Description
Hearty French onion pot roast marries classic French comfort with tender beef braised in caramelized onion and rich beef broth. Slow-cooked beef melts with sweet onions, creating a rustic meal you’ll savor down to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3.4 lbs (1.5 kg) chuck roast
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or Worcestershire sauce)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup French onion soup (or additional beef broth)
- ½ cup dry white wine (or more broth)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (for topping, optional)
- Mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread
- Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Preparation: Meticulously dry chuck roast with paper towels, eliminating moisture to guarantee exceptional browning and caramelization.
- Seasoning: Generously rub salt and black pepper across entire roast surface, ensuring thorough flavor infusion and even coverage.
- Searing: Ignite Dutch oven over medium-high heat until scorching, strategically browning each roast side to develop intense caramelized exterior and seal in succulent juices.
- Onion Transformation: After removing roast, introduce sliced onions into identical pot, stirring attentively to capture delectable meat remnants and gradually caramelize until achieving deep amber complexity.
- Liquid Composition: Reunite roast with caramelized onions, delicately splash beef broth and red wine, supplementing fresh thyme, bay leaves, and garlic cloves to create multidimensional braising environment.
- Slow Cooking: Transfer covered pot into preheated oven, allowing gradual transformation where robust heat gently breaks down meat fibers, rendering extraordinarily tender and pull-apart texture.
- Finishing: Extract roast, permit brief resting period, then slice or shred. Strain remaining liquid, crafting luxurious sauce that amplifies overall gustatory experience.
Notes
- Master Meat Drying: Pat the chuck roast completely dry with paper towels to guarantee a perfect golden-brown sear, preventing steaming and ensuring maximum flavor development.
- Temperature Control: Use a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or cast-iron pot to distribute heat evenly, creating uniform caramelization and preventing hot spots that could burn the meat or onions.
- Seasoning Strategy: Apply salt and pepper generously, massaging into the meat’s surface at least 30 minutes before cooking to allow deeper flavor absorption and more intense taste profile.
- Wine Selection Wisdom: Choose a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot that complements the beef’s richness, avoiding overly sweet varieties that might disrupt the savory balance of the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg