Description
This Cranberry Pot Roast is a flavorful and tender one-dish meal featuring a 3-4 lb chuck roast slow-baked with a sweet and tangy topping of whole berry cranberry sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and herbs. The roast is cooked on a bed of sliced onions until fork-tender, then shredded and mixed with the pan juices for a perfect balance of savory and slightly sweet flavors. Ideal for a comforting dinner, it pairs wonderfully with mashed potatoes and green beans.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3–4 lb chuck roast
Produce
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into rings
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
Condiments & Sauces
- 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (not jellied)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Spices & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for slow baking the pot roast.
- Prepare onion bed: Layer the sliced yellow onion rings evenly in a large baking dish to create a flavorful base for the roast.
- Place roast: Set the chuck roast on top of the onion bed in the baking dish.
- Season roast: Sprinkle the minced garlic, brown sugar, dried minced onion, ground thyme, kosher salt, and black pepper evenly over the surface of the roast.
- Add cranberry sauce: Spoon the whole berry cranberry sauce evenly over the top of the seasoned roast.
- Drizzle Worcestershire: Drizzle the Worcestershire sauce around the roast in the pan for added depth of flavor.
- Cover dish: Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil to trap moisture during cooking.
- Bake roast: Bake in the preheated oven for 3 hours, until the roast is fork-tender and easy to shred.
- Shred meat: Remove the roast from the oven and shred the meat directly in the baking dish, mixing it with the pan juices and softened cranberries for maximum flavor.
- Serve: Serve the shredded cranberry pot roast with mashed potatoes and green beans or your favorite sides for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use a 3-4 lb chuck roast for a tender and juicy result.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce provides texture and flavor; avoid jellied types.
- Covering the dish tightly with foil ensures the roast remains moist during baking.
- Shredding the roast in the pan juices enhances the dish’s flavor and moistness.
- Pair with mashed potatoes and green beans for a balanced and hearty meal.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
