Classic Sunday Pot Roast with Horseradish Sauce

A patiently browned chuck roast braises into a Sunday supper with deeply savory gravy, intact potatoes and carrots, and cool creamy horseradish sauce.

245 min

6 servings, enough for 4 with leftovers

Sliced chuck roast with glossy gravy, intact potatoes and carrots, onions, and horseradish sauce.

Ingredients

3 1/2 lb boneless beef chuck roast

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp neutral oil

2 large yellow onions

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 cups unsalted beef broth

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 lb small Yukon Gold potatoes

1 lb large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp prepared horseradish

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Equipment

Dutch oven with lid · Tongs · Wooden spoon · Small bowl · Knife · Serving platter

Protect the vegetables

Use small whole potatoes and thick carrot pieces, add them only for the final braise, and avoid stirring them.

Better the next day

Cool the roast in its gravy, then refrigerate; chilled fat lifts off easily before gently reheating.

Brown the roast

01. Heat oven to 300 F and dry the seasoned chuck roast thoroughly; a dry surface browns instead of steams.

02. Sear the roast 5 minutes per broad side and brown the edges too, leaving a dark fond in the pot.

Build the braise

03. Cook onions 8 minutes, then darken the tomato paste for 1 minute; this creates a concentrated savory foundation.

04. Deglaze with wine or broth, scrape clean, and add broth, Worcestershire, herbs, and the roast with its juices.

Cook the vegetables

05. Braise covered for 2 hours, turning once, until the beef begins to yield but remains sturdy enough for the vegetables.

06. Nestle potatoes and 2-inch carrot pieces around the roast in one layer so they soften without breaking apart.

Finish and sauce

07. Braise 60 minutes more, stopping when the roast is fork-tender and vegetables are tender yet intact.

08. Mix the sour cream, horseradish, and Dijon sauce, then chill it until the roast is ready.

Reduce and serve

09. Rest roast and vegetables 15 minutes, then simmer the strained braising liquid 10 minutes until spoon-coating.

10. Slice across the grain, spoon over the dark gravy, add parsley, and pass horseradish sauce at the table.