Recipe Background
Momma’s Italian Pot Roast offers deep flavors and tender textures.
Momma’s Italian Pot Roast is the kind of dish that fills your kitchen with warmth and the comforting aroma of tradition. The chuck roast, browned to a deep and inviting hue, brings out flavors that take you straight to an Italian kitchen. Rich notes of red wine dance with garlic and pancetta, creating an irresistible harmony. As it bubbles away, the magic unfolds slowly, infusing every component with layers of savory goodness.
The texture of the roast is where the journey truly shines. It reaches that perfect point where it surrenders to the fork, each piece tender and coated in a luscious, well-seasoned tomato broth. The polenta, creamy and indulgent, is the ideal companion—softened under a blanket of melting Gorgonzola. Don’t rush the cheese; let it pool and blend for a silky finish. This is the kind of meal that invites everyone to linger longer, savoring moments and morsels alike.
Cooking this pot roast is as much about the process as it is the plate. Browning the meat until its edges deepen adds depth, unlocking layers of flavor. It’s the kind of technique that whispers secrets, passed down through practiced hands. When you gather around the table, this dish is more than food; it’s a shared experience, a memory in the making, resonating with every bite.
Ingredients
For the roast:
- 1 (4-pound) chuck roast tied
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 large carrots finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped, plus 10 cloves, sliced, divided
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth with enough water added to make 2 cups
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 large bay leaves
For the polenta:
- 3 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup coarse ground polenta
- salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spray a 2 1/2-quart or 3-quart oven-safe casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Rub the chuck roast liberally with the salt and the pepper.
- In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
- Place the chuck roast into the Dutch oven and brown well on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Transfer the chuck roast to a plate and pull off and discard the browning fat.
- Add the remaining olive oil to the Dutch oven.
- Add the onion, the carrot, the celery, and the pancetta to the Dutch oven and reduce the heat to medium.
- Cook the onion mixture until the vegetables are tender, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the chopped garlic to the onion mixture and cook just until fragrant, about 10-15 seconds.
- Add the wine to the onion mixture, bring to a boil, and cook, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chuck roast and any accumulated juices to the onion mixture.
- Add the beef broth, the tomatoes, the sliced garlic, the rosemary, the Italian seasoning, and the bay leaves to the onion mixture and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Place a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the top of the Dutch oven, followed by the lid.
- Cook the pot roast until the meat is extremely tender, about 2 hours 30 minutes-3 hours.
- Add the chicken broth, the half-and-half, the polenta, the salt, and the black pepper to the prepared casserole dish and stir well to combine.
- Place the polenta into the oven alongside the roast, uncovered, and bake, about 30 minutes.
- Stir the polenta, then add the Gorgonzola and the butter, and stir again.
- Bake the polenta until the cheese melts, about 10-15 minutes.
- Place the roast onto a serving platter and slice or shred the meat.
- Serve the polenta with the pot roast.
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