Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) – Best Fall-Apart Sunday

It is 4 p.m. on a gray Sunday and you want dinner to feel like a hug. You have a chuck roast in the fridge and no patience for fuss. That is where this Italian pot roast comes in.

Stracotto means "overcooked" in Italian, and here that is a compliment. The beef braises low and slow in red wine, crushed tomatoes, and a soffritto of onion, carrot, and celery until a fork slides through with no resistance. You brown the meat first, and that step is not optional. Those browned bits are where the deep flavor lives.

Here is a worked example so you can plan: a 3-pound roast needs about 25 minutes to brown on all sides, then 3 hours in a 325°F (165°C) oven. That is roughly 3 hours 30 minutes from fridge to table, with only about 20 minutes of hands-on work. Start at 1 p.m. and you eat at 4:30.

About the Ingredients

3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, tied with kitchen twine

Chuck is the right cut because its marbling melts into the sauce. If chuck is unavailable, use boneless short ribs or a 3 lb bottom round roast, but add 30 minutes of braising time for round.

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

Kosher salt crystals are larger than table salt, so measure by weight if you can. Fine sea salt works, but use about 1 3/4 tsp to avoid over-salting.

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fresh-cracked pepper tastes brighter than pre-ground. A coffee grinder or mortar and pestle gets the job done if you have no pepper mill.

3 tbsp olive oil

Regular olive oil is fine for browning; save the expensive finishing oil for drizzling at the table. Avocado oil is a good high-heat swap.

1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

Yellow onion gives the sweetest soffritto base. Sweet onion works, but reduce it slightly since it caramelizes faster.

2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)

Look for carrots that snap when bent; bendy ones are old and bland. Parsnips make a lovely, slightly sweeter substitute.

2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)

Choose celery with tight, glossy ribs. If you only have the leafy inner stalks, use them but add them with the tomatoes so they do not scorch.

4 garlic cloves, minced

Fresh garlic beats jarred here because it blooms in the hot oil. One teaspoon of garlic paste can stand in for each clove.

1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine, such as Chianti or Sangiovese

Use a wine you would actually drink; cooking wine tastes flat and salty. For alcohol-free, swap in 1 cup beef broth plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar.

1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes

San Marzano-style tomatoes are less acidic and sweeter. If you only have diced tomatoes, pulse them a few times in a blender for a smoother sauce.

1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth

Low-sodium lets you control the final seasoning. If using regular broth, skip the extra salt until the end and taste first.

2 bay leaves and 3 sprigs fresh thyme

Dried thyme works in a pinch; use 1 tsp. Tie the herbs in cheesecloth so they are easy to fish out before serving.

Tips & Tricks

Dry the roast before browning

Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels. Wet meat steams instead of searing, and you lose the browned crust that flavors the whole pot.

Keep the heat moderate

If the oil smokes hard or the fond turns black, you are too hot. Turn the burner down to medium and let the pan cool for a minute before continuing.

Do not rush the braise

The meat is done when a fork twists easily in the thickest part, not when the timer beeps. Check at 2 hours 45 minutes, then every 15 minutes after.

Skim the fat

Let the sauce settle for 10 minutes off the heat, then spoon off the clear fat that rises to the top. It makes the sauce taste cleaner and richer.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and Season

Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Pat the roast dry and season all sides with 2 tsp of the salt and the pepper.

2. Brown the Roast

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Sear the beef 4 to 5 minutes per side, about 20 to 25 minutes total, until deeply golden brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate.

3. Build the Soffritto

Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables are soft and the edges are golden.

4. Bloom the Garlic

Stir in the garlic and cook 45 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown, or it will turn bitter.

5. Deglaze with Wine

Pour in the red wine and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the liquid reduces by about half and the sharp alcohol smell fades.

6. Add Tomatoes and Broth

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the roast and any juices to the pot; the liquid should come about halfway up the meat.

7. Braise Low and Slow

Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes, turning the roast once at the halfway point, until a fork slides in with almost no resistance and the meat reaches 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C).

8. Rest and Slice

Move the roast to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, discard the bay leaves and thyme stems, skim the fat from the sauce, and simmer it on the stove 5 minutes until slightly thickened.

9. Serve

Remove the twine, pull or slice the beef, and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

Delicious Variations

Barolo Style

Swap the Chianti for Barolo or Nebbiolo and add 1 oz dried porcini soaked in the broth for an earthy, luxurious sauce.

Sunday Sauce Version

After shredding the beef, toss it back into the sauce with 1 lb cooked rigatoni for a crowd-feeding pasta dinner.

Slow Cooker Shortcut

Brown the meat and vegetables on the stove, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

How to Store Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a chuck roast in the freezer, move it to the fridge tonight. Tomorrow you can brown it, walk away, and let the oven do the work. Small steps still count.

Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)

Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) braises beef in red wine and tomatoes until it falls apart, giving you a rich, fork-tender Sunday dinner.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

25 minPrep time195 minCook time6Servings486 kcalCalories

Print RecipePin Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, tied with kitchen twine
• 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine, such as Chianti or Sangiovese
• 1 can (28 oz / 800 g) crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 2 bay leaves and 3 sprigs fresh thyme

📋 Instructions

1. 1Preheat and Season — Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C). Pat the roast dry and season all sides with 2 tsp of the salt and the pepper.
2. 2Brown the Roast — Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Sear the beef 4 to 5 minutes per side, about 20 to 25 minutes total, until deeply golden brown on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
3. 3Build the Soffritto — Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until the vegetables are soft and the edges are golden.
4. 4Bloom the Garlic — Stir in the garlic and cook 45 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let it brown, or it will turn bitter.
5. 5Deglaze with Wine — Pour in the red wine and simmer 4 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the liquid reduces by about half and the sharp alcohol smell fades.
6. 6Add Tomatoes and Broth — Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and thyme. Return the roast and any juices to the pot; the liquid should come about halfway up the meat.
7. 7Braise Low and Slow — Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes, turning the roast once at the halfway point, until a fork slides in with almost no resistance and the meat reaches 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C).
8. 8Rest and Slice — Move the roast to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, discard the bay leaves and thyme stems, skim the fat from the sauce, and simmer it on the stove 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
9. 9Serve — Remove the twine, pull or slice the beef, and spoon the sauce over the top. Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: Stracotto is even better the second day, so consider making it a day ahead and reheating it gently. The sauce is the real prize, so do not toss it.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: Italian

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 486 kcal · 42g protein · 13g carbs · 29g fat

Written by Mara Okafor

Mara writes about everyday money habits for people who never got a straight answer about budgeting. Her angle is practical: small, repeatable choices over dramatic overhauls, with real numbers wherever possible. She favors plain language and admits when a topic is messier than it looks.