Smothered beef pot roast is one of my favorite easy meals to cook for my family. It is one of the first main course dishes I learned how to make, and this recipe is truly foolproof. It has a couple of great shortcuts using gravy packets. I like to use a chuck or shoulder roast for my pot roast. Both of these types of cuts are a leaner, tougher cut but have good marbling throughout, making this pot roast very flavorful. The slow braising of the roast helps to break down and tenderize the meat, and the rich gravy is delicious over potatoes, rice or mashed cauliflower.
Servings: 6 (with leftovers)
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1 (5 ½- to 6-pound) beef chuck or shoulder roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onions
4 cloves minced garlic
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup dry red wine
2 packets low-sodium brown gravy mix
1 package brown gravy mix with mushrooms
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- Trim any excess fat off of the roast and pat it dry. Season all the sides with salt and pepper. Allow it to come to room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before browning.
- Move the rack in the oven to the middle position and heat to 375 degrees.
- Place a large Dutch oven on the stove top over medium to high heat. Add in the olive oil. Brown the roast for 4 to 5 minutes on all sides to sear the meat.
- Remove the meat, reduce the heat, and add in the chopped onions. Sauté for 1 minute and then add in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Sauté for another 10 to 15 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Turn off the heat and pour in the red wine. Turn the heat back on to medium. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to remove any of the brown bits from the bottom.
- Prepare the gravy packets according to the package directions and pour them into the Dutch oven. Continue stirring until mixture begins to simmer and thicken.
- Add the roast back into the gravy. The roast should be mostly submerged in the gravy. Cover the pot with the lid. Place it into the heated oven and cook for 1 hour.
- After an hour, carefully remove the lid, gently stirring the roast before putting the lid back on. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking for an added 1½ to 2 hours. The pot roast is done when it is fork tender and easy to slice.
Leftover Roast Beef Po-boys
This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue of 225 magazine.