Description
This Italian Pot Roast is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender chuck roast slow-cooked in a rich red wine sauce with pancetta, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. Perfectly browned and braised in the oven, this comforting meal pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a satisfying family-style dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 (3-pound) chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into approximately 3-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 4 ounces pancetta or good-quality bacon, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2-3 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups light red wine, such as pinot noir
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for serving
- Mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and season: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place a rack in the center position. Generously season the chuck roast pieces all over with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to develop deep flavor.
- Brown the meat: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, sear the meat in batches for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until evenly browned. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
- Sauté pancetta and vegetables: Lower the heat to medium and add the diced pancetta to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta crisps and renders its fat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. If vegetables stick, add a splash of water and scrape the browned bits from the bottom for more flavor.
- Add garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Then stir in the tomato paste to evenly combine with the vegetables.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in the light red wine and stir well to incorporate and lift any remaining browned bits from the pot’s bottom, enriching the sauce with deep flavor.
- Braise the meat: Return the browned chuck roast pieces and any collected juices to the Dutch oven, nestling them into the sauce but not fully submerging. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs. Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Oven cook: Once boiling, cover the Dutch oven with its lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and shreds easily when pierced with a fork.
- Finish the sauce: Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Using tongs, transfer the meat to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat on the stovetop and boil the liquid until it reduces by about one-third, around 8 to 10 minutes, concentrating the flavors into a rich sauce.
- Serve: Pour the reduced sauce over the meat on the platter. Garnish with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley. Serve family-style alongside creamy mashed potatoes or egg noodles for a complete comforting meal.
Notes
- Use a heavy Dutch oven to ensure even heating and excellent braising.
- Light red wines such as Pinot Noir work best to complement the flavors without overpowering.
- Letting the meat rest tented in foil ensures it stays juicy when served.
- You can substitute pancetta with good-quality bacon if pancetta is unavailable.
- This dish benefits from making a day ahead as flavors deepen upon resting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (approx. 8 oz meat with sauce)
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 45g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
