This dutch oven pot roast recipe may be getting back to basics, but it's anything but "basic." Slow-braised Red Wine Pot Roast is classic cold-weather comfort food. Chuck roast practically melts into slightly crispy but tender bites, while the red wine braising liquid becomes a subtly sweet, complex sauce. It's perfect for any occasion, but pairs best with mashed potatoes and a lazy Sunday.
Jump to:
Pot roast can be a very personal thing. If you came from a pot roast family, you know exactly what I'm saying. For purists, pot roast is an experience - it's seared then slow braised in a dutch oven, and served over mashed potatoes. They might side-eye your neighbor's slow cooker pot roast, and will definitely question pot roast in an Instant Pot.
I don't come from a pot roast family (in my childhood house, Sundays were for sauce!), but my husband does. So learning the art of the pot roast was a must. And what I learned was this - pot roast should be straightforward, but that doesn't mean it can't be complex.
Red wine and fresh herbs add complexity (flavor-wise) to pot roast without complicating the process. Wine can transform the flavor and intensity of an oven-braised hunk of beef with little fuss. While dutch oven beef stew is a classic comfort food, when I'm really looking to impress, I reach for beef stew with red wine.
So if you're not already married to (or married into) a family recipe, then this red wine pot roast recipe is worth trying and tweaking until it's all your own. Just know going in, both you and your roast will need lots of time and red wine.
What Cut of Meat Works Best for Pot Roast?
I prefer chuck roast for pot roast. It’s cheap, readily available, and packed with lots of fat (flavor) and connective tissue (gelatin). This article from The Kitchn is a great resource for selecting a cut for pot roast.
Should I Truss the Roast?
100% yes. The first thing I do is tie up my chuck roast with a bit of kitchen twine. A few reasons:
- the twine holds the roast together and makes it easier to turn when browning
- a (mostly) uniform shape ensures even cooking throughout
- your Dutch oven pot roast won’t fall apart towards the end, which makes for chunkier shreds
- it looks pretty
Okay fine, that last one doesn’t count for most reasonable people, but it works for me. I’d normally tell you that you should always do you, but in this case, I urge you to pay attention to first three points and tie up your roast.
How to Make Red Wine Pot Roast
Red Wine Pot Roast is made in the classic style - seared, then slow braised in a Dutch oven with mirepoix, lots of red wine, herbs, and lots of time. This recipe isn't difficult, but it is a process, so our best "Chef's Tip" is to read through the recipe first and be prepared!
- PREP. Preheat oven to 300°F. Get all the cutting out of the way - chop the vegetables and mince the garlic. Pat the meat dry, truss with twine, then season all over with salt and pepper.
- BROWN. Sear the seasoned roast in olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven until a good crust forms. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- SAUTE. Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in the remaining fat in the Dutch oven until soft; add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- DEGLAZE. Pour in 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the pot - this means you'll scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot and make sure the bottom is "clean". Add the beef broth and balsamic vinegar after the wine stops bubbling.
- RETURN THE ROAST. Return the roast to the pot and nestle on top of the vegetables. Then, pour in more wine until the roast is halfway submerged in liquid. Add the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- BRAISE. Bring the cooking liquid to a simmer, then turn of the burner, cover the pot, and place the entire dutch oven into the heated oven. Roast 3.5-5 hours, depending on the size of the roast (see notes), and test for doneness accordingly.
- SHRED. Remove the roast from the braising liquid using tongs, then shred.
- SAUCE. Strain the sauce from the vegetables, then transfer to a clean pot. Skim the fat and bring the liquid to a simmer over medium high heat. Simmer 5 minutes, or until reduce by half. Add the cold butter and whisk until emulsified.
- SERVE. Pour the pan sauce over the shredded pot roast, then serve over mashed potatoes or with your favorite sides (see below). Serve with additional sauce (au jus) on the side.
Chef's Tips!
- If you're going to swap out the cut of meat, go for brisket or round roast, which will still provide enough fat for flavor. Avoid loin (too lean) and no need to go super fancy (prime rib roast).
- While not necessary, trussing can make or break the recipe, especially the presentation. We highly recommend you invest in kitchen twine. It never goes bad!
- Don't use just any old wine! If you wouldn't drink it, you shouldn't cook with it.
- Skim off as much rendered beef fat as possible from the braising liquid at the end - you'll replace the fat (and flavor) when you emulsify the sauce with butter.
- You don't have to shred, though it will happen naturally. Feel free to cut into chunks while the twine is still on (just remove the string after).
What's the Best Red Wine for Pot Roast?
For beef dishes, your best bet is to go dry and heavy - Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or Syrah will make a rich, flavorful sauce. Merlot can be just a touch on the sweet side but it's still full-bodied enough that you can use with confidence. Avoid delicate wines like Pinot Noir - you'll lose much of the nuance in cooking process.
Even though you're "only" cooking, quality is still important - the rule of thumb is to not cook with anything you wouldn't drink, but to avoid going high-end too. The subtle complexities in any fine wine will disappear in the cooking process - not worth it.
How Long to Cook Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven?
This recipe works for a 3-5 pound pot roast, but the cooking times will vary. At 300°F in a covered Dutch oven, cook the red wine pot roast for:
- 3-lb pot roast: 3-3.5 hours
- 4-lb pot roast: 4-4.5 hours
- 5-lb pot roast: 4.5 - 5 hours
Starting testing for doneness around the 3-hour mark if the roast is closer to 3 pounds, and the 4-hour mark if closer to 4 pounds. The roast is ready when you can insert a fork into the flesh and it shreds without resistance.
Red Wine Pot Roast Serving Suggestions
Controversial Opinion: do not pair this hearty dish with lighter fare for "balance." This is stick-to-your-ribs comfort food and should be treated accordingly. I'm not trying to send you to the hospital, but you're gonna feel full, and you're gonna like it. Go for potatoes and a robust vegetable.
- Mashed potatoes are a classic pairing for pot roast. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes are rich and buttery, while olive oil mashed potatoes are great if you need a dairy free option.
- Round out the dish with a super flavorful side dish like Crispy Shredded Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms, Air Fryer Asparagus, or Honey Roasted Carrots.
If you're preparing a side dish that needs oven space, the roast will keep warm! Cover the whole pot roast with foil and wait to shred until just before serving.
Beef. It's What's For Dinner.
- Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese
- Rosemary Flank Steak
- Grilled Flat Iron Steak
- Air Fryer Steaks
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
Did you make this red wine pot roast? I'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
Did you make this red wine pot roast? I'd love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
While you're at it, let's be friends - follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.
Red Wine Pot Roast
Description
Ingredients
- 4 lb chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced to ½"
- 2 stalks celery, diced to ½"
- 1 large yellow onion, diced to ½"
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2-3 c dry red wine, divided
- 1 c beef broth
- ¼ c balsamic vinegar
- 1 spring fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon butter, cold
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels or a cotton kitchen towel. Truss the roast with kitchen twine, then season all over with the salt and pepper. Press to adhere the seasoning into the roast.
- Heat a 6-quart dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Place the roast in the dutch oven and sear until a good crust form on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. You may need to use a pair of tongs to hold up the roast on the shorter edges. Transfer the seared roast to a plate.
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the dutch oven and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, stir into the mirepoix, and sauté another minute or two until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of red wine to the pan to deglaze. Stir, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the wine stops bubbling. Pour in the beef broth and the balsamic vinegar and give everything a good stir.
- Using tongs, place the roast back into the dutch oven and nestle into the vegetables and braising liquid. Then, add enough additional red wine so that half of the roast is submerged in braising liquid (I used an additional 1.5 cups; you may need more or less depending on the size of your roast). Place the fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and bay leaves in the liquid.
- Increase the burner heat to high and bring the liquid to a simmer. Turn off the burner, cover the pot, and transfer to the oven. Roast for 3.5-5 hours, depending on the size of the roast (see notes). Starting testing for doneness around the 3-hour mark if the roast is closer to 3 pounds, and the 4-hour mark if closer to 4 pounds. The roast is ready when you can insert a fork into the flesh and it shreds without resistance.
- Remove the pot from the oven. Remove the pot roast from the dutch oven with a pair of tongs and set aside onto a platter.
- Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, and pour the braising liquid and vegetables through the strainer. With the back of a wooden spoon, gently press on the vegetables and extract as much liquid (and flavor) as possible from them. Discard the braising vegetables.
- Skim off the fat, which will have settled to the top of the liquid. To do so, lay a paper towel over the liquid until it just touches the surface. The paper towel will absorb the layer of fat on top of the jus. Discard the paper towel once it's saturated and repeat as needed until the fat is skimmed.
- Add the skimmed braising liquid to a clean pot and heat over medium high heat. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, then add the 2 tablespoons of cold butter and whisk until emulsified.
- Cut the trussing twine with scissors, remove from the pot roast and discard the twine. Shred the pot roast into large chunks using 2 forks. Dress with the red wine jus and serve as desired. We love this over buttery mashed potatoes.
Recipe Notes
- 3-lb pot roast: 3-3.5 hours
- 4-lb pot roast: 4-4.5 hours
- 5-lb pot roast: 4.5 - 5 hours
T
Hello, can you throw everything into a slow cooker after searing the Chuck roast?
Melissa
I am sorry if you have already answered this, but why does it say 1 cup beef broth divided? The recipe says to add the beef broth with the balsamic vinegar, but I do not see where more beef broth is added later in the recipe. Is the entire 1 cup added with the vinegar? I am sorry if I have missed it.
Danielle Esposti
My apologies, this was an error on my end, so thank you for catching it! I have updated the recipe card.