This Apple Cider Braised Chuck Roast with Roasted Potatoes is the latest (and possibly greatest) addition to my chuck roast collection. The beef braises low and slow in apple cider, maple syrup, soy sauce, dijon, garlic, and fresh rosemary until it pulls apart with two forks, and the Yukon gold potatoes cook right in those juices for the last 30 minutes. Prep takes less than 10 minutes, your oven does the rest, and you end up with 12 servings of tender, juicy beef to enjoy all week long.
Friends, if you know me, you know fall is my favorite time of year, and this is exactly the kind of cooking I look forward to once it rolls around. You might also know that I have a slight obsession with chuck roast. My Easy Barbacoa Chuck Roast, Miso Ginger & Orange Chuck Roast, and Easy Barbecue Chuck Roast all follow the same simple formula: whisk together a marinade, pour it over the meat, cover the pot, and walk away for a few hours. This one sticks to that formula and swaps in apple cider, maple, and rosemary, so your whole house smells like fall for four straight hours.
The apple cider brings a little sweetness and a lot of tang, and as the roast braises, it cooks down with the soy sauce, Worcestershire, and dijon into a rich, savory sauce. Then there are the potatoes. Instead of roasting them separately, you nestle them around the roast for the last 30 minutes so they soak up all of that cider braise and come out fork tender. If you want crispy edges on the beef and potatoes, slide the pot under the broiler for a few minutes at the end (you won’t regret it!).
What You Need to Make This Apple Cider Braised Chuck Roast
- Chuck Roast: You’ll need a 3½ to 4 pound chuck roast for this recipe. It’s a well-marbled, budget-friendly cut that gets incredibly tender after a few hours in the oven.
- Apple Cider: Use real apple cider, not apple juice. Cider is unfiltered, so it has more body and a tangier, more apple-forward flavor that holds up during a long braise.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: To keep this gluten-free, swap in tamari or coconut aminos (coconut aminos is a little sweeter, so the sauce will lean sweeter too).
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup rounds out the tang of the cider and give the sauce a cozy, caramel-y note.
- Worcestershire Sauce: Brings a punch of umami that makes the sauce taste rich and deep.
- Dijon Mustard: A tablespoon of dijon adds a sharp little bite that keeps the sauce from tasting one-note. It also helps everything in the marinade blend together into a smooth sauce.
- Ground Black Pepper: Goes into the marinade for a little warmth. You’ll also want extra for seasoning the outside of the roast before it goes into the pot.
- Salt: Season both sides of the chuck roast generously with salt before you add the marinade. It’s a big cut of meat, so don’t be shy, but keep in mind the soy sauce brings plenty of salt to the braising liquid too.
- Garlic: After four hours in the oven, they turn soft and mellow and melt right into the sauce.
- Fresh Rosemary: Gives this its earthy, woodsy fall flavor. Leave the sprigs whole so they’re easy to fish out before you shred the meat.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Yukons have a naturally creamy, buttery texture and hold their shape in the braising liquid instead of turning to mush.
How to Make This Apple Cider Braised Chuck Roast
To make this chuck roast, start by preheating your oven to 325°F. While it heats up, make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider, low sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, black pepper, and garlic.
Next, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place it in your Dutch oven, pour the marinade over the top, and flip the meat a few times so it’s fully coated. Tuck the rosemary sprigs into the liquid, cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven.
Let the roast braise for about 4 hours total. The exact timing depends on how thick your roast is, so trust the process. At the 3½ hour mark, pull the pot out of the oven and carefully nestle the potatoes around the roast, pushing them down so they’re submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot again and return it to the oven for 30 more minutes.
Once the time is up, remove the pot from the oven and carefully lift the lid, letting the steam escape away from you. Remove the rosemary sprigs, then use two forks to shred the meat right in the pot. It should pull apart easily, and the potatoes should be fork tender. If the meat is still resisting, cover it and give it a little more time in the oven.
For crispier edges, set your oven to broil on high and slide the pot back in, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tips of the beef and potatoes are browned. Spoon all of those rich apple cider juices over everything and serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
I really don’t recommend it. Apple juice is filtered and sweeter, so it won’t give you the same tangy depth, and combined with the maple syrup, the sauce can end up too sweet. Stick with cider for this one.
Go by texture, not the timer. It’s ready when it shreds easily with two forks and the potatoes are fork tender. If your roast is on the thicker side, it may need extra time.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Keep the meat in its juices so it stays tender, and reheat with a splash of that liquid on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Not as written, since soy sauce contains gluten. Swap in tamari or coconut aminos, and check your Worcestershire label to make sure it’s gluten-free too. It’s dairy-free as written.
Any heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid works. Just make sure it’s broiler-safe if you plan to crisp the edges at the end.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new!
** Photography by Lorena Masso
Ingredients
- 3 ½-4 pounds chuck roast
- 1 cup apple cider, not apple juice
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 pounds yukon gold potatoes, halved or quartered
Instructions
- To make this chuck roast, start by preheating your oven to 325°F. While it heats up, make the marinade. In a medium bowl, whisk together the apple cider, low sodium soy sauce, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, black pepper, and garlic.
- Next, pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Place it in your Dutch oven, pour the marinade over the top, and flip the meat a few times so it’s fully coated. Tuck the rosemary sprigs into the liquid, cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven.
- Let the roast braise for about 4 hours total. The exact timing depends on how thick your roast is, so trust the process. At the 3½ hour mark, pull the pot out of the oven and carefully nestle the potatoes around the roast, pushing them down so they’re submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot again and return it to the oven for 30 more minutes.
- Once the time is up, remove the pot from the oven and carefully lift the lid, letting the steam escape away from you. Remove the rosemary sprigs, then use two forks to shred the meat right in the pot. It should pull apart easily, and the potatoes should be fork tender. If the meat is still resisting, cover it and give it a little more time in the oven.
- For crispier edges, set your oven to broil on high and slide the pot back in, uncovered, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tips of the beef and potatoes are browned. Spoon all of those rich apple cider juices over everything and serve!
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