I ate this 3 weeks in a row and I would keep going if I could afford to keep buying chuck roast. This is an umami rich, melt-in-your-mouth French onion pot roast, so if you're not a fan of flavor, you're gonna want to hit the back button and run back to Google!
There's a reason why this is not your average French onion pot roast. This pot roast is made with the addition of fish sauce, which might sound scary and even questionable to some, but I promise it's not fishy and just adds an immense depth of flavor, and as someone who grew up in a Vietnamese household, trust that I know a lot about flavor.
If you're craving more tasty and cozy recipes, you'll also love my gochujang braised short ribs and Vietnamese-inspired Irish beef stew!
Tell Me More About Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
This was inspired by French onion soup and a classic pot roast. To be honest, I think French onion soup is just OK because it's mostly just cheese and a classic pot roast is comforting and easy but can always be elevated. You should know by now that I'm always looking for more protein and flavor, so this French onion pot roast is the best of both worlds.
The caramelized onions in French onion soup creates a layer of richness and sweetness that I think a classic pot roast needs. The fish sauce that you are probably questioning, complements the caramelized onions and adds umami to an already umami rich base. To top it off with even more flavor, I used Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base and dissolved it into beef bone broth for additional protein. These things make all the difference when making a not your average French onion pot roast recipe.
On a classic note, the roast will still slow cook for hours until it's pull-apart fork tender. Also can't forget to add the Gruyère cheese to stay on brand with the classic French onion soup aspect!
Why you'll love this not your average french onion pot roast
- Loaded with flavor.
- High in protein.
- Comforting and cozy for cold days.
- Comes together easily!
- Great meal prep for busy weeknights.
- One pot meal for easy cleanup!
Jump to:
- Tell Me More About Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
- Why you'll love this not your average french onion pot roast
- Ingredients
- How to make Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
- Top tip
- How to enjoy Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
- FAQ
- Other recipes to try:
- Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
Ingredients
- Chuck roast: The perfect cut for braising because it gets fork tender after slow cooking.
- Onions: Yellow onions work great for this.
- Garlic: Adds an aromatic depth to the base.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the sauce.
- Red wine: Use a dry red wine like cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir.
- Fish sauce: My secret ingredient that adds all the umami! If you really must substitute it, Worcestershire works but won't be an exact replacement. I suspect soy sauce could work, but I personally have not tried this yet!
- Beef broth: Use beef bone broth for extra protein.
- Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base: For the most flavorful base, dissolve this into the beef broth before adding it into the pot. This is not sponsored, I just truly love this and used up an entire jar when I ate this pot roast for 3 weeks in a row.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme is a must here!
- Bay leaves: Builds another layer of flavor.
- Neutral oil: For searing the meat.
- Salt and black pepper: To taste.
- Gruyère cheese: Use freshly grated to get that melted French onion soup appeal.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- In the same pot, add the sliced onions. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. If the bottom of the pot is browning too quickly, lower the heat and deglaze the pot with a little bit of beef broth as needed.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant and softened.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Dissolve Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base into warmed beef bone broth. Add broth into the pot along with tied up bunch of thyme and bay leaves.
- Return the chuck roast to the pot, nestling it into the onions and liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover and then place it in the oven at 325F for 3 ½-4 hours until fork tender.
- Remove the thyme bunch and bay leaves. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Top the chuck roast with grated Gruyère. Place it under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Shred the meat and serve over rice or mashed potatoes!
Top tip
Caramelize the onions until they're deeply browned, not a sad translucent brown. Do not rush this process. It makes all the difference. Use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base to flavor your broth by dissolving 3 tsps into 3 cups of broth. Add more broth and bouillon as needed. Use beef bone broth for more protein. Use a fish sauce that contains only 2-ingredients, anchovies and salt. Red Boat Fish Sauce is a great one.
How to enjoy Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
This might be because I grew up eating rice with everything but this French onion pot roast really does taste so much more comforting with a fluffy bowl of white jasmine rice. I suppose you can also enjoy this over some simple, creamy mashed potatoes.
It is also a rich pot roast, so I like to balance that richness out with some English green peas. The bitterness of the peas complements the richness of the French onion pot roast, which will really get you to go back for seconds, thirds, etc.
FAQ
Use Worcestershire sauce as a substitute but it won't be an exact sub. I suspect soy sauce can be a good alternative too but I have personally not tried this yet. Please let me know in the comments if you do and how it is!
Other recipes to try:
- Crispy chicken thighs with fish sauce glaze
- One pot ginger chicken congee
- Hot honey fish sauce glazed chicken skewers
- Easy Japanese beef curry
Not Your Average French Onion Pot Roast
Equipment
- Dutch oven or a heavy bottom pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck roast
- 3 large onions thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base
- 3 cups beef broth plus more for deglazing
- 1 large bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 4 ounces Gruyère cheese grated
- Neutral oil
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- In the same pot, add the sliced onions. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized. If the bottom of the pot is browning too quickly, lower the heat and deglaze the pot with a little bit of beef broth as needed.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant and softened.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Dissolve Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base into warmed beef bone broth. Add broth into the pot along with tied up bunch of thyme and bay leaves.
- Return the chuck roast to the pot, nestling it into the onions and liquid. Bring to a simmer, cover and then place it in the oven at 325F for 3 ½-4 hours until fork tender.
- Remove the thyme bunch and bay leaves. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Top the chuck roast with grated Gruyère. Place it under the broiler on high for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Shred the meat and serve over rice or mashed potatoes!
Notes
- Caramelize the onions until they're deeply browned, not a sad translucent brown. Do not rush this process. It makes all the difference.
- Use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base to flavor your broth by dissolving 3 tsps into 3 cups of broth. Add more broth and bouillon as needed.
- Use beef bone broth for more protein.
- Use a fish sauce that contains only 2-ingredients, anchovies and salt. Red Boat Fish Sauce is a great one.
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