Cast Iron Pot Roast
May 20, 2026: On YouTube live, we took a chuck roast and made it into a pot roast, using a big enamel cast-iron pot. Every part of it was done in exactly the right way. Thanks to the advice of the chat room, I kept the enamel pot completely covered. The liquid level did reduce some, but just enough: the liquid had congealed into a thick and delicious sauce. The roast was tender enough to pull apart, and I did not need a knife at all to serve it. As for the flavour, the chilli paste added just a touch of tang or heat in the background to enhance it. Guy Fieri may not know anything about this channel, but this pot is a one-way ticket to Flavourtown.
Chuck roast is the best cut of beef for this recipe, as it is packed with flavor! Chuck has the best proporation of beef to fat, and the fat will dissolve as it cooks to produce a superior sauce. This recipe will also with with other tough cuts of meet, including top sirloin or round; though it may be necessary to add additional fat to the pot.
Pans needed: One large cast iron dutch oven (preferably enamel), at least 5 or 6 quarts in size. A 10-inch cast iron skillet to sear the roast beef. One large bowl for the chopped vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 large beef chuck roast, 2.5 pounds or larger
- 1 large onion, cut into medium or large pieces (you don't have to finely dice the vegetables)
- 3 large carrots, cut into medium to large pieces
- 4 stalks celery, cut into medium to large pieces
- 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup red wine
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 springs fresh thyme
In order to get a good crust on the pot roast, I highly recommend dry brining it in the refrigerator a few hours in advance, if possible.
Place a rack or trivet on top of a tray, and place your roast on the rack. The roast should be elevated so both the top and bottom can dry out. Sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt, about 3 teaspoons (or one tablespoon) over both sides of the roast. Sprinkle the top side of the roast with salt, turn it over, and sprinkle salt over the other side. If you want to add other seasonings to the roast at this point, you can do so. I usually add ground black pepper in addition to kosher salt.
Place the tray, rack, and the roast in the refrigerator, uncovered. Let it dry out in the refrigerator over the course of several hours. The salt will be absorbed into the roast and cause it to release its inner juices, then absorb those juices back into the meat. (This is known as osmosis. Yay, science!) The outside of the roast (top and bottom) will dry out, but the inside won't. The inside will still be juicy and tender.
Preheat your oven to only 275 degrees Fahrenheit. We're going to be slow-cooking this roast, so the temperature shouldn't be too high.
If possible place a large cast iron skillet on the stovetop, one large enough to fit the roast. Heat the skillet on medium heat (that's all you need) for 10 to 15 minutes, to ensure the entire pan is hot enough to sear the roast.
While the pan is heating on the stove, chop up your vegetables: carrots, celery, and onions. Chop them into large pieces; they don't need to be diced. You can place all of the chopped vegetables into one bowl.
When the pan is good and hot, add about one tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, and swirl the pan around to spread the oil and cover the surface of the pan. After about a minute, the oil will be hot enough to sear the roast.
While waiting for the oil to heat up, place your large enameled cast iron pot onto another burner of the stove, and heat it on medium. You can remove the cover of the pot or keep it on.
When the pan is good and hot, add about one tablespoon of cooking oil to the pan, and swirl the pan around to spread the oil and cover the surface of the pan. After about a minute, the oil will be hot enough to sear the roast. Place the roast into the pan, and let it sear for about two minutes. After two minutes, use tongs and turn the roast over onto the other side, and sear the other side for another two minutes. We're doing this to put a crust on the roast -- it isn't necessary to cook the inside of the meat. After both sides have been seared, turn off the heat and move the roast back onto the rack that was used to dry brine it.
At this point, the enameled pot will be hot enough to sautee the vegetables. Add about a tablespoon of cooking oil into the enameled pot and spread it around. Using a pot holder and a spatula , be sure to scrape the cooked fond and juices from the roast into the enameled pot as well, to add some extra flavor!
Add minced garlic to the enameled pot, and sautee the garlic about a minutes; be sure it doesn't burn. After this, add
the vegetables to the enameled pot, and sautee them for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Melt 5 tablespoons of butter into the mixture, stirring until the butter is melted. Add tomato paste, and mix it all together. Add flour. Mix in until everything is combined.
Pour the wine and the chicken stock (or broth) into the pot, and stir it around to mix everything. Add bay leaves and thyme. Add worcestershire sauce and mix it in. Place the roast into the pot, into the liquid and on top of the vegetables. Cover the pot, and place it into the oven.
Slow-cook at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours. Remove the bay leaves and tyme stems. Serve! The pot roast will be falling apart, so use a spatula or even a serving spook to move it from the pot to the plate (or bowl). You won't need a knife at all to serve this wonderful dish.
