Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Fresh Herbs

Our Dutch oven pot roast with fresh herbs is finished with a flavorful gravy created from the braising liquid. Fresh herbs add a special touch to this meal, but you can also substitute dried herbs if you prefer. This classic home-style meal is simple to prepare, and you can enjoy it any time of year.

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This recipe is similar to a slow cooker pot roast, but the Dutch oven lets you sear the meat first, adding an extra layer of flavor. The result is a tender, juicy pot roast that is packed with flavor. 

Serve this herbed pot roast with some rustic barley bread or spelt sourdough bread and a roasted beet green salad. Dinner is done!

Here is Why This Recipe Works

• Searing the roast first seals in the flavor.
  
• Coating the meat in flour before searing will help it get a rich, crisp, bark. The flour helps the exterior brown and caramelize quicker.
  
• A slow braise in the Dutch oven results in tender, flavorful meat. 
  
• A splash of red wine adds richness and depth (but you can sub for broth).

The Ingredients

Here is a list of the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details. 

• Chuck roast. You can also use bottom round, top round, or brisket. 
  
• Flour. We used flour to coat the beef before we seared it then more flour gets used to thicken the gravy. 
  
• Salt and pepper.
  
• Cooking oil.
  
• Onions. 
  
• Garlic. Minced.
  
• Tomato paste. Adds richness to the braising liquid. 
  
• Red wine. If you don’t cook with wine, use additional broth. 
  
• Beef broth. You can substitute with chicken broth or bouillion paste mixed with water. 
  
• Worcestershire sauce. Adds rich umami flavor. 
  
• Carrots. You can keep them whole or cut them into large chunks.
  
• Potatoes. We used Yukon Golds because the skin is thin, and you don’t need to peel them. 
  
• Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, oregano, and bay leaves.
  
• Butter. The butter is used to make the thickener for the gravy.

How to Make It

Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.

1. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper, then dredge the meat in the flour mixture. 
2. Sear the roast in a Dutch oven, then set it aside on a plate. Saute the onions in the same pot. 
3. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Deglaze the pot with wine, then add broth, Worcestershire, and the roast. Top with the herbs and vegetables. 
4. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and place the pot in a preheated oven. Roast until the meat is fork-tender (about 3 hours). 

Tips for Success

• The roast cooks for three hours, so the vegetables will get soft. If you like your vegetables more ‘toothsome’, add them during the last hour of the cooking time. 
  
• Don’t cut the vegetables too small or they will get mushy and turn into baby food. 
  
• You can replace the wine with additional beef broth.
  
• It is not necessary to peel the potatoes but make sure you scrub them clean. 
  
• The butter-flour paste used in the sauce is called beurre manié. It’s an easy and quick thickener for sauces.

We hope you enjoy this Dutch oven pot roast with fresh herbs! If you have any leftovers, it makes great sandwiches the next day. Try making a sandwich with a little marinara sauce and cheese, similar to our meatloaf sandwich or add sauteed onions and peppers like we did in our tri tip sandwich.

Helpful Tools

Some of the following are affiliate links. If you click on these links and purchase something, we may receive a small commission. You don’t pay any extra, but it will help us keep the lights on. 

• A Dutch oven (this one comes with a grill lid)
• Strainer (to strain the braising liquid)
• Tongs (to turn the roast when you sear it)

Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:

This slow cooker Tri-Tip cooks until the meat shreds with a fork. .

Our oven finished ribeye steak is perfect for any meat lover and it is an easy dinner.

This pork and beef meatloaf is sweet and savory, and so easy to make! meal.

For More Dutch Oven Recipes

• Dutch oven beef stew
• whole roasted chicken
• Moroccan chicken stew
• chicken and dumplings
• beef burgundy
• duck cassoulet

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 4 hours hrs

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

4.95 from 19 votes

Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Herbs

By Pat Nyswonger

A savory pot roast seasoned with fresh herbs and garlic. This old-time comfort food is easy to make and can be enjoyed any time of year. The fresh herbs really make this dish special. If you don't have fresh herbs, you can substitute dried herbs. Just use about one-third the amount of dried.

When you finish cooking the pot roast, save the braising liquid to make a savory gravy to accompany the roast.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

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For the Pot Roast

• ▢ One 3-pound chuck roast
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• ▢ 2 large onions, peeled and cut in bite-size pieces
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ ½ cup red wine, optional
• ▢ 3 cups beef broth
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 4 to 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• ▢ 4 to 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half
• ▢ 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• ▢ 2 sprigs fresh oregano
• ▢ 2 bay leaves

For the gravy:

• ▢ 2 cups of pan drippings
• ▢ 2 tablespoons soft butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flour

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Instructions 

For the Dutch Oven Pot Roast

• Preheat the oven to 300° F.
• Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or dinner plate. Add the beef to the flour and coat each side, including the edges.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven, over medium-high heat.  Add the beef to the pot, searing and browning it on both sides and the edges (about 3 to 4 minutes per side). Transfer the beef to a plate. 
• Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.  Pour in the red wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pot. 
• Pour the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce into the Dutch oven then return the seared chuck roast. Add the potatoes, carrots, thyme, rosemary, oregano and bay leaves. (If you want firmer vegetables, add them during the last hour of the cooking time). Put the lid on the Pot and transfer it to the preheated oven and roast for 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily with a fork.
• Transfer the meat and the vegetables to a serving plate and cover with foil to stay warm while making the gravy.

For the Gravy/ Sauce:

• Discard the herbs and pour the braising liquid through a strainer. Measure out 2 cups of the braising liquid and return it to the Dutch oven or a small saucepan. 
• Combine the butter and flour in a small dish. Stir until it becomes a smooth paste. 
• Bring the braising liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove it from the heat and whisk in the butter-flour paste until completely melted. Return the pan to the heat and simmer briefly (stirring constantly), until thickened. 
• Transfer the gravy to a serving container and serve with the pot roast.

Notes

• If you don’t have beef broth you can use 2 tablespoons beef paste such as Better Than Boullion mixed with 3 cups of water. You may need to cut back on the salt if you use bouillion. 
• You can replace the wine with additional beef broth. 
• Don’t slice the carrots and potatoes too small or they will get mushy and fall apart. You can even place the vegetables in the pot whole. 
• The vegetables get fairly soft and soak up some of the braising liquid as the pot roast cooks. If you like your potatoes and carrots firmer, do not place them in the pot until the last hour of the cooking time. 
• Peeling the potatoes is not necessary but make sure you scrub them well. 
• The butter-flour paste used in this recipe is known as beurre manié. It is an ideal last-minute thickener for sauces. If you want more gravy/ sauce, use the following formula: For each cup of liquid, mix 1 tablespoon each of soft butter and flour to a smooth paste with a spoon or rubber spatula. 
• For a thicker sauce/ gravy, increase the portions to 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour. 
• This beurre manié sauce is meant to be used immediately, do not boil the sauce, simmer briefly to cook the flour. Over-cooking or reheating will cause the sauce to break down and thin.  
• Other cuts of meat that work well besides chuck roast are bottom round, top round, and beef brisket. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 544kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 316mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This recipe was originally published on December 15, 2014. We updated the photos and added some helpful tips.

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