Perfect Pot Roast & Root Veggies, on a pie blog? Yes. I do love pies, but pairing dinner with pies (like wine) is fun. Plus, I am one of those that needs savory to offset the sweet; ying and yang of a hearty dinner and a light pie for dessert.
To get right into things, you will need a dutch oven (square or round) with a lid or large glass baking dish with a domed lid. Your pot roast needs some room as you will be adding the root veggies halfway through baking time.
I used two pot roasts equal to about 4 pounds.
Use a large platter and coat the roasts in seasoned flour (gluten free is great). I had just moved and the only platter I could find was my Wonder Woman platter. Thank You Lydia!
Sear the coated pot roasts in a hot skillet with about 3 to 4 tablespoons of cooking oil or butter (I like 50/50 mix). Set the roasts aside back onto platter.
In the same skillet add the onions, saute until the edges are starting to brown and add the onions to the dutch oven. Place the seared roasts on top. Deglaze the skillet with red wine (see recipe) and add to dutch oven along with bay leaf, half of the beef broth, tomato paste and herbs.
Place the lid on dutch oven and bake at 350 F for 2 hours. While baking, this is a great time to cut up and prep the root veggies.
At the end of 2 hours you will see the gorgeous earthy crimson (see above). Add the root veggies and an additional 2 cup of beef broth.
What Root Veggies To Use:
- Yukon Gold or Red Potatoes. Yukon Golds have a buttery flavor, Red potatoes have a subtle sweet flavor.
- Russet potatoes are less dense, but higher in starch than Yukon or Red potatoes.
- Parsnips have a nutty earthy sweet flavor.
- Carrots speak for themselves, color and taste.
- Vidalia or Walla Walla onions, also on the sweeter side of the onion family.
- Turnips are sweet, nutty, and earthy.
- Rutabagas are less sweet than carrots and other root veggies, but the flavor sweetens a bit when cooked.
Place the lid back on dutch oven and return to oven at 325 F for additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours. I tested mine at 1 hour 45 minutes, roast was shreddable and veggies were perfect and not mushy.
Remove the roast(s) onto platter, spoon out veggies and place around roasts. For the most part, the onions will be “baked” away. However, the fun finishing touch is next; the gravy!
In a sauce pan add 4 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons flour. Cook and stir over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes to make roux. Pour all of the drippings from dutch oven into butter/flour mixture. Whisk with a flat bottom whisk over medium-high heat until gravy thickens. Serve over shredded roast and veggies.
As far as pie pairing, I chose Lemon Cranberry Swirl Tart, which I made a day prior. It is a light refreshing finish to this ultimate pot roast and root veggie feast.
Pot Roast & Root Veggies
Ingredients
- 3.5 to 4 lbs. bonelessbeef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons Penzeys Season Salt (divided)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large sweet onion, cut in about 3/4-inch slices and thencut in chunks
- 1 cup red wine (cabernet sauvignon is a good all around red cooking wine)
- 4 cups beef stock (divided)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces (peelingoptional)
- 2 medium parsnips, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces (peeling optional)
- 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces (peeling optional)
- 2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces (peeling optional)
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup butter (for gravy at end of cooking)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour (for gravy at end ofcooking)
Instructions
- Preheat ovento 350 F.
- In a large bowl or serving platter, stir 1/4 cup flour with 1 teaspoon of season salt and pepper. Coat all sides of the pot roast.
- In a skillet ,heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat, but not smoking. Add the roast and sear on all sides, until deep darkened sear, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Sear the ends and sides too, this will take about 15 to 20 minutes total. Remove roast to a large platter and set aside.
- Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until beginning to brown around the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer onions to dutch oven and place roast on top.
- Add the wine to the skillet to thoroughly deglaze while scraping up the flavorful browned bits from the pan. Pour over roast and onions in dutch oven.
- Stir in 2 cups of beef stock, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, marjoram/oregano, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Pour over roast and onions in dutch oven.
- Place lid on dutch oven and braise in 350 F oven for 2 hours.
- At the end of 2 hours, reduce oven to 325 F. Remove dutch oven.
- Remove lid and place the carrots, potatoes, parsnips and celery into the braising liquid around the roast. Sprinkle on additional season salt and the remaining 2 cups of beef broth. Replace lid and return to the oven.
- Braise for an additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours. The roast should pull apart easily and vegetable should be tender, but not too soft. (I used 2 roasts with combined weight of 4 pounds, it was done at 1 hour, 45 minutes.)
- Remove from the oven. Carefully transfer roast and vegetables to a platter, pour the pot roast broth from the dutch oven into a separate bowl or container.
- In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup flour, cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 1 minute to make roux. Slowly whisk in 3 to 4 cups of pot roast broth, cook and continue whisking until gravy has thickened. (If you need more liquid, add more beef stock.)
- Serve pot roast with veggies with a generous portion of gravy.
