How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast

A Dutch oven is the perfect vehicle for a pot roast: it allows you to achieve the high heat necessary to sear the meat, and then it holds low heat gracefully enough to simmer the roast until the beef is tender. This dish cooks for hours, so save it for a weekend or holiday when you'll be home with family. It'll pipe exquisite aromas into your home, the perfect olfactory background for a quiet day watching movies or playing games. It'll even help to keep your house warm on chilly winter days! Pot roast makes fine leftovers, tucked into sandwiches or repurposed into stir fries. The cooking liquid is great for dipping bread or spooning over rice.

Total time: 4 hours | Prep time: 20 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as sunflower or canola
  

• chuck roast or brisket, 

  3 pounds 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste Black pepper to taste 2 onions peeled and sliced 3 cups beef, chicken or vegetable stock 1 medium-size potato, any kind but russet, peeled or not according to your taste, and quartered 2 carrots, cut into two-inch lengths, peeled or not according to your taste 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
  2 bay leaves * 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or oregano

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat the oil in a medium-size Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the brisket or chuck roast and sprinkle generously with the salt and pepper. Cook, flipping over, until the meat is browned on both sides. Add the onions and cook them on the sides of the pan until they're soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Remove the meat from the pan. Lower the heat and add about 1/2 cup stock and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the remaining stock, along with the potato, carrots, tomato, bay leaves, and herbs. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it reach a simmer. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
5. Put the Dutch oven in the oven and cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is soft enough to easily break apart.