A ceramic dish with pot roast, carrots, and potatoes inside.
Photography, Ashley van der Laan. Food styling, Heather Shaw. Prop styling, Jemima Sutherland.

Best Dutch Oven Pot Roast

An irresistible hybrid of a rich boeuf bourguignon and a classic pot roast.
by

There’s nothing better than a pot roast in the dead of winter – especially when it’s a pot roast made in a Dutch oven. It’s warm and hearty, packed with tender beef, potatoes, celery and carrots.

This recipe ups the ante further by adding red wine and bacon, making it an irresistible hybrid between a rich boeuf bourguignon and a classic pot roast. It also includes cremini mushrooms and parsnips for an even more plentiful meal. This is sure to become the new winter staple at your family gatherings and dinner parties.

Why you’ll love this classic winter pot roast

  • Rich and Hearty Meal: By adding red wine and bacon, this recipe becomes a cross between boeuf bourguignon and pot roast.
  • Packed with Tender Meat and Veg: This pot roast is packed with all the essentials and then some: tender beef chuck roast, fatty bacon, baby potatoes, celery, carrots, parsnips and cremini mushrooms.
  • Easy Entertaining: Stick it in the oven for three hours and forget about it. This is the perfect recipe for when you need to feed a crowd.
A ceramic dish with pot roast, carrots, and potatoes inside.

Dutch Oven Winter Pot Roast

Soo Kim
The additions of red wine and bacon turn this winter dish into an irresistible hybrid between a rich boeuf bourguignon and a classic pot roast.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast tied and pat dried
  • 4 tsp kosher salt
  • tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil approximately
  • 4 strips bacon chopped
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • cups good-quality dry red wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3 sprigs rosemary or 5 sprigs thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 675 g baby potatoes washed
  • 1 250 g package of shallots large ones halved or cipollini onions, peeled
  • 3 carrots cut into 3-in (8-cm) pieces (thicker pieces halved lengthwise)
  • 3 parsnips cut into 3-in (8-cm) pieces
  • 12 cremini mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • Sprinkle roast all over with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in extra-large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hazy. Add roast; reduce heat to medium and brown all over, about 4 minutes each side, adding more oil if needed. Reserve to rimmed baking sheet.
  • Add bacon to Dutch oven and cook, stirring, scraping up bits and adding spoonfuls of water if bottom of pot is browning too quickly, until bacon is almost cooked, about 3 minutes. Add celery and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Push vegetables to one side; add tomato paste in centre of pot and cook, stirring, until darkened, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping bottom of pot, and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add broth, rosemary and bay leaves and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Return roast along with any juices to pot; bring to a boil and cover. Transfer to oven and cook until almost fork tender, about 3 hours.
  • Flip roast over, if desired, and nestle in potatoes, shallots, carrots, parsnips and mushrooms. Cover and return to oven and cook until roast and vegetables are fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Remove roast to cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Cut roast into slices or tear into chunks and return to pot to absorb jus. Sprinkle over parsley and serve.

Notes

Tip: If you desire a slightly thicker jus, remove 1½ cups of the liquid and chopped vegetable mixture to a blender or food processor. Cover with a folded tea towel and carefully blend until smooth; return to pot.
Keyword Baby Potatoes, Christmas Dinner, Classic Pot Roast, comfort food, Dutch Oven, Pot Roast, Winter dinner

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