‘Tis the season for warm and cozy meals like this. Cider pot roast is precisely that – a homemade pot roast braised in a cider and beef braising liquid. And if you think for a second that it’s going to be all sweet and weird, it’s not! The sweetness in the cider doesn’t stand a chance when we pair it with salted beef broth, lots of onions, garlic, Worcestershire, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and dijon mustard. It has the hint of apples, but I promise you, it isn’t sweet. So if the thought of putting apple cider with a chuck roast weirds you out a little bit, rest assured, this is 100% free of dessert vibes. This recipe is inspired by the french onion pot roast I make every fall. But this time, I wanted to add a splash of my homemade apple cider and cut the sugar out completely. Then I went in with a little mustard to add complexity, and I went ahead and braised in the oven instead of the slow cooker. If you’ve made and enjoyed that recipe, I’m willing to bet you’ll like this one too.
Ingredients for cider-braised beef roast:
Beef Chuck Roast: You’ll want a roast in the ballpark of 2½-3 pounds.Seasonings: This is your basic kosher salt and black pepper. You want to pat the roast dry using a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. The juices from the roast and these ingredients create brown bits that will ultimately flavor the gravy.Garlic Cloves: You’ll need 6 whole cloves and 2 that are minced. The whole cloves will get inserted into the roast to add a delicious flavor as the roasted garlic cooks. This is how I make my ropa vieja too! The other two teaspoons will get mixed into the gravy.Avocado Oil: Used to sear the chuck roast in the pan. Olive oil would also work, but it’s best to use a high-heat oil so that it doesn’t start smoking in your cast iron pan.Butter: Used as a starter for the gravy.Onions: I like to use red onions for this recipe. I slice each onion into 8 pieces starting from the root to the tip, to create wedges. These will cook down in the sauce as the roast braises.Flour: Helps thicken the gravy slightly. I opt to leave the gravy loose so that you can thicken it later as desired.Beef Broth: Used to create the pan gravy that you can spoon over rice or potatoes!A cup Apple Cider: If you’ve gone apple picking, I highly recommend trying my homemade cider recipe. Otherwise, store-bought cider works equally well here. I suggest starting clear of apple juice for this recipe if possible.Dijon Mustard: Helps tenderize the roast a little bit, but it also adds tons of flavor to the gravy – it adds the most irresistible flavor!Fresh Herbs: I love adding fresh thyme and rosemary when making a pot roast. Feel free to add in a bay leaf or even sage, as all of these would work well with beef!
How to make the best braised cider pot roast:
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To add veggies: Add 1 (16-ounce) bag of baby carrots and 1¼ pounds of baby Yukon gold potatoes during the last 1½ hours of braising. I usually serve this over mashed potatoes, so I skip the vegetables.If the gravy is thin after braising: make a cornstarch slurry with 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and a splash of water. Remove the roast from the dutch oven, bring the gravy to a simmer on the stove, and then pour in the slurry as you stir the gravy with a spoon. Let simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Repeat as needed to thicken further.
