The Perfect, Modern Pot Roast Recipe
I’m not going to lie, pot roast can get a little…blah. I typically don’t love pot roast but I recently felt determined to modernize and revamp that concept with a fresh, fall-inspired take. Instead of boiling vegetables, we’re roasting them here. Instead of letting the pot roast get bland and wet, we’re developing a delicious, garlicky bark on the outside and braising it in apple cider. Fortunately, even a modern chuck roast recipe is actually still rather simple. One of the most important ingredients is time, so just make sure to start this dish early and let it develop its deliciousness all day. The total cooking time is about 6-8 hours. But don’t let that fool you — its an easy 6-8 hours!
Roasted Fall Vegetables
To serve-up our cider-braised chuck roast, we’re creating a delicious pan of butternut squash, fennel, apples, and shallot loaded with herbs. This is a big change-up from the old boiled potatoes and carrots of former pot roasts, and it makes all the difference. Roasting the vegetables while the chuck roast rests is key to keeping the flavors bright and firm. It doesn’t change the timeline of a recipe like this, but adds so much flavor.
Cider Braised Chuck Roast with Fall Vegetables for Cold Weather Nutrition
Another wonderful benefit to this recipe other than its delicious taste and easy recipe template is that its loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy fat. In the fall and winter, many people lose interest in cold salads or bowls of sliced fruits, so oftentimes fiber intake decreases. But delicious roasted vegetables like these are an awesome way to continue enjoying amazing cold weather vegetables like squash and fennel. When paired with a great protein like chuck roast, you will have a meal that promotes blood sugar balance, satiation, and satisfaction. This recipe is also gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and keto, paleo, and Whole 30-friendly. Whew thats a lot of diet requirements! But I like to mention this for those that need clarification. We certainly will be enjoying this tonight so that we fill up on great protein, fiber, and healthy fat before we have a few pieces of Halloween candy!! I hope you love this, too!
Cider Braised Chuck Roast with Fall Vegetables
Ingredients
For the Chuck Roast
- 2-3 lbs chuck roast, boneless
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp mustard powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 head garlic, halved
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup apple cider
For the Vegetables
- 1 medium butternut squash, cubed
- 1 bulb fennel
- 1 large cortland apple
- 1 large shallot
- 2 tbsp rosemary, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2-3 tbsp avocado oil
Instructions
For the Chuck Roast
- Preheat the oven to 250º F. Mix the garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mix evenly on all sides of the chuck roast, making sure to pat the spice blend into the meat thoroughly.
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium-heat and drizzle 2-3 tbsp avocado oil into the pan. Using tongs, place the chuck roast into the pan and brown it on all sides for 2-4 minutes per side, or until each side is golden-brown.
- Turn the heat down to low. Nestle each half of the garlic head, clove-side down, into the oil next to the chuck roast. Add the rosemary and bay leaves. Cook for 2 minutes more so that the garlic can start to caramelize.
- Pour the apple cider into the dutch oven, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any contents that were starting to stick. Cover the dutch oven it with its lid and place it in the preheated oven to cook on very low heat for 6-8 hours. Baste with its juices every hour or so.
- Once done, the chuck roast should be falling apart at the poke of a fork and the garlic should be extremely caramelized and cooked-down. Remove from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes while still covered in the dutch oven. Then remove the chuck roast to a large cutting board and let rest for another 5-10 minutes.
For the Vegetables
- While chuck roast is resting, preheat the oven to 400º F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or directly on the baking sheet, place the cubed butternut squash with the slice fennel, apple, and shallot. Drizzle with 2-3 tbsp avocado oil, add the minced herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Toss very thoroughly to combine.
- Roast the vegetables for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden-brown but still firm. Halfway through cooking, stir the vegetables so that all sides get golden.
To Assemble
- Remove the garlic heads from the dutch oven and squeeze out some of the garlic cloves onto the bark/crust of the chuck roast.
- On the cutting board, use a sharp knife to slice the chuck roast into 1/4-inch thick slices. Its preferable to slice against the grain of the meat. The roast is also so tender that it will fall apart quite a bit during this process, but thats ok.
- Serve the sliced/shredded chuck roast on a pile of the roasted vegetables and drizzle the slices with a little bit of the pan drippings. Sprinkle more herbs on top, if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!