Description

This Dutch Oven Pot Roast is the ultimate one-pot comfort food. Tender chuck roast slow-cooked with hearty vegetables in a rich, flavorful gravy. Perfect for Sunday supper, cozy weekends, or whenever you need a big, comforting hug on a plate.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp plain, all-purpose flour
1 tsp sea salt flakes
a good grind of black pepper
1.7-2kg approx. beef chuck roast
2 leeks, sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
300ml red wine
700ml beef stock
1 tbsp porcini powder
1 tbsp seeded mustard
1 stick celery, sliced
4 carrots, cut into large chunks
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
6 baby potatoes

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven, add the oil and warm up the pot on low to medium heat on the stove top.
Pat dry the chuck roast and pop aside.
In a bowl, combine the flour, 1 tsp sea salt flakes, and a good grind of black pepper. Mix together and add the chuck roast. Coat all sides of the roast in the flour mixture.
Add the roast to the heated Dutch oven. Brown the roast on all sides, then remove from the pot and set aside.
If needed, add a little more oil to the pot and add the sliced leeks. Saute on low heat for til soft. Add the crushed garlic and saute for a further minute.
Deglaze the pot by adding the red wine and let it reduce slightly (a minute or two is fine) before adding 1 cup of the beef stock, porcini powder, and seeded mustard. Using a silicon spatula, run it over the sides and base of the pot to release any stuck-on brown bits (the frond). Give it a good stir to incorporate all the flavors – this stuff is slow-cooking gold!
Return the beef to the pot along with any resting juices.
Add the celery, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves to the pot along with the remaining beef stock. Pop on the lid and bring to a simmer on the stove before popping it into the preheated oven for 2.5 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and add the baby potatoes. Pop the lid back on and return to the oven for a further hour or until the meat is fork-tender and falling apart.

Notes

Even though enamel cast iron is a low heat cooking vessel, you can use a medium heat if (and only if) it has a sufficient amount of liquid in it.

This recipe was cooked in a 26cm enamel Dutch oven. You could also cook it in a 28cm as well, however, you may need to add a little extra stock.

To make gravy from the beef broth…

Remove the carrots, potatoes, and beef from the pan and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid through a sieve and pour into a heat-proof jug (I use a fat separator)- You should have between 2-3 cups.

In the Dutch oven on low heat melt 30g butter. Add 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour and give it a stir to combine it into a roux. Continuously stir it for a couple of minutes to cook out the flour.

Add 250ml of the pan juices and bring to a low simmer, whisking continuously. Keep adding beef broth while the gravy thickens. To give you an idea, I generally use about 500ml of broth. A good gravy takes time. It will deepen in colour and flavor the longer it cooks. I normally aim for at least 30 minutes. Add some water (if needed) and reduce until you have the desired gravy thickness.

Season the gravy with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the gravy alongside the chuck roast and vegetables for your supper.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 579
Sugar: 4.7 g
Sodium: 875.7 mg
Fat: 19.7 g
Carbohydrates: 29.1 g
Protein: 60.4 g
Cholesterol: 167.2 mg