French Onion Pot Roast
Brown the roast, soften the onions in the same pot, and let the oven take over. The soy sauce is the change from the handwritten note; it seasons the broth, so go lightly with extra salt. Serve the beef with the onions and gravy over mashed potatoes or alongside whatever vegetables need using.
HKT adaptation of Michelle’s French Onion Pot Roast at Unbound Wellness, using the soy sauce substitution in Natasha’s handwritten notes: https://unboundwellness.com/french-onion-pot-roast/
Ingredients
1 chuck roast, 3–4 pounds, excess hard fat trimmed
Salt and black pepper, to taste; use salt lightly because the soy sauce also seasons the gravy
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch, divided
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2½ cups beef broth
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
Fresh parsley and thyme, chopped, for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon water, for the arrowroot slurry
Instructions
Heat the oven to 400°F. Pat the roast dry. Mix 2 tablespoons of the arrowroot starch with the dried parsley, dried thyme, a little salt, and black pepper. Coat the roast with this mixture. Reserve the remaining 2 teaspoons of arrowroot for the gravy.
Heat the avocado oil in a large, oven-safe Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the roast on each side, about 2–4 minutes per side. Transfer it to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the soy sauce and sliced onions, scraping up the browned bits as the onions release moisture. If the pot looks dry, add a small splash of the measured beef broth. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the onions soften. Add the garlic and stir for another minute or two.
Move the onions aside and return the roast to the pot. Pour in the remaining measured broth and the red wine vinegar. Add the bay leaves and cover with an oven-safe lid.
Bake, covered, at 400°F for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven to 300°F and continue cooking for about 3 hours for a 3-pound roast, or about 3½ hours for a 4-pound roast. Check that the beef pulls apart easily with a fork; add time if it is still firm. The timing is an estimate, and a fork-tender roast matters more than the clock.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the roast to a clean board or dish and discard the bay leaves. Mix the reserved 2 teaspoons of arrowroot with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the hot onion cooking liquid until it thickens. Taste the gravy before adding more salt.
Let the roast rest for 10–15 minutes, then pull it apart and return it to the onion gravy. Add the optional fresh herbs and serve.
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days. Reheat the beef to 165°F throughout and bring reheated gravy to a rolling boil.
Recipe adapted from Unbound Wellness.