Description
This French Onion Pot Roast is a comforting, flavorful dish featuring a tender chuck roast braised in caramelized onions, white wine, beef broth, and fresh herbs. Topped with melted Gruyere cheese, it's perfect served with toasted baguette or mashed potatoes for a hearty and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3 to 4 pounds boneless chuck roast - excess fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Olive oil
Onion Mixture
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large yellow onions - thinly sliced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- ¾ cup dry white wine - Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Braising Liquid and Seasoning
- 3 cups beef broth - plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce - plus more to taste
- 3 bay leaves - fresh or dried
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
Toppings and Serving
- 1 cup freshly shredded Gruyere cheese
- Sliced baguette - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat and Season: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously on both sides with about 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper per side.
- Sear the Roast: Heat a few drizzles of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the chuck roast on each side for about 5 minutes until a golden brown crust forms. Remove the roast and set aside.
- Caramelize Onions: Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same pot (do not clean it). Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes until they become light brown and caramelized. Add a splash of broth as needed to deglaze the pot and prevent sticking.
- Add Garlic and Wine: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the white wine to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the pot, then let the wine reduce by half.
- Thicken and Add Broth: Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir to coat. Next, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer and taste for salt and pepper, adjusting as needed.
- Braise the Roast: Return the seared chuck roast to the pot, ensuring the liquid covers about three-quarters or more of the meat. Add additional broth if necessary. Cover the pot tightly with a lid and place it in the preheated oven to braise for 3 hours and 30 minutes until the beef is fall-apart tender. For extra tenderness, braise an additional 20 minutes.
- Prepare Cheese Topping: Remove the pot from the oven and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Shred the beef into smaller chunks inside the pot, discarding excess fat, bay leaves, and herb stems.
- Melt Cheese: Evenly top the shredded beef with the shredded Gruyere cheese. Return the pot to the oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve the French Onion Pot Roast warm, accompanied by toasted baguette slices, mashed potatoes, or your preferred sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use dry white wine like Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio to balance the sweetness of caramelized onions and avoid bitterness.
- Four large yellow onions reduce significantly during caramelization, so don’t skip the quantity.
- Take your time caramelizing onions; the 25-30 minutes is necessary for the best flavor and texture.
- The braising liquid should cover at least three-quarters of the meat; add more broth if needed.
- Freshly shredded Gruyere melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- To reheat leftovers, use a microwave and add a splash of broth, topping with more cheese as desired.
- For substitutions, sweet onions work instead of yellow onions; for no wine, use beef broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
- If fresh rosemary or thyme is unavailable, use 1 teaspoon dried thyme and ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or Italian seasoning.
- Gruyere can be swapped with Swiss, Fontina, or Provolone cheese.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
