Pot roast is traditionally made with tougher cuts of well-marbled beef. As it cooks, the marbled fat breaks down and tenderizes the meat. There are a few options to choose from:
Chuck – You can’t go wrong with a shoulder chuck roast. It’s affordable and ideal for braising. When finished, the meat is super juicy and easy to shred.
Brisket – Braised brisket becomes deliciously tender and still sliceable.
Round – Round has the potential to be juicy and flavorful, but it’s very lean compared to chuck and brisket. Therefore, it’s important to cook it precisely and be careful not to dry it out.
Ingredients and substitutions
The ingredients in this pot roast recipe are fairly common and should be easy to find:
Beef – Shoulder cut chuck roast is my pick for pot roast. It has outstanding marbling and is perfect for braising at a low temperature over several hours.
Onion and garlic – Two important aromatic elements that not only make your pot roast taste amazing, but also fill your home with a wonderful aroma.
Flour – All purpose flour will thicken the red wine and beef broth sauce. If you’re gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend, almond flour, tapioca flour, or cassava flour instead.
Red wine – To deglaze the dutch oven and wake up the deep, rendered flavors. A dry red wine is best, like Merlot, Cabernet, or Pinot Noir. If you’d prefer to make it without alcohol, replace the wine with more beef broth or unsweetened pure grape juice.
Beef broth – This is your primary source of liquid for braising. Use a good, quality beef broth or make bone broth from scratch.
Herbs – I like to keep it simple with bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. To improve the presentation, garnish each serving with parsley or cilantro.
Yellow potatoes and carrots – These are classic pot roast vegetables. If you use a different potato, make sure it’s waxy with thin, delicate skin. Avoid starchy Russet potatoes as they do not hold their shape as well.
