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Oven pot roast served with carrots and potatoes in rich brown gravy
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Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine Gravy

An overnight dry brine and a low, slow red wine braise turn a chuck roast into tender, deeply flavored pot roast with a built-in gravy.
Times exclude the overnight dry brine and 30-minute room-temperature rest.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Comfort Food
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 532kcal
Author Gary White

Ingredients

  • 3 ½-4 lb chuck roast dry-brined overnight with 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil for that sear

Aromatics & Herbs

  • 2 yellow onions chopped
  • 3 celery stalks sliced
  • 1 whole garlic bulb halved horizontally
  • 8 thyme sprigs
  • 1 rosemary sprig
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Liquid

  • 1 cup dry red wine cab or merlot, nothing sweet
  • 2 ½ cups beef broth reserve ½ cup for slurry

Veggies

  • 1 lb carrots peeled, cut chunky
  • 1 ½ lbs red or gold potatoes quartered
  • 1 yellow onion sliced

Thickener

  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with ½ cup beef broth to make a slurry

Instructions

  • Dry-brine the roast. Pat the chuck roast dry and season all over with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Place it on a rack and refrigerate uncovered overnight (or at least 12 hours). → Let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes before cooking.
  • Sear the roast. Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear roast on both sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
  • Sauté aromatics. Lower heat. Add chopped onion and cook at least 5 minutes, scraping up brown bits. Add celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and dry seasonings. Cook 5 more minutes, keeping the garlic cut side down. Add wine and simmer 2–3 minutes.
  • Braise the roast. Return roast to the pot and nestle into aromatics. Pour in 2 cups broth (don’t fully submerge). Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and transfer to oven. Cook for 3 hours.
  • Strain and thicken. Remove roast and strain out aromatics. Press them through a fine-mesh strainer to extract flavor. Add the reserved ½ cup broth mixed with 2 tablespoon cornstarch and stir well.
  • Add veggies. Add carrots, potatoes, and sliced onion to the pot. Nestle roast on top. Bring back to a simmer, cover again, and return to oven for 1 more hour.
  • Shred and serve. Remove pot from oven and uncover. Use two forks to shred the roast directly in the gravy. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread for soaking up every drop.

Video

Notes

  • Chuck roast works best; mock tender or bottom round will do in a pinch. Don't skip the brine.
  • Use a dry red wine, nothing sweet.
  • The dry brine replaces pre-cook seasoning. Taste before adding more salt at the end.
  • The roast should sit above the broth, not swim in it.
  • Mix the cornstarch slurry just before adding to avoid clumps.

Nutrition

Calories: 532kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 509mg | Potassium: 1386mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9626IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 5mg