Root Vegetable Pot Roast

April. Book two revision at 90%. I am close.

Drove Monday-Tuesday.

Tyler and Justin have senior prom in two weeks. Justin is going with his girlfriend Hannah, whom he has been dating since January (I had not written about her yet; she is quiet and kind, a school classmate). Tyler is going stag with a group of friends. Sierra broke up with him in February; it was amicable; he is fine.

Gayle had a quiet week. Slept more than usual.

Sunday: chicken and dumplings.

I ended up making pot roast that Sunday instead of dumplings — the root vegetables were already on hand, the house needed something slow and warm filling it, and honestly, with the revision at 90% and prom preparations swirling and Gayle resting quietly, I needed a meal that would take care of itself. Something going in the oven and asking nothing of me for a few hours felt exactly right. This is that recipe.

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

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lb baby potatoes, halved
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Preheat and season. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels, then season all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme.
Sear the roast. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the roast and sear for 4–5 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.
Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the same pot and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute more.
Deglaze and add liquid. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Nestle the roast back into the pot.
Add vegetables and aromatics. Arrange the carrots, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes around the roast. Tuck in the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. The liquid should come about halfway up the roast; add a splash more broth if needed.
Braise low and slow. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the roast is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft.
Rest and serve. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprigs. Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding. Serve with the braising liquid spooned over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Root Vegetable Pot Roast — A Sunday Kind of Comfort When You’re Almost There