Butter-Braised Pot Roast with Winey Gravy
A glossy, fork-tender pot roast braised low and slow with wine, broth, and butter until it tastes like you planned your life better than you did.
Ingredients
Main
- 3 to 4 lb chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion thickly sliced
- 3 carrots cut into large chunks
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine or beef broth
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion and carrots to the pot and cook until lightly caramelized, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant and brick-red.
- Deglaze with red wine, simmering 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly.
- Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and butter. Return the roast to the pot.
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours, turning once, until fork-tender.
- Remove roast and simmer the sauce uncovered for 10–15 minutes to thicken slightly. Season to taste.
- Shred or slice the meat and spoon the gravy over the top to serve.
Notes
Chuck roast + low heat guarantees tenderness with minimal effort. Use baby carrots for speed. Skip wine and use all broth with a splash of balsamic if needed. Toddler-friendly when finely shredded and served with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.