Pot Roast — The Table Keeps Changing, But the Comfort Stays the Same

Labor Day. Back in my own kitchen for the first time in three weeks without having been away the whole time, which is a distinction that matters: I have been present, back and forth, involved. But this weekend I am in Tuscaloosa with my own back porch and my own yard and the particular smell of my house that I only notice when I've been away and come back to it.

I grilled ribs but the gathering was smaller this year — just Destiny and Travis, because CJ and Shanice are in Huntsville with a four-week-old and the four-hour round trip is not the move right now. This is fine. This is how seasons work. Last year Travis called CJ "brother" at this grill. This year CJ has a son. The table keeps changing. The ribs stay the same.

Destiny is glowing in the way of a woman who has a nephew she is extremely devoted to. She drove to Huntsville twice last week and the week before. She described Caleb with the particularity of a person who has been studying him closely: the face he makes when the light changes, the way his hand opens and closes in sleep, the fact that he already responds to low voices differently from high ones. She is doing what therapists do, which is pay precise attention to people, and Caleb is receiving it at three weeks old, which I think will serve him well.

I said grace at dinner and named Caleb Marcus Simms for the first time at my own table. I said his whole name, slowly. Destiny said amen before I was done saying it, which is exactly right. He's in this family. He belongs to this table. He always was going to.

The ribs were for the occasion, but if I’m honest, what I really wanted was something that could sit and wait and fill the whole house with a smell that says you are supposed to be here — and that’s a pot roast. Next time CJ and Shanice and baby Caleb make the drive down, this is what I’ll have going in the oven before they even pull into the driveway. It’s the kind of meal that doesn’t rush anyone, that holds, that says there’s a place set and it’s been set for you.

Pot Roast

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 6–8

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 lb baby potatoes, halved
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup red wine (or additional beef broth)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water (for gravy, optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season all sides generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Sear the roast. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the roast and sear without moving it for 4–5 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms on all sides. Transfer the roast to a plate.
3. Sauté aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the same pot and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring constantly for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Deglaze the pot. Pour in the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Build the braise. Nestle the seared roast back into the pot. Tuck the carrots, celery, and potatoes around it. Lay the rosemary and thyme sprigs on top. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the roast.
6. Slow roast. Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and pulls apart easily. Check at the 2-hour mark and add a splash of broth if the liquid has reduced significantly.
7. Make the gravy (optional). Remove the roast and vegetables to a serving platter and tent with foil. Set the Dutch oven over medium heat on the stovetop. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water, then stir into the pan drippings. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
8. Serve. Slice or pull the roast apart with two forks. Serve with the vegetables and pour the gravy over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 580mg