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French Onion Pot Roast Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 55 reviews

This French Onion Pot Roast is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring a tender, slow-braised chuck roast cooked with caramelized onions, garlic, white wine, and aromatic herbs. Finished with melted Gruyere cheese and served with toasted baguette slices, it’s an exquisite twist on classic French onion flavors perfect for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

  • 3 to 4 pounds boneless chuck roast – excess fat trimmed
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • Olive oil

Onion and Aromatics

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 large yellow onions – thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced

Liquids and Flavorings

  • ¾ cup dry white wine – Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups beef broth – plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce – plus more to taste

Herbs

  • 3 bay leaves – fresh or dried
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

Finishing

  • 1 cup freshly shredded Gruyere cheese
  • Sliced baguette – for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Season and Sear Roast: Pat the chuck roast dry and season both sides generously with Kosher salt and ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the roast for about 5 minutes per side until a golden crust forms. Remove the roast and set aside.
  3. Caramelize Onions: Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, melt butter, then add the sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes until they turn a light brown color, adding a splash of broth if needed to deglaze the pot’s browned bits.
  4. Add Garlic and Deglaze: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the white wine to deglaze the pot and let it reduce by half.
  5. Build Braising Liquid: Sprinkle flour over the onions, stirring to coat. Then add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Braise the Roast: Return the seared chuck roast to the pot, ensuring the liquid covers about ¾ of the meat; add more broth if necessary. Cover tightly with a lid and braise in the preheated oven for 3.5 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. For extra tenderness, cook for an additional 20 minutes.
  7. Prepare for Cheese Topping: Remove the pot from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Shred the beef into smaller chunks inside the pot. Discard excess fat, bay leaves, and herb bundles.
  8. Melt Cheese: Evenly top the meat and onions with shredded Gruyere cheese. Return the pot to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes until the cheese melts and bubbles.
  9. Serve: Serve warm, ideally over mashed potatoes or alongside your favorite sides, accompanied by toasted baguette slices.

Notes

  • Use dry white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio to balance the rich caramelized onions; white wine adds brightness and prevents bitterness.
  • 4 large yellow onions are necessary as they reduce significantly during caramelizing.
  • Do not rush caramelizing onions; it takes about 25-30 minutes for them to reach a light brown color before oven caramelization continues.
  • The braising liquid should cover at least ¾ of the beef; add broth as needed for coverage.
  • Use freshly shredded Gruyere cheese for better melting results.
  • To reheat, microwave with additional cheese and possibly a splash of broth to maintain moisture.

Keywords: French onion pot roast, braised chuck roast, caramelized onions, Gruyere cheese, comfort food, slow braise, French-inspired roast, Dutch oven recipe

Find it online: https://tastemadebyclara.com/french-onion-pot-roast-recipe/