Perfect Pot Roast

A tender chuck roast slowly braised with carrots, onions, and aromatic herbs in a flavorful hard cider and beef broth sauce. This classic comfort dish creates a fork-tender roast with perfectly cooked vegetables and a rich, savory gravy.

6 servings

4 hr 30 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 to taste Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
•½ teaspoon ground fennel
•3 pound chuck roast
•3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
•3 large carrots
•½ pound cipollini onions
•3 cloves garlic
•1¼ cups hard cider
•3½ cups beef broth
•6 sprigs fresh thyme
•1 sprig fresh rosemary
•1 leaf bay leaf
•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•2 tablespoons tomato paste

Cooking Instructions

1.
Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
5 min
2.
Combine the salt, pepper, and ground fennel in a small bowl. Generously season the roast with the spice mixture.
5 min
3.
Add enough oil to a large Dutch oven to coat the bottom. Heat it over medium-high heat, add the roast, and sear 8 to 10 minutes total, turning to brown all sides. Transfer the roast to a bowl.
10 min
4.
Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove the vegetables and place in a clean bowl.
8 min
5.
Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of the cider. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Add 2 cups of the broth and bring it to a boil again.
5 min
6.
Add 4 sprigs of the thyme, the rosemary, bay leaf, and roast to the pot (reserving the vegetables in the bowl). Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
5 min
7.
Cover the pot, place it in the oven, and roast for 2 hours. Add the reserved vegetables and roast for 1 more hour, until the roast is fork-tender but not mushy.
180 min
8.
Remove the roast and vegetables to a large bowl or platter and cover to keep warm. Let the braising liquid cool slightly, then strain the liquid into a bowl (discard the solids).
10 min
9.
Skim off any fat that has risen to the top.
5 min
10.
Purée the braising liquid in a blender.
5 min
11.
To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine with the oil. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cider and the tomato paste and mix well.
5 min
12.
Return the braising liquid to the pot along with the remaining 1 1/2 cups beef broth and the remaining 2 thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
20 min
13.
Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the thyme sprigs.
2 min
14.
To serve, slice the pot roast, arrange the vegetables around it, and pour the sauce over the top.
5 min
15.
In many pot roast recipes, there is an element of alcohol. In mine, I use hard cider, but you can also try red wine, a heavy beer, or-for your Irish friends-Guinness. The booze gives the meat an extra dimension but won't get the family hammered.

Ingredients

•1 to taste Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

•½ teaspoon ground fennel

•3 pound chuck roast

•3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

•3 large carrots

•½ pound cipollini onions

•3 cloves garlic

•1¼ cups hard cider

•3½ cups beef broth

•6 sprigs fresh thyme

•1 sprig fresh rosemary

•1 leaf bay leaf

•2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•2 tablespoons tomato paste

Cooking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

5 min

Combine the salt, pepper, and ground fennel in a small bowl. Generously season the roast with the spice mixture.

5 min

Add enough oil to a large Dutch oven to coat the bottom. Heat it over medium-high heat, add the roast, and sear 8 to 10 minutes total, turning to brown all sides. Transfer the roast to a bowl.

10 min

Add the carrots, onions, and garlic and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Remove the vegetables and place in a clean bowl.

8 min

Deglaze the pot with 1 cup of the cider. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Add 2 cups of the broth and bring it to a boil again.

5 min

Add 4 sprigs of the thyme, the rosemary, bay leaf, and roast to the pot (reserving the vegetables in the bowl). Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

5 min

Cover the pot, place it in the oven, and roast for 2 hours. Add the reserved vegetables and roast for 1 more hour, until the roast is fork-tender but not mushy.

180 min

Remove the roast and vegetables to a large bowl or platter and cover to keep warm. Let the braising liquid cool slightly, then strain the liquid into a bowl (discard the solids).

10 min

Skim off any fat that has risen to the top.

5 min

10.

Purée the braising liquid in a blender.

5 min

11.

To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine with the oil. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup cider and the tomato paste and mix well.

5 min

12.

Return the braising liquid to the pot along with the remaining 1 1/2 cups beef broth and the remaining 2 thyme sprigs. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.

20 min

13.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the thyme sprigs.

2 min

14.

To serve, slice the pot roast, arrange the vegetables around it, and pour the sauce over the top.

5 min

15.

In many pot roast recipes, there is an element of alcohol. In mine, I use hard cider, but you can also try red wine, a heavy beer, or-for your Irish friends-Guinness. The booze gives the meat an extra dimension but won't get the family hammered.