Oven-Braised Beef Chuck Roast with Carrots and Potatoes

Name: Oven-Braised Beef Chuck Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3½ lb (1600 g) boneless beef chuck roast, patted very dry, tied with kitchen twine if uneven; 2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, divided: 1½ tsp for the roast, ½ tsp for the vegetables; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 2 large (about 1 lb) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges (8 per onion); 5 cloves (15 g) garlic, smashed and peeled; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warmed; 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs; 2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves, dried; 1½ lb (680 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, thick pieces halved lengthwise; 1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, skin on; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened; 2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deeply browned chuck roast braises low and slow in beef broth, red wine vinegar and tomato paste until fork-tender, with carrots, potatoes and onions added partway so they turn silky but keep their shape. A rich pan gravy comes straight from the braising liquid.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr 30 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 4 hr 15 min
Makes: 1 roast with vegetables (6 servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the roast
3½ lb (1600 g) boneless beef chuck roast, patted very dry, tied with kitchen twine if uneven
2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, divided: 1½ tsp for the roast, ½ tsp for the vegetables
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
For the braise
2 large (about 1 lb) (450 g) large yellow onions, peeled and cut into thick wedges (8 per onion)
5 cloves (15 g) garlic, smashed and peeled
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth, at room temperature or warmed
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
6 sprigs (6 g) fresh thyme sprigs
2 leaves (1 g) bay leaves, dried
For the vegetables
1½ lb (680 g) carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, thick pieces halved lengthwise
1½ lb (680 g) Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks, skin on
For the gravy
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for serving (optional)

Equipment (7)

6- to 7-quart (5.7–6.6 L) Dutch oven with lid, oven-safe
Tongs
Chef's knife and cutting board
Instant-read thermometer
Small bowl or fat separator
Whisk
Rimmed platter or carving board

Steps

Before you start

Pull the roast from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and salt it; a drier, less-chilled surface browns better.
Make sure your Dutch oven has a tight-fitting lid and holds at least 6 quarts (5.7 L) so the roast and vegetables fit.
Position an oven rack in the lower third and preheat to 300°F (150°C) while you brown the meat.
Plan on about 4 hours start to finish; the roast needs 3 to 3½ hours in the oven in total.

1
Season the roastOven 300°F / 150°C
- Let the roast sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Pat it very dry with paper towels, then rub all over with 1½ teaspoons of the kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Move an oven rack to the lower third and heat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
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Ready when: Surface of the meat looks dry to the touch
Tip: Wet meat steams instead of browning, so dry it thoroughly.
2
Sear the beef
- Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Lay in the roast and sear without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes per side, including the ends, for about 15 minutes total.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Deep mahogany crust on every side and the roast releases easily from the pot
Tip: If the pot smokes heavily or the drippings blacken, lower the heat to medium.
3
Soften onions and aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the onion wedges and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute until the paste darkens to brick red.
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Ready when: Onions are golden at the edges and the tomato paste smells sweet and toasty
Tip: Add a splash of broth if the bottom of the pot starts to scorch.
4
Deglaze and assemble
- Pour in the beef broth, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
- Scrape the bottom of the pot well and bring to a simmer.
- Add the thyme and bay leaves, then nestle the roast back in along with any juices from the plate.
- The liquid should come about one-third up the sides of the meat.
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Ready when: Liquid is simmering and no browned bits remain stuck to the pot
5
First braiseOven 300°F / 150°C
- Cover the pot tightly and place it in the 300°F (150°C) oven.
- Braise for 1½ hours without opening the lid.
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Ready when: Liquid is gently bubbling at the edges when you next lift the lid
Tip: If the lid does not seal well, lay a sheet of foil under it.
6
Add the vegetablesOven 300°F / 150°C
- Toss the carrots and potatoes with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt.
- Carefully remove the pot, flip the roast, and tuck the vegetables around and partly under the liquid.
- Cover and return to the oven.
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Ready when: Vegetables are arranged in a snug layer, mostly partially submerged
Tip: Use oven mitts and open the lid away from your face to avoid steam burns.
7
Finish braisingOven 300°F / 150°C
- Braise another 1¼ to 1¾ hours, covered.
- Check that a fork twists easily into the thickest part of the roast and the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced.
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Ready when: Roast reads about 200°F (93°C) in the center and a fork slides in with little resistance
Tip: If it still feels tight, cook 20 more minutes and test again; tough means undercooked, not overcooked.
8
Rest the meat
- Move the roast and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a rimmed platter and tent loosely with foil.
- Rest 15 minutes.
- Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves from the pot.
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Ready when: Roast is cool enough to handle and stops steaming heavily
9
Make the gravy
- Skim the fat from the surface of the liquid.
- Mash the softened butter and flour together into a paste.
- Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove over medium heat and whisk in the paste in small bits.
- Simmer 5 minutes, whisking, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste and add salt if needed.
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Ready when: Gravy is glossy and leaves a clear line when you draw a finger across a coated spoon
Tip: Whisk the paste in gradually to prevent lumps.
10
Slice and serve
- Cut the twine if used.
- Slice the roast against the grain into thick slices or pull it into large chunks.
- Serve with the vegetables, spoon gravy over everything, and sprinkle with parsley.
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Tip: Chuck falls apart easily, so slice thickly or just shred it.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip the sear; the browned crust is the main source of flavor in the gravy.
Keep the oven at 300°F (150°C); higher heat tightens the meat and makes it stringy.
Chuck is done by texture, not time. Fork-tender at about 200°F (93°C) means the connective tissue has melted.
Chill the leftover liquid and lift off the fat easily for a leaner gravy.

Make ahead

Braise the roast through step 7 up to 2 days ahead. Cool, refrigerate in its liquid, then lift off the solidified fat, reheat gently covered at 300°F (150°C) for 40 minutes, and make the gravy just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container with gravy. Freezer: up to 3 months (the potatoes soften, so freeze the meat and gravy alone for best texture). Reheat covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven or gently in a pot over low heat until steaming hot (165°F/74°C).

Substitutions

Yukon Gold potatoes → Small red potatoes, halved. Waxy potatoes hold their shape similarly well; avoid russets, which fall apart.
red wine vinegar → Dry red wine (¼ cup / 60 ml). Reduce the broth by ¼ cup so the liquid level stays the same.
unsalted butter → 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water. Whisk into simmering liquid for a gluten-free gravy; simmer 2 minutes.
boneless beef chuck roast → Beef brisket flat or bone-in short ribs. Brisket needs similar time; short ribs may need 30 minutes less.