Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)
Stracotto literally means “overcooked” in Italian—referring to a roast that’s slow-braised for hours until extremely tender. It’s a classic comfort dish often served with the rich sauce over polenta or pasta.
🥩 Ingredients
- 1.5–2 kg beef chuck roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 can (400 g) crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley for garnish
👩🍳 Instructions
- Season the beef
Pat the roast dry and season generously with salt and black pepper. - Sear the meat
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven.
Sear the roast on all sides until deep brown (about 3–4 minutes per side). Remove and set aside. - Cook the vegetables
In the same pot add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5–6 minutes until softened.
Add garlic and cook for another minute. - Deglaze
Pour in the red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 5 minutes. - Build the sauce
Add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. - Slow cook
Return the roast to the pot. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3–4 hours (or in a 160 °C / 325 °F oven) until the meat is fork-tender. - Finish the sauce
Remove the roast and shred or slice it.
Simmer the sauce a little longer if you want it thicker. - Serve
Place the meat on a plate and spoon the rich sauce over it. Garnish with fresh parsley.
🍽️ Traditional Serving Ideas
- Over creamy polenta
- With mashed potatoes
- Tossed with pappardelle pasta
- With crusty Italian bread to soak up the sauce
💡 Tip:
Stracotto often tastes even better the next day, because the flavors deepen overnight.
If you want, I can also show you:
- 🇮🇹 The original Tuscan “Stracotto alla Fiorentina” version
- 🔥 A faster pressure-cooker (Instant Pot) method that takes only about 1 hour.
