Dutch Oven French Onion Pot Roast with Gruyere Cheese Toasts
This French Onion Soup Pot Roast combines two comfort food classics into one hearty, one-pot meal! A well-seasoned chuck roast gets seared to golden perfection, then slowly braises in a rich mixture of caramelized onions, garlic, fresh thyme, beef stock, and red wine. The result is melt-in-your-mouth tender beef swimming in the most incredible French onion-inspired braising liquid. Top it all off with gooey gruyere cheese toasts, and you've got a dinner that'll have everyone coming back for seconds! 🤤 Plus, the oven does most of the work!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 771kcal
Equipment
- large dutch oven (5.5-quart or larger)
Ingredients
Pot roast seasoning blend
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon per pound of meat
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- ½ teaspoon celery seed optional
Chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons oil for searing
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast
Caramelized onions
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 large sweet onions sliced thin
- ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 8-10 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
French onion braising liquid
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1.5 -2 cups beef broth as needed to cover
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt to taste
- ½ - 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper to taste
Cheesy gruyere toasts
- 7 ounce baguette sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
- 6 ounces gruyere cheese freshly grated
Instructions
Prepare the chuck roast
- Season the chuck roast. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture from the chuck roast. Coat the chuck roast in the pot roast seasoning blend. Make sure the roast is well-coated on all sides.4 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon celery seed
- Brown the chuck roast. Add the oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5.5-quart capacity!) over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast, and cook for 5-7 minutes per side until browned, then remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.2 tablespoons oil, 4 pounds beef chuck roast
Caramelized onions
- Without cleaning the pot (save all of that flavor!), reduce the heat to medium-low. Add butter, onions, and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 30-35 minutes.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 5 large sweet onions, ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- At around the 25-minute mark, your onions will have taken on a deep color. Now, add in the brown sugar and garlic, and cook, stirring often to prevent burning. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so. If the onions begin to stick or burn, add a splash of broth and stir to loosen them up.1 tablespoon brown sugar, 8-10 cloves garlic
- After another 10 minutes or so, your onions should be pretty deep brown and caramelized. Sprinkle in the flour, and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes.2 tablespoons flour
French onion braising liquid
- Deglaze the pan with red wine, and stir to thicken, making sure to scrape up any browned bits (aka the fond) from the bottom of the pot to incorporate them into the braising liquid.1 cup dry red wine
- Braise. Add in beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine, then add back the roast, the bay leaves, and an herb bundle made with thyme and rosemary. Cover and place in the oven at 300°F, undisturbed, for 3 - 3 ½ hours. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the roast at least halfway up the sides, but don't submerge it!1.5 -2 cups beef broth, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2-3 bay leaves, 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- After the beef is done braising, remove the bay leaves and herb bundle. Taste the broth, and adjust the seasonings if needed. You'll know the meat is ready when it's tender enough to shred with forks!1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ - 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Shred the beef with two forks. To make things a bit easier, we like to remove the beef from the braising liquid and place it in a separate bowl.
Cheesy gruyere toasts
- Add the shredded beef chunks back to the Dutch oven with the braising liquid. Top with baguette slices and shredded gruyere cheese. Pro tip. We like to leave a few spots of beef uncovered so they get a little crispy under the broiler!7 ounce baguette, 6 ounces gruyere cheese
- Return the Dutch oven to the oven and broil on high for 4-6 minutes, keeping a close eye on the top to ensure nothing burns, until the cheese is nice and melty. Top with fresh parsley and/or thyme, and dig in straight from the pot if you'd like!
- Serve. Top with fresh parsley and/or thyme, and dig in straight from the pot if you'd like! You can also serve this over mashed potatoes with roasted vegetables and more bread if you'd like. Enjoy!
Notes
Tips and Tricks:
- Chuck roast seasoning. If you really want to take the flavor of the meat to the next level, make it incredibly tender, and give it the best sear, you can season it, then place it in the fridge uncovered for 24 hours in advance. This is called a dry brine. If you don't have time, don't worry, it will still taste delicious if you cook it right away!
- Cheese options. You can use Comté cheese as a great substitute for gruyere! Swiss cheese also works in a pinch!
- Don't lift the lid! Every time you check the roast, you let out all of the steam, and this can add around 20 minutes of cook time each time! Leave the roast alone for at least 3 hours before checking it!
- Wine choice. Use a dry red wine that's inexpensive, that you still enjoy the taste of on its own. White wine also works well, and is traditional for French onion soup; we just love the richness and complexity that red wine adds.
- If you don't want to use wine, just swap it for beef stock and add 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to add back some of that acidity!
- Thickening the braising liquid. The flour added will help thicken the liquid added to the pot to make it more gravy-like, but it is somewhere between a soup and a gravy. If you want the gravy to be thicker, try adding 1 extra tablespoon of flour.
- If you're gluten-free, use equal parts cornstarch mixed with cold water to make a slurry, then add it to the pot with the wine. You'll need about half as much cornstarch as you would flour, so start with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and go from there if you want the liquid thicker!
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge storage and reheating: Leftovers will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freezing. This pot roast freezes well, as long as you don't add the cheese or baguette slices at the end! To freeze, transfer the cooled braised beef and French onion braising liquid mixture to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight, or submerge the freezer container in water to thaw quickly. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of broth.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Stovetop: If you don't want to turn on the oven, follow all of the same instructions. The roast will still need to braise on the stovetop at a very gentle simmer for at least 3- 3 ½ hours. Add the bread and cheese during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking and cover until the cheese is melted.
- Crockpot/Slow cooker French onion pot roast: Follow all of the same steps (searing the beef, cooking down the onions, and deglazing the pan) on the stovetop if your slow cooker doesn't have a saute function, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Slow cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. Add the bread and cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking and cover until the cheese is melted.
- Electric pressure cooker/ Instant Pot French onion pot roast: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to prepare all of the same steps right before the roast would braise in the oven. Then, cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50-60 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before very carefully turning the valve to the “venting” position to get rid of any residual pressure. If the braising liquid is still too loose for your liking, turn on the sauté setting again, and allow some of the excess liquid to cook off before adding the baguettes and gruyere, then covering to melt the cheese for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 771kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 55g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 2317mg | Potassium: 1170mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 610IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 366mg | Iron: 8mg