prep: 15 minutes
cook: 4 hours 25 minutes
cool: none
I’ll always be grateful for a dinner that’s prepared by simply tossing a bunch of ingredients into a pot, walking away for a few hours, and returning to a delicious home-cooked meal—with very little cleanup. But this particular recipe has earned its name because of what it’s come to symbolize for our family. Sundays in our house are for rest, and to reset. A simmering pot roast is a subtle reminder to our family to take it easy. So, a few years ago, I dubbed this recipe the Sunday Pot Roast. It sits and simmers and cooks hour by hour, and by the end of the day, it gathers all of us around the dinner table. But, of course, there’s no wrong day of the week to make a really good, really simple pot roast.
One 5-pound chuck (pot) roast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
8 large carrots, cut into 2- to 3-inch chunks
1 white onion, halved
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 cups beef broth
¼ cup Worcestershire
4 thyme sprigs
1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
2. Rub the roast with the olive oil and sprinkle it evenly with the salt and pepper.
3. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, sear the roast until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
4. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, beef broth, Worcestershire, and thyme to the pot. Cover, transfer to the oven, and roast until the meat falls apart and the vegetables are fork tender, about 4 hours.
5. Serve the pot roast hot with the vegetables.
6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Makes 6 servings
TIP: The leftovers make a nice sandwich.