Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) With Tomato Sauce and Tender Beef
By Noah Bennett
Choose a well-marbled 3-pound beef chuck roast, cut into large pieces, for a braise that turns falling-apart tender and gives the tomato sauce rich beef flavor. This Italian pot roast, or stracotto, combines browned beef, bacon or pancetta, and vegetables with thyme, rosemary, and Italian seasoning.
The sauce starts with optional diced bacon or pancetta, whose rendered fat is used to brown the seasoned beef. Onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and optional red pepper flakes build the base before beef broth and crushed tomatoes go in. Their sweetness balances the savory meat. Chopped thyme and rosemary, Italian seasoning or oregano, and bay leaves give the liquid its Italian-style herb profile while it braises.
After the pot comes to a boil, the key cue is beef that pulls apart easily rather than merely feeling soft around the edges. Keep the pan covered during the low simmer or oven braise so the tomato liquid remains a sauce. The usual problem is stopping before the connective tissue has softened; continue cooking until the beef is falling-apart tender, then remove the bay leaves and season.
Serve the beef and sauce over gorgonzola polenta, pasta, gnocchi, or mashed potatoes, as suggested. Cool leftovers before covering them, then warm gently so the sauce loosens around the shredded beef when served again.
Why you'll love this recipe
- A well-marbled chuck roast earns its place here because long, gentle braising turns its connective tissue into beef that pulls apart easily.
- Optional bacon or pancetta stretches the flavor of the beef by supplying rendered fat for browning and a savory note in the finished sauce.
- Carrot, celery, and onion provide the vegetable base, so a modest amount of beef broth and crushed tomatoes becomes a fuller braising liquid.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary are specifically supported with dried alternatives, making the herb profile practical when the fresh versions are not available.
- Crushed tomatoes carry the braise without obscuring the beef, while bay leaves and Italian seasoning keep the sauce firmly rooted in Italian-style flavors.
- Several serving bases work with the same pot of beef and sauce, allowing polenta, pasta, gnocchi, or mashed potatoes to use every spoonful.
Ingredients
- •4 oz bacon (or pancetta) (diced, optional)
- •3 lb beef, such as chuck (cut into 3 large pieces)
- •salt and pepper (to taste, plus more at the end)
- •1 cup onion (diced)
- •1 cup carrot (diced)
- •1 cup celery (diced)
- •1 tbsp garlic (chopped)
- •0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- •2 cups beef broth
- •1 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes
- •1 tsp thyme (chopped, or use 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- •1 tsp rosemary (chopped, or use 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- •1 tsp Italian seasoning (or oregano)
- •2 bay leaves
- •1 oz dried porcini mushrooms (reconstituted and chopped, optional; add with the vegetables)
- •dry white or red wine (optional; replace some or all of the beef broth)
- •2 tbsp tomato paste (optional; add with the garlic)
- •1 tsp sage (chopped, or use 1/2 teaspoon dried; optional)
- •1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (optional)
- •1 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce (optional; use gluten-free soy sauce if needed)
- •1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional; use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce if needed)
- •0.25 cup Parmesan (grated, optional; add at the end)
- •gorgonzola polenta, pasta, gnocchi, or mashed potatoes (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the bacon in a large oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, then set aside.
- 2
Season the beef with salt and pepper.
- 3
Sear the beef in the bacon grease over medium-high heat for about 4–6 minutes per side, then set aside.
- 4
Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, about 7–10 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 6
Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and cooked bacon, then mix.
- 7
Add the beef to the pot.
- 8
For the stovetop method, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered until the beef is falling-apart tender, about 2–4 hours.
- 9
For the oven method, cover and transfer to a preheated 275F/140C oven until the beef is falling-apart tender, about 2–4 hours.
- 10
For the slow-cooker method, transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8–10 hours or high for 4–6 hours.
- 11
Season with salt and pepper to taste, remove the bay leaves, and serve.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
427
Protein
55g
Fat
18g
Carbs
12g
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