Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) Recipe

Rich red sauce with pot roast nestled into the vegetables and herbs on a gray plate.

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Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) Recipe

A tender, slow-braised Italian pot roast cooked with red wine, tomatoes, herbs, and classic soffritto mix. This rustic, deeply flavorful dish becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender after a long, gentle braise. Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered pasta to soak up the savory sauce.

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Total Time3 30

Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: to 6 servings

Calories: 527kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Large dutch oven I use a 5 ½ quart

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds boneless chuck roast
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 ½ cup chopped onion 1 medium onion
¾ cup chopped celery 2-3 ribs
¾ cup chopped carrots 2-3
1 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes crushed with your hands
1 ½ cups dry red wine preferably Italian such as Barolo, Chianti, or Sangiovese.
1 cup beef broth
3 large fresh garlic cloves
2 bay leaves fresh or dried
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Optional ingredients

2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 small parmesan rind
1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

Season and sear the beef

If your chuck roast has loose flaps or an irregular shape (very common with this cut), tie it with kitchen twine in 3-5 places to create a more uniform shape This helps the meat sear evenly, hold together during the long braise, and cook at the same rate. Don’t worry about making it perfect — just a few snug loops are enough to keep the roast compact.
Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add olive oil to lightly coat the bottom. When hot, add the roast and sear until deeply browned on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer the beef to a plate.

Sauté the aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium. Add a little more olive oil if the pot looks dry. Add the onions and sauté until softened and starting to turn golden, 5–7 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Add the carrots and celery and cook a few more minutes until slightly tender. Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Caramelize the tomato paste

Stir in the tomato paste, coating the vegetables. Cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet and caramelized. This builds depth of flavor in the sauce.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in the red wine and stir, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, 3–5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth, and herbs

Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Tie the herbs together with a string if you'd like for easier removal. Stir to combine and bring the mixture just up to a simmer. Taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning with a little more salt and pepper if needed—it should be well seasoned but not too salty.

Return the beef to the pot

Nestle the seared beef (and any juices on the plate) back into the pot, turning it once so it’s coated in the sauce. The liquid should come half way or two thirds up the sides of the roast.

Braise in the oven

Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to a 325°F oven. Braise for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the roast once halfway through, until the meat is very tender and a fork slides in easily. Start checking around the 2½-hour mark.

Reduce the sauce if needed

Transfer the beef to a plate and tent with foil. Remove the herb stems and bay leaves. If your sauce looks thin, place the pot over medium heat and gently simmer 5–10 minutes to reduce. If it’s already glossy and thick enough, no reduction is needed. Taste and adjust seasoning, and add a splash of good balsamic vinegar if you’d like to brighten the sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped Italian parsley.

Slice and serve

Once the meat is tender, it naturally separates into sections. You may see a few thin, stringy seams of connective tissue—simply pull them out as you chunk the roast. This is normal with chuck and ensures the meat stays beautifully tender.
Return pieces to the pot or arrange on a warm platter and spoon the sauce and vegetables over the top.
Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, buttered fettuccine, or with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.

Notes

Yield - Chuck roast loses about 25%-35% of its weight during cooking due to fat rendering and moisture loss. A 2 ½-pound raw chuck roast will yield approximately 1.75 pounds of cooked beef, serving 4-5.

Note on broth: The amount of broth you need will depend on the size and depth of your Dutch oven. The goal is for the braising liquid to come halfway to two-thirds up the side of the roast. I use a 5½-quart Le Creuset, which typically requires about 1 cup broth for a 2½-pound roast. Larger Dutch ovens (such as a 7-quart) may need more liquid, while smaller pots, such as the 4 ½-quart may need less. Adjust as needed to reach the correct level.

About chuck roasts: Chuck can look very different from one roast to another. Some pieces are neatly uniform and well-trimmed, others are irregular with loose flaps or more external fat. Both types work. If your roast has loose sections, tie it with kitchen twine so it holds together evenly during searing and braising.

If there are large exterior fat caps, trim them lightly, but leave the internal marbling and connective seams—those melt during the long braise and make the beef tender and flavorful.

Nutrition