This Dutch Oven Pot Roast with red wine is the perfect weekend meal! With a handful of simple ingredients and a few helpful steps, your pot roast will be melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of rich flavor!
Jump to:
Pot roast has long been considered a classic American Sunday meal. It is perfect because you can do all of the work to prepare it, then walk away and come back a few hours later to have your meal complete and ready to serve!
Pot roast isn't just for Sundays. It is wonderful for any time you want comfort food that is easy to make. Taking a bite of juicy, melt-in-your-mouth tender roast makes me feel all warm inside!
We have pot roast on a monthly meal rotation throughout the winter months because it is a meal my whole family enjoys. Before I learned the tricks of this dish, my results were hit and miss. Sometimes it was the best meal ever, and other times it was dry and flavorless. I have compiled all of my tips here so that you can have the perfect pot roast every time, without fail!
Using a cast-iron Dutch oven is my favorite way to prepare a pot roast in the oven because it retains heat so well. This allows the roast to be cooked consistently, giving it great texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Chuck Roast A well-marbled chuck roast is hands down the best cut of meat for pot roast. The marbling is what has all of the flavors, and it is also what will melt away during cooking, leaving you with the most tender meat. Chuck roast and round roast are NOT the same! Don't make the mistake I have made too many times to count. Only. Get. Chuck. Roast. Got it?
Red Wine - Wine adds acidity which helps balance the flavor and adds complexity to the pot roast. It also helps to tenderize the meat. I recommend using a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon. If you prefer to cook without wine then you can use an additional cup of beef broth plus 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar or tomato paste.
Beef Broth - This is a braising liquid that helps the beef stay moist as it cooks. Beef stock can also be used. You could also substitute water for the broth, but the roast won't have quite as much flavor.
Herbs - Fresh rosemary and thyme add so much! They are also really easy to use. Just rinse them off and throw them on top of your roast. No chopping is required! If you are unable to get fresh herbs, you can substitute a teaspoon of dried rosemary and a teaspoon of dried thyme.
Vegetables - It is so convenient to cook vegetables with your roast for a complete one-pot meal. I usually add carrots and potatoes. Sometimes I will include a pint of mushrooms. But when I am really craving great flavor, I just add carrots to the Dutch oven and serve this dish on top of Leek and Gruyere Mashed Potatoes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Sear the Meat
Season your chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven, then add the roast. Sear for about 2 minutes on each side.
Step Two: Caramelize the Onions
Remove the roast and add your onions, cooking for another 2 minutes, or until they are golden. This step adds sweetness and richness to your roast.
Add the wine to the pan to deglaze. (If you are s Make sure to scrape up all of the browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Those little bits are full of flavor!
Step Three: Return Roast and Add Aromatics
Return your roast to the pan and add beef broth until half of the beef is covered. Place the garlic, rosemary, and thyme on top of the beef, and add the bay leaves to the broth.
Place in a 275°F oven. This pot roast cooks at a low temperature to allow the flavors to meld and the connective tissue to dissolve, resulting in a succulent, fork-tender pot roast.
Step Four: Add Vegetables
I like my vegetables to be soft, but not mushy, so I put them into the pan for the last 2 hours of cooking time. If you like your vegetables more firm, add them during the final 90 minutes.
How Long Do I Cook Pot Roast?
When cooking a pot roast in your oven plan for 70 minutes per pound at a 275°F (140°C) oven temperature.
Test your pot roast with a fork. When you pull on the meat it should easily release a piece. (This is a great excuse to sneak a taste before dinner is served!) If the meat does not pull away easily, put the meat back in the oven to continue cooking.
Expert Tips
- Purchase a well-marbled chuck roast. Selecting the right meat is the most important contributor to whether or not you have a flavorful meal. Bone-in chuck roast has the most flavor, if you can find it. But boneless is also delicious. Select the most well-marbled chuck roast available.
- Sear your roast to lock in flavor. You may be tempted to just throw your meat into the pan and start cooking, but wait, you are missing an important step. Searing your meat quickly, at a high temperature, caramelizes the meat and creates a robust flavor that elevates this dish.
- Leave the fat. Looking at your well-marbled chuck roast may leave you wanting to trim off some fat. Save yourself the trouble. You want this fat! It will create the best flavor for your meat! Most of this fat will melt as you cook the beef. Any excess can be cut away after your meat is cooked.
- Caramelize Your Onions! Searing your meat isn't the only way to add great flavor to your roast! You also want to caramelize your onions. They just need a minute or two in the pan to produce sweetness and richness that makes your roast delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions
To prepare your pot roast in the slow cooker, follow the first 2 steps of the oven instructions, searing the meat and onions, and deglazing the pan. This will produce the best flavor! Instead of step 3, cook the pot roast on low heat in your crockpot for 8 hours.
Store leftover pot roast in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the pot roast without the vegetables, as they will become mushy. Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before reheating.
Place leftover pot roast in an oven-safe baking dish along with the leftover gravy and cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. If you do not have leftover gravy, add ½ cup of beef broth. Reheat at 350°F (177°C) for one hour, or until hot.
As long as there is sufficient liquid in the Dutch oven it will be very difficult to overcook your pot roast. Eventually, the meat may become mushy if it is left in the oven for too long.
Yes, pot roast can be made using any large heavy cooking pot that is oven safe.
This was the main dish for our Kansas state dinner. Check out our adventures exploring the iconic dishes from across the states!
Let me know how you like this recipe by leaving a review! And follow along on Instagram @stateofdinner for behind-the-scenes and to be among the first to know when new recipes post!
Recipe
Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine
Recipe by:Ingredients
- 3-5 pound well-marbled chuck roast
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 large onion
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 medium carrots, peeled optional
- 2 pounds Yukon potatoes, peeled optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.Generously season chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meat on all sides, until it is browned all over This usually takes about 2 minutes for each side. Set meat aside.3-5 pound well-marbled chuck roast, Salt and pepper, 2 tablespoon oil
- With the burner still on medium-high heat, add onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until golden brown.1 large onion
- Add wine to the pan and scrape the bottom to deglaze and incorporate the flavor into the liquid.1 cup red wine
- Add roast back into the Dutch oven and add beef broth and Worcestershire.2 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Place garlic and fresh herbs on top of the roast. Put the lid on the roast and place in oven.4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed, 2 bay leaves, 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- While the roast begins to cook, peel carrots and potatoes, and wash the mushrooms (if using). Once your vegetables are fully prepped, remove your pot from the oven and place the vegetables on top of the beef. Put the lid back on and return to oven.6 medium carrots, peeled, 2 pounds Yukon potatoes, peeled
- Cook until the roast is fall-apart tender. This is usually about 70 minutes per pound or 3 ½ hours for a 3-pound roast. Remove the bay leaves and sprigs of herbs before serving.
Halli
This roast was sooo good. I also really appreciate how your recipes are written with the ingredient measurements in the instructions as well! Thank you for such a convenient, delicious recipe!!!!
Erin
Thank you, Halli! So happy you love it!
Becca
I was so surprised how easy and delicious this was! The prep was quick and resulted in an impressive, perfect meal.
Erin
My favorite recipes are easy yet impressive. Happy to hear this fit that bill for you!
Ann
Absolutely amazing pot roast! I’ll never use another recipe again.
This was melt in your mouth deliciousness! The flavors were spot on!!
The only tweet I made was I used a dark beer instead of the wine because I didn’t have any on hand.
Erin
What a great substitution idea! I am glad to hear that the dark beer worked well for this recipe and that the flavors were so delicious!
Kasy Allen
Girl, this is really close to my elk roast recipe, but I do it in the instapot. Red wine and fresh rosemary is definitely the secret! I need to adjust my recipe to have the veggies added too. Looks delish!
Erin
Yes, the red wine and rosemary both add so much delicious flavor! I don't use an Instapot, but I bet it makes this even easier!
Shobelyn Dayrit
i love all the trick you posted here. I am one of those cook who just throw my pot roast in the pot and hope it comes out moist and delicious. I will surely keep your tips in mind.
Erin
That was me for many years! Finally, I got tired of never knowing whether or not it would turn out, so I started writing down what I did when it turned out. Here's to only delicious pot roast in your future! 🙂