🧅 French Onion Pot Roast
Tender, slow-cooked beef with caramelized onions and a rich French onion gravy. Perfect with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread.
Ingredients
For the roast
3–4 lb (1.4–1.8 kg) chuck roast
2 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp butter
Optional cheesy topping
1–1½ cups shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Season the beef: Pat the chuck roast dry. Season all over with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly coat with flour.
Sear: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for about 3–4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
Caramelize the onions: Add butter to the same pot. Add sliced onions and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft, golden brown, and caramelized.
Add garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
Deglaze: Pour in the red wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Build the gravy: Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves. Stir well.
Return the roast: Place the roast back into the pot, nestling it into the onions and broth.
Slow cook: Cover and cook in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 3–3½ hours, or until the beef is extremely tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
Finish: Remove the bay leaves. Taste the gravy and adjust salt and pepper.
Optional French-onion cheese finish: Transfer the shredded beef and onions to an oven-safe serving dish. Spoon some onions and gravy over the top, sprinkle with Gruyère or Swiss cheese, and broil for 2–4 minutes, until melted and lightly browned.
Serve: Spoon plenty of the onion gravy over the roast.
🍽️ Best Served With
Creamy mashed potatoes
Buttered egg noodles
Roasted potatoes
Green beans
Crusty French bread
