Classic Mom’s Pot Roast Recipe

Recipes from Mom are always comforting, and this version of Mom’s Pot Roast is a classic that delivers rich flavor and tender, fall-apart meat.

I don’t make pot roast often, but when I do, I like to share it with family and friends. Living in a warm climate means I don’t get many cold, gloomy winter days, so I usually prepare this roast at our Oregon house during winter—when temperatures fall below freezing and snow blankets the ground. That kind of weather makes hearty comfort food like this pot roast especially satisfying.

Recently I’ve also been enjoying new cookbooks and recipes that emphasize thoughtful, scratch cooking. One cookbook that caught my eye contains a wide variety of dependable recipes, from breads and condiments to desserts and main dishes. It’s a reminder that good cooking takes time and attention, and that simple techniques can produce remarkable results.

Standout recipe types that inspire this kind of home cooking:

• Pickles, jams, and house-made condiments
• Reliable bread dough you can use in several ways
• Perfect soft-boiled eggs
• Fluffy ricotta pancakes
• Smashed patatas bravas
• Crisp beer-battered fish
• Well-prepared chicken breasts
• A satisfyingly good chicken sandwich
• A hearty wedge salad
• A rich beef pho
• The ultimate chocolate chip cookie

Ingredients

• One 4-pound chuck roast
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 5 medium garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 cups (1 quart) beef stock
• 8 whole sprigs of fresh thyme
• 5 medium carrots, cut into 1½-inch sections
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (for gravy)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (for gravy)
• 3½ cups reserved cooking liquid (from the roast) for the gravy

How to make Mom’s Pot Roast

This recipe requires a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven and an oven preheated to 325°F. The method is straightforward: sear the meat, build flavor by sautéing aromatics, braise slowly in beef stock with thyme, then finish with carrots and a silky pan gravy.

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Pat the roast dry and season generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Heat the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is very hot, add the roast and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until well browned. Transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.

3. Add the quartered onion, sliced garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the pot. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the onion begins to soften. Pour in the beef stock and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat so the liquid is at a gentle simmer. Return the roast to the pot and nestle it into the broth. Arrange the thyme sprigs around the roast. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the oven to braise for 1½ hours.

5. After 1½ hours, add the carrot sections around the roast. Replace the lid and continue cooking for another 1 to 1½ hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls apart.

6. When the roast and carrots are tender, transfer them to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard the thyme stems. Reserve about 3½ cups of the cooking liquid for making the gravy.

Making the gravy

Homemade gravy is simple and rewarding. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Whisk in ½ cup of all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 45 seconds to remove the raw flour taste.

Gradually whisk in the reserved cooking liquid from the pot roast, adding enough to reach your desired thickness. You may not need the entire 3½ cups. Continue whisking until the gravy is completely smooth and heated through, then remove from the heat.

Slice or pull the pot roast and serve with the carrots, generously ladling warm gravy over each portion. This pot roast is excellent with mashed potatoes or crusty French bread to soak up the juices. It’s a perfect main for a relaxed Sunday dinner or a cold winter evening.

Notes

• Use a well-marbled chuck roast for the best flavor and tenderness after braising.
• Adjust salt in the gravy to taste—beef stock varies in sodium.
• If you prefer a thicker gravy, whisk an additional tablespoon of flour into melted butter before adding more cooking liquid.