Cider-Braised Pot Roast
A cider braise does two jobs at once: the acidity in the apple cider coaxes the chuck's collagen into gelatin while its sugars round out into a sweet-tart pan sauce you'd never get from plain stock. Searing the roast hard first builds the fond that gives the whole pot its deep, savory backbone, and the low, slow oven does the rest until the beef surrenders to a fork at 200°F. It's the kind of Sunday project that's mostly hands-off — and it's even better rewarmed the next day.
Dinner · Fall, Beef, Comfort Food • 3 hr 25 min
Nutrition (per serving)520Calories·24gFat·38gCarbs·40gProtein
Per serving. Values are approximate and calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
Ingredients
- 3 to 3½ pounds (1.4 to 1.6 kg) boneless beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or beef tallow
- 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups (480ml) apple cider
- 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 pound (450g) baby or Yukon Gold potatoes, halved if large
- 2 medium apples (such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and cut into wedges (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
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Steps
- Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the lower third. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the roast and sear, turning, until deeply browned on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side (15 to 20 minutes total). Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and browns at the edges, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the apple cider, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then stir in the broth, vinegar, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. Return the roast and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven.
- Braise for 2 hours. Remove the lid, nestle in the potatoes and the apple wedges (if using), cover, and continue braising until the meat is fork-tender — a probe should slide in with no resistance and read 200°F to 205°F at the center, well past the 145°F safe minimum for whole cuts — 45 minutes to 1 hour more.
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil; let it rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, skim excess fat from the braising liquid and, if you like a thicker sauce, simmer it uncovered on the stovetop until slightly reduced, then whisk in the Dijon mustard (if using). Discard the bay leaves and herb sprigs. Slice or shred the beef against the grain, return it to the sauce with the vegetables, and serve garnished with parsley.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
Braise the roast up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in its liquid — the flavor improves overnight, and the fat solidifies on top so it's easy to skim. Slice the cold roast (it holds together better chilled), then reheat gently in the sauce. The whole dish also freezes beautifully.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze (meat plus sauce) for up to 3 months. Reheat low and slow on the stovetop or in a 300°F oven with a splash of broth, covered, until warmed through.
Substitutions
Chuck is the classic cut, but brisket, bottom round, or bone-in beef short ribs all braise well — keep the liquid-to-meat ratio the same. Apple cider means the unfiltered fresh kind; hard cider adds a pleasantly boozy note, and plain apple juice plus an extra tablespoon of vinegar works in a pinch. Swap half the broth for dry white wine for a brighter sauce, or whisk in a cold pat of butter at the end for a silkier finish. Sweet potatoes stand in for the potatoes.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 serving (about 6 oz beef with vegetables and sauce)
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
