Description
This Italian Pot Roast recipe features tender, slow-braised chuck roast cooked with pancetta, aromatic vegetables, and red wine. Finished with fresh herbs and served with creamy mashed potatoes or egg noodles, it’s a comforting and flavorful meal perfect for family-style dining.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 (3-pound) chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into approximately 3-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2-3 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
Additional Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta or good-quality bacon, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups light red wine, such as pinot noir
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for serving
Serving Suggestions
- Mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position to prepare for braising the roast.
- Season and brown beef: Generously season the chuck roast pieces all over with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Working in batches, add the meat and cook until browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer browned meat to a plate.
- Cook pancetta and vegetables: Reduce heat to medium. Add diced pancetta to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp and fat has rendered, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring constantly, until softened (about 5 minutes). If vegetables stick to the bottom, add a little water to scrape up browned bits. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and wine: Stir in tomato paste to combine with the vegetables. Pour in light red wine and stir to incorporate flavors well.
- Combine meat and herbs: Return the browned meat and any collected juices to the pot, nestling the pieces but not submerging them completely. Add bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs.
- Braise in oven: Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil on the stove. Then cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise the pot roast for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
- Remove herbs and keep meat warm: Take out the bay leaves and thyme stems from the pot. Using tongs, transfer the cooked meat to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm while you finish the sauce.
- Reduce sauce: Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat on the stove and bring the cooking liquid to a boil. Reduce the sauce by about one-third, roughly 8 to 10 minutes, to concentrate the flavors.
- Serve: Pour the reduced sauce over the meat on the serving platter. Garnish with finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley. Serve family-style with mashed potatoes or cooked egg noodles on the side for a complete meal.
Notes
- You can substitute pancetta with good-quality bacon if pancetta is not available.
- Allowing the sauce to reduce after braising intensifies the rich flavors.
- Using a Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot is ideal for even heat and moisture retention during braising.
- Resting the meat under foil after cooking helps retain juices and keeps it warm before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 115mg
