Easy Beef Chuck Roast Recipe (with Brown Gravy)
Melt-in-your-mouth Beef Chuck Roast with tasty, rich gravy, and simple steps. This chuck roast is the cozy dinner you’ll make on repeat.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
To season and sear beef:
- 3 lb beef chuck roast aka bottom blade roast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For the braising liquid:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 medium onions thickly sliced
- 3 carrots cut into chunks
- 3 celery stalks cut into chunks
- 5 garlic cloves smashed (5 tsp minced)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth or stock
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 2 sprigs rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce plus more to taste
Instructions
Brown the roast
- Pat roast dry and season with 2 tsp salt and the pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the beef well on all sides, about 4–5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Build the flavor base
- Add butter, onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until golden, 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir 1 minute.
Deglaze and simmer
- Pour in broth and scrape up the browned bits. Stir in thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and soy sauce. Return roast with juices. Bring to a simmer.
Oven braise
- Cover and cook in a 325°F oven for 2½–3 hours.
- At the halfway point (about 1½ hours in), flip the roast. This ensures both sides turn silky soft.Always check tenderness with a fork instead of the clock. It will shred easily when done.
Make the brown gravy
- Remove roast and vegetables to a serving platter and tent with foil. Discard herbs and bay leaves. Blend remaining sauce for a smoother gravy. Simmer stovetop on medium-high for a few minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning with another splash of soy sauce (or more salt) and black pepper.
Notes
- The soy sauce deepens the savory flavor without being detectable. You can use Worcestershire if you prefer (it's a little less umami and more sweet/tangy).
- Potatoes can be added in large chunks for the last 45–60 minutes of cooking.
- Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge or freeze well up to 3 months.
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Larger size roast?
- In step 1, add ½ tsp kosher salt per additional pound of roast if yours is larger than 3 lbs.
- Add about 30–40 minutes per extra pound beyond 3–4 lbs.
Nutrition
Calories: 695kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 66g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 240mg | Sodium: 1021mg | Potassium: 1256mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3975IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 7mg