (I used Avocado Oil)
- Boneless Chuck Roast (brisket or round roast would also work)
- Yellow Onion
- Celery
- Mushrooms are optional but I highly recommend adding them! They add a ton of flavor and can be strained away when serving if you don't like the texture. I used Baby Bellas.
- Garlic
- Dry Red Wine such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Pinot Noir. If you don't want to use wine, you can replace it with additional beef broth.
- Beef Broth (I suggest a low-sodium variety)
- Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Lipton Onion Soup Mix if you don't have this or don't want to use the packaged variety then you can easily make your own!
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Fresh Thyme and Rosemary (fresh is best, but if you don't have it you can use dried herbs as well)
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Bay Leaves
- Carrots (you can also add peas and potatoes if desired)
- All-Purpose Flour
- Mashed potatoes (optional, for serving)
See the recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
This recipe only requires basic equipment. You will need a knife, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, a mesh strainer, large tongs, and a 6-quart (or larger) Dutch oven.
I know many people swear by the fancy (and ultra-expensive) enameled cast iron Dutch ovens but I have had great luck with a cheap one that I got at Aldi years ago. Just be sure that the entire thing is oven safe and you should be fine.
Before you get started ...
It is helpful to bring your beef to room temperature for about 15 or 20 minutes before cooking. It's also a good idea to have all of your vegetables prepped before you begin. Here is a rundown:
- Wash all produce
- Dice the onion
- Chop the celery
- Slice the mushrooms
- Mince the garlic
- Chop the thyme
Instructions
There's no need to be intimidated by making a homemade pot roast. It is much easier than you may think!
Start out by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Then pat your roast dry and season it all over with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in the bottom of your Dutch oven over high heat. Add the beef and cook on all sides for a couple of minutes until a nice, golden crust develops. Remove the roast from the Dutch oven and set it aside.
Reduce the heat to Medium-High and add the onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Stirring frequently, cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and beef broth to the Dutch oven and stir it in. Bring the liquid to a simmer scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck-on bits.
Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, vinegar, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Return the beef to the pan and place the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs around it in the liquid.
Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake it in the preheated oven for 2 hours, then add the carrots to the Dutch oven. Replace the lid and bake it for an additional hour or until the carrots are soft and the beef easily pulls apart with a fork.
Carefully remove the beef and carrots and set them on your serving dish. Then, strain the remaining cooking liquid through a fine sieve. Discard the solids. Skim away as much of the fat from the top of the remaining liquid as possible.
Tip: To easily skim away most of the fat, allow the liquid to sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes so that all the fat rises to the top. Fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and gently run the bottom of the ladle over the surface of the liquid. The fat will harden and stick to the cold ladle. Rinse the ladle and refill it with ice as needed.
Return the skimmed and strained liquid to the Dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat bringing it to a low simmer. Remove 1 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Pour the flour mixture into the simmering liquid, whisking constantly. Continue simmering until the liquid has thickened into a nice gravy. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
Serve the roast and carrots over mashed potatoes and topped with gravy if desired.
Variations
Here are some of my favorite ways to change up this recipe:
- Crock Pot - If you prefer to make this recipe in a crock pot, simply place everything (except the flour) in the crock pot after searing the beef. Cook it on low for 6-8 hours. follow the direction in the recipe card for making the gravy.
- Add potatoes - You can add potatoes directly to the roast. Cut them into 1 ½-inch pieces and add them along with the carrots.
See this similar recipe for crock pot roast or my low-carb beef bourguignon!
Storage
Leftover pot roast can be stored in the fridge for about 5 days or frozen for up to six months. To reheat I suggest microwaving or heating in a saucepan on the stovetop. If you are reheating from frozen, it is best to allow the roast to thaw first.
FAQs
This is a matter of opinion. I personally feel that I get better results with a dutch oven but sometimes a crock pot is easier.
A dutch oven pot roast takes about 4 hours from start to finish. If you are using a slow cooker then pot roast needs a minimum of 6 hours to cook.
The vinegar adds a bit of acid which helps to lighten this heavy dish. It also helps to make the beef more tender.
It is best to place the vegetables around the sides of the roast. If they are completely under the roast they will be too soggy and mushy.
Top tip:
- To easily skim away most of the fat from the broth for making the gravy, allow the liquid to sit undisturbed for a couple of minutes so that all of the fat rises to the top. Fill a metal ladle with ice cubes and gently run the bottom of the ladle over the surface of the liquid. The fat will harden and stick to the cold ladle. Rinse the ladle and refill it with ice as needed.
📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Equipment
- Dutch Oven 6 quart or larger
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Large Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- 3 lb Chuck Roast
- 1 Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 Stalk Celery Chopped
- 8 oz Mushrooms Cleaned and Chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 cup Dry Red Wine Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, or Pinot Noir are all great options
- 2 cups Beef Broth
- 10.5 oz Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Fresh Thyme roughly chopped
- Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2-3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 lb Carrots Peeled and chopped (I cut them into sticks about ½ wide and 2-3 inches long)
- 2 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 6 cups Mashed Potatoes optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F
- Season your roast all over with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Pepper
- Heat the oil in your dutch oven on high heat. Add the roast and cook it for 3-4 minutes on all sides in order to develop a nice golden crust.2 tablespoon Oil, 3 lb Chuck Roast
- Remove the roast from the dutch oven and set it aside. Reduce the heat to Medium-High and add the onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic to the dutch oven. Stirring frequently, cook the vegetables until the garlic is fragrant and the onions are beginning to turn translucent (about 5 minutes)1 Yellow Onion, 1 Stalk Celery, 8 oz Mushrooms, 5 cloves Garlic
- Add the wine and beef broth to the dutch oven and stir it in. Bring the liquid to a simmer scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any stuck on bits.1 cup Dry Red Wine, 2 cups Beef Broth
- Stir in the cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, balsamic vinegar, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper10.5 oz Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, 1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 2 teaspoon Fresh Thyme, Pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- Return the beef to the pan and place the rosemary and bay leaves in the quid around the roast.2-3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, 2 Bay Leaves
- Place the lid on the dutch oven and bake it in the preheated oven for 2 hours, then add the carrots to the dutch oven. Replace the lid and bake it for an additional hour or until the carrots are soft and the beef easily pulls apart with a fork.1 lb Carrots
- When the roast is done cooking, carefully remove the roast and carrots and set them on your serving dish.
- Carefully strain the remaining cooking liquid through a fine sieve. Discard the solids.
- Skim away as much of the fat from the top of the remaining liquid as possible.
- Return the skimmed and strained liquid to the dutch oven and place it over medium-high heat bringing it to a low simmer. Remove 1 cup of the liquid to a small bowl. Whisk in 2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.2 tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- Pour the flour mixture into the simmering liquid, whisking constantly. Continue simmering until the liquid has thickened into a nice gravy. Taste and add additional seasonings if desired.
- Serve the roast and carrots over mashed potatoes and topped with the gravy if desired.6 cups Mashed Potatoes
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
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