Not Your Grandmother’s Pot Roast

Don’t let fool’s spring trick you: it’s still braising season

The first time I had pot roast was when I wrote a recipe showdown for The Kitchn comparing four top-rated recipes in 2020. You see, growing up, my mom wasn’t really into braising, well, anything. Big cuts of meat weren’t her thing, which meant I went well into adulthood without ever trying pot roast. Even after The Kitchn piece, I wasn’t sold—while the recipes were totally decent, none of them felt exciting enough to merit making them for a second time. Everything changed when my partner, Ryan, made a pot roast so good we brought the Dutch oven to the table and used the heel of a loaf of bread to sop up every last drop of sauce. 

Turns out the secret to good pot roast, like any recipe, is just building layers of flavor. Chuck roast (the most commonly used cut) is inherently tough and takes a few hours in the oven to bring out its best qualities, but if you do it right, the end result is downright indulgent.

A few notes to consider:

• If you don’t have chuck roast, use a top roast or brisket in its place. 

• I used a 3.5 pound roast, which was perfect after 3½ hours. If you have a bigger roast, keep braising until the meat is fork-tender and easily shreds with two forks. If the meat doesn’t easily shred apart, it’s not ready. 

• If you’re abstaining from alcohol for whatever reason, swap in stock (beef, chicken, veg) for wine. 

• If you don’t have sherry vinegar, use red wine, white wine, or even balsamic. The vinegar really brightens the pot roast and helps cut the fat. Don’t skip it! 

• I’m not sure my local grocery store even knows what a parsnip is…I found these at the farmer’s market. If you’re in a similar situation, you can swap them for more carrots—or potatoes.

Serves 6