Red Wine Braised Pot Roast With Cheese Grits

Red Wine Braised Pot Roast was originally posted on 11/10/18 and has been updated with new pics, a video, and plenty of helpful tips.

With a whole bottle of red wine and some time, turn a tough cut of beef into spectacular fall-apart fork tender Red Wine Braised Pot Roast.

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I remember when I was young and I'd get home from school and ask my mom what's for dinner.  When she said pot roast, I was totally bummed (can you tell I grew up in the 80's?  Like, totally, haha!).  I never really appreciated pot roast in my younger years, like so many other things.  And my mom made great pot roast!  Then I grew up and decided to try my hand at making my own.  Fall apart, fork tender.  I was so in love with it. Why hadn't I made it sooner???  So much wasted time not eating this true comfort food!

why you should make red wine pot roast

• It's so easy, you can "set it and forget it." Flip the roast over once during the cooking time and walk away!
• No oven is required so it's perfect for when you don't want to turn on your oven.
• You don't even need to like wine to enjoy this red wine braised pot roast. I can't stand red wine myself, but this is one of my favorite meals.
• The leftovers are just as good, if not better, and can be made into sandwiches. Mmmm, mmmm!
• Pot roast can feed a crowd, a large family, or a small hungry family!

everything you'll need to make pot roast and two variations

• Chuck roast -- this is the classic roast used to make pot roast. It used to be rather cheap, but of late it's been getting pricier and pricier. Look for a well-marbled approximately 2-inch thick hunk of meat.
• Red wine -- I always use cabernet sauvignon, but feel free to try your favorite red wine, such as merlot. Of note, I am not a red wine fan. And I LOVE this pot roast and it's gravy.
• Cornstarch -- you can sub this with arrowroot if you'd like.
• Potatoes and carrots -- if you don't want to make cheese grits, add some carrots and potatoes (and onions if you like them) to the pot at the 3-hour mark.
• Corn grits -- if you'd like to make the cheesy grits, you'll need corn grits, yellow or white. Make sure they're not instant.
• Cheddar cheese -- cheddar cheese is my favorite cheese to use, but you could try another cheese, such as jalapeno jack cheese.
• Half and half -- substitute with whole milk or heavy cream, depending on how rich you want your grits to be.

what is braising?

Braising is a cooking method that's been used for years to make tougher cuts of meat delectable and fall-off-the-bone tender. The method is simple: brown meat, add liquid, cover and cook on low heat until the desired tenderness is reached.

Special equipment needed?

There are also a few different cooking vessels to perform the braising task: Dutch oven, Instant Pot, slow cooker, and electric skillet. This might be a little old fashioned, but my mom has used an electric skillet (affiliate link) to braise for years, and that's what I use to this day.  Yep, one of those old appliances you probably haven't seen in years, or maybe ever.  This is the best tool for the job, if you ask me.  Not to say that you can't make this recipe without one, but it's my most favorite appliance for braising things as it really locks in the moisture and the temperature can be controlled precisely.

If you don't have an electric skillet or don't want to buy one, no worries. This recipe can be made in any of the above cooking vessels I mentioned with alterations to the time and temperatures:

• Dutch oven -- Brown on the stovetop, reduce to a low simmer, and continue cooking on the stovetop for 3-4 hours. Or brown and place in a 300-degree F oven for 2-3 hours.
• Instant pot -- Sear meat in instant pot and set to pressure cook for 60 minutes, releasing pressure naturally before finishing.
• Slow cooker -- You'll need to brown the roast in a skillet or another pot before transferring it to the slow cooker. Once in the slow cooker, set it to cook on low for 8-9 hours.

Any of these methods will work perfectly for this amazing red wine braised pot roast. But I will say that nothing quite brings out that mahogany color and deep depth of flavor like the electric skillet does.

how to braise red wine pot roast

I'm a little unconventional in my pot roast method, but I prefer to NOT add veggies.  If adding veggies floats your boat, though, go for it! I like to serve my veggies on the side, such as roasted brussels sprouts, green beans, or asparagus.  And I always serve the pot roast with a starch, such as mashed potatoes, roasted oven potatoes, risotto, or in this case, creamy cheese grits. Grits are my husband's favorite starch to serve with pot roast.

1. Sear roast over high heat until browned on both sides.
2. Pour the entire bottle of red wine into the skillet, along with a box of beef broth or stock.
3. Add whole peeled garlic cloves and fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer.
5. Cover and braise for 2 hours. Remove the lid, gently flip the roast over, and replace the lid.
6. Check the roast at the 3-hour mark, adding additional beef broth if needed. At this point, add any veggies you're using.
7. When ready, the roast will be fall-apart tender and the veggies will be tender, but not mushy.
8. Remove roast and veggies and keep warm while making the gravy.
9. Add cornstarch to a small jar with cold water until well combined. Add this to what liquid is left in the pan and whisk until thickened. Thin with broth as needed.

more beef recipes

• Out of This World Gluten Free Meatballs
• Gluten Free Texas Weiners
• Chili Butter Flank Steak

Fall and winter aren't the only times you can eat Red Wine Braised Pot Roast. With my method, no oven will be needed to produce a fall-apart tender roast served atop a pile of cheesy, creamy grits.