This easy Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe is a cozy one pot meal made with chuck roast, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh herbs, red wine, and beef broth. After a 3 hour braise, the beef gets fall-apart tender, with rich pan juice gravy that's perfect over mashed potatoes.
JUMP TO RECIPEAs soon as the first leaf falls and the temperature drops below 70 degrees, I'm dreaming of this Pot Roast recipe. As a recipe developer and home cook with a love of family style meals, this is one of my go to Sunday dinners when I want something with minimal effort and big flavor.
Slowly cooked in it's own juices, this dutch oven pot roast is delicious over a pile of creamy mashed potatoes!
What readers are saying
"Craving this today, have made it before and it's the best pot roast ever!" - Rita F ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Jump to:
- What readers are saying
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast Ingredients
- How to make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- What kind of Dutch oven is best?
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe
- What to Serve with Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe add-ins:
- How to Store Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- How to Reheat Pot Roast
- What to Do with Leftover Pot Roast
- FAQ (Frequetly Asked Questions)
- More great beef recipes
Dutch Oven Pot Roast Ingredients
This Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe has got all things good- wine, beef stock, a great cut of meat, some herbs and garlic. And after a quick sear and some browning of the veggies, this meal essentially cooks itself (ya gotta love that). Just throw everything in the pool, pop your Dutch Oven in the oven, and let the magic happen. Here's what you'll will need:
Beef Chuck Roast or Bottom Round Roast. Chuck roast makes for the most tender, shreddable texture after braising. Bottom round is a bit leaner, but very budget friendly and still great for this recipe.
Onions, Garlic, Carrots and Celery. Add these to the pot right after searing the beef so they pick up from color and flavor, then braise along with the beef in large pieces to add even more flavor to the braise.
Fresh Herbs. Top off the pot with some fresh rosemary and thyme right before you put the pot roast in the oven to perfume the braising liquid, and give it great depth and aroma. Seriously, your house will smell AMAZING!
Red wine. Dried red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or a dry red blend gives great depth to the braising liquid. You'll use 2 whole cups, so be sure to use something you like to drink! Avoid sweeter wines, as they will make the finished braising liquid sweet.
Beef broth. Adding a full 4 cups of beef stock keep the pot roast nice and moist in the oven, and builds even more flavor into the braising liquid.
How to make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
This whole meal is made start to finish in one pot! You'll start by liberally seasoning the beef, and searing it off in a VERY hot cast iron Dutch oven. Next, you'll add the veggies and brown them a bit, then deglaze with red wine. Lastly, add the beef broth and herbs, and transfer to the oven for 3 hours.
The roast is done when it pulls apart easily with two forks. If it's still a little firm after 3 hours, cover the Dutch oven and put it back in the oven for another 20 or 30 minutes, then check again.
Gravy Tip: Optionally, you can thicken the braising liquid at the end of cooking with a cornstarch slurry.
What kind of Dutch oven is best?
If you don't already have a cast iron Dutch Oven, get yourself one! It's such a great tool to have, particularly for slow cooking meat. You can get a great sear on your meat and slowly cook it all in the same pan, keeping all that flavor intact. They go easily from stovetop to oven, and are great for soups and stews. Mine is in heavy rotation all Fall and Winter long.
A 5 to 7 quart cast iron Dutch oven works well for a 2-3 pound pot roast, since it gives the meat and vegetables enough room to breathe, all while keeping the braising liquid close to the beef so it's nice and tender.
Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe
Equipment
- cast iron dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs chuck roast or bottom round beef roast
- coarse sea salt
- fresh ground back pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, (or neutral oil, such as avocado oil)
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 5 medium carrots, sliced into ½" rounds
- 1 rib celery with leaves, cut into ½" pieces
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large sprig (or 2 small) fresh rosemary
- 2 cups dry red wine , (Cabernet, Merlot, or dry red blend preferred)
- 32 oz beef broth/stock
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Pat your pot roast dry, and liberally season with coarse sea salt and fresh ground black pepper (this will ensure a nice crust/even browning).3. In a 5 quart cast iron Dutch Oven, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil and 2 tablespoon butter over medium high heat until butter is melted and bubbly. Using tongs, carefully place beef in Dutch oven and sear, undisturbed on all sides (about 2-4 minutes per side-first side will take longer and other sides will be faster as pan heats up).4. Once all side of roast are seared, remove from pot to a lipped plate or platter and set aside. Add carrots, celery, garlic and onion to the Dutch Oven and toss to coat all vegetables well with the butter/oil. Cook vegetables until slightly browned, about 2-3 minutes. With vegetables still in Dutch Oven, deglaze the pan with the wine and place the beef and accumulated juices back into the Dutch oven. Add the beef stock and herbs, making sure meat is well covered with liquid and herbs are on the top (we will be removing them later). Cover and place in the oven for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the herbs from the pot, season liquid with salt and pepper , and turn roast over. Continue to cook for another hour. 5. After 3 hours, remove Dutch oven from the oven, and remove meat with tongs to a cutting board Once cool enough to handle, shred meat between 2 forks. 6. In a small measuring cup or bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until completely combined to make a slurry. Add it to the Dutch oven and cook uncovered over medium-low heat on the stove until thickened, about 5 minutes.To make it in the Crockpot: Follow steps 1-4, then add everything to a Crockpot, and cook on low for 7-8 hours, until beef is fall-apart tender.
Notes
Nutrition
What to Serve with Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Serve this Dutch oven pot roast with:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Cauliflower potato mash
- Crusty bread for the pan juices
- Potatoes added to the pot for a more stew-like meal
- Leftovers make great pot roast sandwiches
Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe add-ins:
Baby bella mushrooms are my favorite mix-in, but you can also add small or cubed potatoes if you want this to eat more like a full one-pot meal. Turnips and pearl onions are also great additions!
How to Store Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Store leftover Dutch oven pot roast with some of the cooking liquid or gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Packing the pot roast with the juices helps it stay moist for reheating.
How to Reheat Pot Roast
To reheat the pot roast on the stovetop, add pot roast and a splash of cooking juices or some additional beef broth to a pan and cook over medium-low heat, covered, until just warmed through. To microwave, reheat in short bursts with a pan juices or broth to keep the beef moist.
What to Do with Leftover Pot Roast
My favorite way to use up leftover dutch oven pot roast is in Pot Roast Sandwiches with horseradish and pepperoncini mayo. The rich shredded beef holds up beautifully in a toasted roll, and pairs perfectly with melted cheese!
FAQ (Frequetly Asked Questions)
What kind of wine should I use?
I love a red blend, but any red wine will do, just nothing overly sweet. I love a Cabernet Sauvignon if I don't have a red blend on hand.
Can I leave the wine out?
If you prefer not to cook with wine, sub in 2 cups of additional beef broth. The flavor will be slightly less rich, but the pot roast will still be tender and tasty!
Could I sub in a different cut of meat instead of beef chuck roast?
Chuck roast is my go-to for this recipe because it gets super tender and shreddable after a long braise. Bottom round works as well, though it may slice more cleanly than it shreds due to less fat content. Avoid using very lean cuts of beef such as top round, unless you are comfortable adjusting the cook time.
Can You Freeze Pot Roast?
Yes! Shredded pot roast freezes beautifully along with some of the braising liquid in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating to keep the meat intact when reheating.
Why is my pot roast tough?
If you are using a leaner cut of beef, keep an eye on it and check the beef closer to the 2 hour mark to make sure it doesn't dry out.
More great beef recipes
if you love this tender Dutch Oven Pot Roast, try my hearty Beef and Barley Soup, or fall-apart juicy Slow Cooker Chicago Italian Beef!
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Pat says
Cannot share.... thanks
Sharon Farnell says
Hi Pat. I am so sorry for this- there seems to be a problem with my share feature, but we are working on getting it fixed. In the meantime, please feel free to use the Pinterest or Facebook share buttons on the top of the post, as those are working just fine.
sophia says
i am drooling....awesome receipe.....thank you for this
Sharon Farnell says
Thanks, Sophia!
Rita F. says
Craving this today, have made it before and it's the best pot roast ever