French Onion Pot Roast with Melted Gruyere
Fall-apart tender chuck roast braised with deeply caramelized onions and topped with melted Gruyere for a cozy, French onion-inspired dinner.
Equipment
- 7 to 8 quart Dutch oven
- Kitchen twine
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast excess fat trimmed
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- olive oil
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 6 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cup beef broth plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce plus more to taste
- 3 bay leaves fresh or dried
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup Gruyere cheese freshly shredded
- sliced baguette for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- Pat chuck roast dry and season generously on both sides with kosher salt and pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear roast on both sides until a golden brown crust forms, about 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, melt the butter. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in white wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, and let reduce by half. Sprinkle in flour and stir to coat.
- Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return seared roast to the pot, ensuring liquid covers about 3/4 of the beef, adding more broth if needed.
- Cover tightly and braise in the preheated oven for 3.5 hours, until fall-apart tender. Cook an additional 20 minutes for more tenderness if desired.
- Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Shred the beef into chunks directly in the pot, discarding excess fat, bay leaves, and herb sprigs.
- Top evenly with freshly shredded Gruyere cheese and return to the oven until melted, about 5-7 minutes.
- Serve warm over mashed potatoes or your favorite sides, with sliced baguette on the side.
Notes
Can be made in a slow cooker: sear beef and caramelize onions on the stovetop first, then transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Substitute Swiss, Fontina, or provolone for Gruyere if needed. Substitute wine with beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 4 days and often taste even better the next day.
