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Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Name: Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 205 min
Total time: 220 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup all-purpose flour; Salt and pepper, to taste; 1 (3 lb.) boneless chuck roast; 1 tablespoon butter; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces; 4 large ribs celery, cut into ½-inch crescents; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 3 cups beef broth, divided; ½ cup red wine ((or additional beef broth)); 2 sprigs fresh thyme ((or ¼ teaspoon dried)); 2 sprigs fresh rosemary ((or ¼ teaspoon dried)); 2 bay leaves; 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths

Published: Aug 7, 2020 by Blair Lonergan

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Tender and juicy, this Dutch Oven Pot Roast transforms an affordable cut of meat into a delicious comfort food dinner. The beef slowly bakes with potatoes and carrots for an easy one pot meal. Your whole family will love this classic Sunday pot roast recipe!

Overhead image of a fork in a dutch oven pot roast with gravy

How to Make Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven | 1-Minute Video

Nothing beats the cozy comfort of a fall-apart tender Dutch Oven Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots. The aroma that wafts through your home as it cooks all afternoon is like a warm hug from your grandmother! This melt-in-your-mouth easy dinner recipe gives you succulent beef and flavorful vegetables that have soaked up all of the juices from the meat. It's truly the perfect supper to serve on a quiet Sunday evening.

What is a Dutch Oven Pot Roast?

A "pot roast" is a braised beef dish that's made by searing a big, tough cut of beef (usually an inexpensive roast) and then slowly cooking the beef in a covered dish called a Dutch oven. In America, this dish is often called a "Yankee Pot Roast," and is served with carrots and potatoes or other vegetables. Slowly roasting a tough cut tenderizes the meat, resulting in succulent beef and rich liquid that's perfect for gravy.

The Best Meat for Pot Roast

Chuck roast is a very common cut for a juicy pot roast in the oven, but you can also use a brisket or a round roast.

A boneless chuck roast (or a bone-in chuck roast, if you can find it) is my first choice for a pot roast. It has great marbling, making the roast tender and juicy when braised. Chuck roast is cut from the shoulder just above the short rib, so it's tougher (and therefore more affordable) than those cut from the front part of the animal, like the sirloin or short loin.

Close up front shot of a white dutch oven full of juicy pot roast with carrots potatoes and gravy

Why use a Dutch Oven for a Pot Roast?

Many folks prefer the convenience of a Crock Pot slow cooker or even an Instant Pot, but I find that the Dutch oven yields the best tasting pot roast every time.

Dutch ovens are made from cast iron, so they retain and evenly distribute the heat. Plus, the tight-fitting lid traps the moisture inside the pot -- resulting in the juiciest pot roast that you will ever taste. Instead of a dried-out piece of beef that has been cooked to death in a slow cooker, you can easily control the cooking time of both the beef and the potatoes when using a Dutch oven. It's the way to go!

How to make a Dutch Oven Pot Roast

While you need to allow plenty of time for the braising process, this easy dinner is almost entirely hands-off. So get it going in the oven, and then put your feet up and enjoy the afternoon. Your delicious oven baked chuck roast recipe will be ready and waiting for you by dinnertime!

Ingredients for a Juicy Pot Roast in the Oven

Chuck roast (or other beef roast)
All-purpose flour
Butter and olive oil
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Beef broth
Red wine
Thyme, rosemary and bay leaves
Russet potatoes

This particular Dutch oven pot roast recipe works so well because you wait to add the potatoes to the pot during the final 45 minutes so that they don't get overcooked and mushy. The vegetables, beef and herbs flavor the rich juices that are further enhanced by a touch of red wine. Here's how to make a tender roast beef in the oven:

Step 1: Sear the Roast

Dredge the beef in seasoned flour and then brown it in olive oil and butter on both sides. Remove the meat to a plate.

Step 2: Deglaze the Pot and Sauté the Vegetables

Next, add one cup of the beef broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits from the bottom. These browned bits add great flavor to the liquid in the pot. Then add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot, cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Return Roast and Remaining Ingredients to the Pot

Once the onions are translucent, place the roast on top of the vegetables, add the remaining broth, along with the red wine, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.

Process shot of making Dutch oven pot roast

Step 4: Bake the Pot Roast in the Oven

Season with salt and pepper, cover the Dutch oven, and bake in a 275 degree F oven for 2 hours.

Step 5: Add the Potatoes

While the beef is in the oven, peel and dice the potatoes.

After 2 hours, add the potatoes to the pot, mixing them into the liquid.

Step 6: Finish Baking the Pot Roast and Potatoes

Cover the pot again and return it to the oven to continue baking for an additional 45 minutes - 1 hour (or until the potatoes are soft and the roast is fall-apart tender).

Close overhead shot of dutch oven pot roast recipe on a wooden surface

How to Serve Dutch Oven Pot Roast

When the beef is done it will be fall-apart tender. You can pull it with a fork, but you don't even really need to! It will melt in your mouth on its own. You can serve the beef, potatoes and vegetables on their own, or pair them with any of these additional sides:

Skillet Cornbread
A crusty loaf of No-Knead Bread or this 3-Ingredient Beer Bread
A simple green salad dressed in Buttermilk Dressing as a cool, bright contrast to the rich meal or a Wedge Salad
Perfect Roasted Asparagus
Southern Collard Greens
Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits
Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion
Braised Red Cabbage
Sauteed Kale with Bacon
Hoe Cakes
Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
Parmesan Risotto

Preparation and Storage Tips

Make sure that you use a heavy cast iron Dutch oven (I like this great investment piece by Le Creuset) or another heavy oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid. Simply covering a dish with aluminum foil is not ideal.
Sear the meat and get some really nice color on it before you begin the slow braising process. The caramelized surface of the meat will give the dish rich flavor and the browning process will help to lock in the juices. Dredging the meat in the flour before browning adds body to the finished sauce.
Prep Ahead and Reheat: If you prepare the roast a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, skim off any solidified fat and reheat it gently in a warm oven or over low heat on the stovetop.
Store leftover pot roast in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Wrapped tightly, you can freeze leftover pot roast for up to 2 months. I don't recommend freezing the cooked vegetables or potatoes; however. They tend to have a mushy and watery texture when thawed.

Side shot of a dutch oven pot roast with carrots and potatoes and fresh herbs in a white pot

Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations

Most grocery stores sell boneless chuck roasts that weigh about 3 pounds. Those are perfect for this recipe! I used a 4-lb. bone-in chuck roast that I bought from a local farm, which requires about the same cooking time as a 3-lb. boneless roast. The bone adds a lot of rich flavor to the juices in the pot, but the bone-in chuck roasts are harder to find in stores. If you use larger boneless roasts (such as 4-5 lbs.), you'll need to increase the cooking time by about 1 hour.
Why is my pot roast tough? Undercooked pot roast will be tough and chewy. If you're using tougher or bigger cuts of beef (other than a chuck roast), you may need to increase the cooking time to give the meat fibers plenty of time to break down and become tender and juicy.
Why is my pot roast dry? Cooking the meat for too long can result in a dry pot roast. This often happens when you use appliances like the Crock Pot or Instant Pot. Another reason the Dutch oven method is so great!
I love the added depth of flavor that you get from the red wine; however, you can substitute with additional beef broth in lieu of the red wine.

Close overhead shot of dutch oven pot roast with carrots and potatoes

What else do you cook in a Dutch oven pot?

If you've invested in this classic kitchen tool, try using your Dutch oven for these recipes as well:

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