Slow Sunday Pot Roast

This is a recipe for a slow day at home. You spend about half an hour browning the meat and softening the vegetables in the morning, then cover the pot and leave it alone for most of the afternoon.

What makes this pot roast a little different is the sauce. Red wine and broth do the braising, a packet of onion soup mix adds savory depth, and a spoonful of pomegranate molasses gives it a gentle sweet-sour note that keeps the whole thing from feeling heavy. Balsamic vinegar works well too.

By dinnertime, the beef falls apart at the touch of a fork. You can add potatoes to the pot for the last hour, but I much prefer serving it over buttery mashed potatoes.

Why this pot roast works

• Browning the beef well builds the deep, savory base of the sauce.

• Chuck roast is full of connective tissue that melts into tenderness over a long, slow simmer.

• Pomegranate molasses adds brightness and balances the richness.

• It’s almost entirely hands-off once it’s in the pot.

Ingredients for pot roast

• Chuck roast: look for a well-marbled boneless roast.

• Pomegranate molasses: a thick, tangy Middle Eastern syrup, found near the vinegars or online. Balsamic is a fine substitute.

• Onion soup mix: a shortcut that adds a lot of flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 (4–5 lb) boneless chuck roast

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil (avocado, canola or vegetable)

• 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped

• 3–4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

• 3–4 celery ribs, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, sliced

• ¼ cup tomato paste

• 1 (1 oz) packet onion soup mix

• 2 cups chicken stock, beef stock or water

• 1 cup red wine

• ¼ cup pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar

• Optional: 2–3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

• Mashed potatoes or white rice, to serve

Method

1. Season: Pat the roast dry with paper towels and season it generously all over with salt and pepper.

2. Brown: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the roast well on all sides, 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

3. Soften the vegetables: Lower the heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Build the sauce: Stir in the onion soup mix, stock, red wine and pomegranate molasses, scraping up the browned bits.

5. Simmer: Return the roast and its juices to the pot. Cover and simmer on low for 4–5 hours, until fork-tender. If using potatoes, add them for the last hour.

6. Serve: Break the meat into large pieces, transfer to a platter, and spoon the sauce and vegetables over the top. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. Dinner is served.

Tips for the best pot roast

• Get a deep brown crust. It’s where most of the flavor comes from.

• Keep it at a bare simmer. A hard boil makes the meat tough.

• Skim the fat from the sauce before serving for a cleaner finish.

Substitutions

• Slow cooker: after step 4, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

• Oven: braise covered at 300°F for 4 hours.

• No wine? Use extra stock plus an extra tablespoon of pomegranate molasses.

How to store pot roast
Keep it in the fridge, in its sauce, for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavor improves overnight.

FAQ
How do I know when it’s done? It should fall apart easily when pressed with a fork.
Can I make it ahead? Yes. It reheats beautifully and is even better the next day.
What cut is best? Boneless chuck roast. Brisket also works but may need longer.

What I used
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• Dutch oven

• Pomegranate molasses

• Long tongs