Sunday Dutch Oven Pot Roast

This comforting winter warmer is for those low-key weekends, where you stay in your comfy clothes and dive into the satisfaction of a great cooking project! We love preparing a weekend roast to not only provide the perfect Sunday night dinner, but also allow for lots of leftovers to be turned into lunches throughout the week. The classic pot roast is given an umami-bomb twist, with the addition of salty and flavourful pancetta and soy sauce. We love this recipe so much, we've done it twice! Choose our Sunday Dutch Oven Pot Roast method if you have the time for a little extra effort for a big reward. Looking for a pot roast that can cook while you sleep? You can also check out our Weeknight Slow Cooker Pot Roast - You'll find the same umami-forward ingredients, but with a few shortcuts to speed things up.

Ingredients

• 1 Beef Chuck Pot Roast (3 lbs)
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• ¾ cup pancetta, cut into paperclip-sized pieces
• 2 medium leeks, cut in half lengthwise & thinly sliced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 + 3 medium-large carrots, divided, 1 carrot cut into fine dice, remaining carrots chopped into 3-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups red wine, such as Cabernet
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium onion, quartered with root left intact
• Approximately 3/4 lb new potatoes, halved
• 1 Tbsp cold butter (optional)
• 1 Tbsp all purpose flour (optional)
• Kosher salt & Pepper, to season

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF
2. Pat beef dry all over with paper towel. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. In a large shallow dish, add 3-Tbsp flour, garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard powder, and 1-tsp brown sugar. Whisk to combine. Dredge all sides of beef in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
4. Set a large dutch oven (approximately 7 QT) on stovetop set to medium-high heat. Add 2-Tbsp olive oil and heat. Add beef and sear until browned on all sides. Approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add pancetta. Cook and render down fat until pancetta is golden-brown and beginning to crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
6. Add leek and cook until beginning to soften. Add celery and 1-finely diced carrot, season with a large pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and cook until soft but not coloured. Add garlic and thyme and cook 1-minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and remaining 1-Tbsp brown sugar and cook 1-minute more.
7. Add red wine and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add beef broth, soy sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine, season with another large pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and bring to a boil. Add in beef, cover with lid and roast in oven for 1-hour.
8. After 1-hour reduce heat to 250ºF and add in remaining chopped carrots, onion, and potatoes. Cover and cook another 1.5-2 hours, checking after 1.5 hours for tenderness. Remove beef from pot and set aside. Remove bay leaves and discard.
9. Set pot on stovetop set to medium-high and boil to reduce and thicken liquid. Optional: For a velvety thick sauce, combine 1 Tbsp cold butter with 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour in a small bowl by pinching together with clean fingers. Whisk in a bit at a time into liquid on stovetop. Cook at medium-heat for 5 minutes.
10. Serve beef either slightly shredded or sliced against the grain along with sauce and vegetables.

Tips

Beef leftovers can be made into sandwiches, tacos, pot pies, or more!

Share your Pot Roast photos with us on Instagram - Follow us @woodwardmeats