Christmas Pan Roast Recipe: Succulent Chuck with Red Wine & Herbs

The only thing standing between you and your new favorite dish just might be the 3 ½ hours this pan roast recipe takes to complete. This one will instantly become your new go-to recipe for family gatherings and the holidays. This pan roast recipe results in a hearty, warm, and tender dish.

The chuck roast is slow-cooked to perfection, which makes it so tender that every bite simply melts in your mouth. Add that to the savory, warm glaze that is a combination of beef broth and red wine, and you have yourselves a simply magnificent holiday dish. All of the vegetables, such as onions, carrots, and potatoes, come together to make this pan roast recipe the great choice for those chilly days. Make sure to check it out.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Pro Tips
• Christmas Pan Roast Recipe: Succulent Chuck with Red Wine & Herbs
• Comments

Ingredients

• Olive oil — 2 tbsp.
• Red wine — 1 cup
• Beef broth — 3 cups
• Onion — 1 cup, peeled and halved
• Carrots — 6-8, sliced
• Salt — 1 tsp. 
• Black pepper — 1 tsp.
• Chuck roast — 4 ½ pounds
• Rosemary — 3 sprigs, fresh
• Thyme — 3 sprigs, fresh

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 275°F degrees.

2. Rub the chuck roast generously with salt and black pepper.

3. Heat a large pot until hot, and add olive oil.

4. Once the oil is really hot, add the peeled and halved onions, along with the carrots.

5. Once the vegetables are soft, remove them from the pot and place them on a plate.

6. Drizzle some extra olive oil into the pan, and sear the chuck roast for a minute on both sides.

7. Remove the roast to the plate.

8. Deglaze the pan by pouring beef broth and red wine. Scrap the bottom of the pan with a whisk.

9. Transfer the roast back to the pan, along with the onions, carrots, rosemary, and thyme.

10. Pour just enough beef stock to cover the meat in half.

11. Place the lid and roast for about three and a half hours.

Substitutions

• Olive oil — While this pan roast recipe must be made with very specific ingredients, olive oil is not one of them. Admittedly, it provides a fine flavor, but the same could be said for butter as well. Canola oil and vegetable oil are other alternatives.

• Red wine — This pan roast recipe can also be made without red wine. However, it just won’t be the same. Red wine suits this recipe just fine, as it provides a complex and rich flavor and doesn’t dominate the dish. With that being said, if you have any reservations about cooking with alcohol, feel free to skip this one. Cranberry juice and pomegranate juice would do the job as well.

• Beef broth — While there is nothing wrong with beef broth, if you’re short on it you can always go with chicken broth. Vegetable broth would be another alternative.

Variations

• Fruity — While this pan roast recipe is as filling as it goes, that shouldn’t stop you. For an interesting twist, you might want to consider adding some fruits to the mix. Raisins work wonders for most. Prunes and dates are great as well, and so are figs and apples.

• Starchy — This pan roast recipe is prepared to ensure nobody stays hungry after dinner, but if you want it to be more filling, consider adding potatoes to the mix. Once they are baked to perfection, you should be good to go.

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Pot 

• Whisk 

• Oven 

• Plate

Storage

• Allow your dish to cool completely before storing it. You can divide the leftover roast into individual portions to make it easier.

• Transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. You can store the leftover gravy separately or together. It’s up to you.

• Once stored in your fridge, the leftovers will last for three days.

Pro Tips

• The meat — This pan roast recipe is only as good as the cut of meat, so choose carefully. While chuck roast is simply great, if you are looking for an alternative, remember that you should go for a cut with a good amount of marbling.

• The cooking — Although this pan roast recipe clearly states that you should cook the chuck roast for 3 ½ hours, you should also check the dish to see if it’s ready. The chuck roast should be tender enough to fall apart.