Stracotto Recipe (Italian Pot Roast)
Updated May 06, 2022, Published Feb 15, 2020
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This Stracotto, also known as Italian Pot Roast and oven-baked gorgonzola polenta, is the ultimate Italian comfort food that will delight your family and friends! The beef is slowly braised in a rich, red wine sauce, while the cheesy, hands-off polenta makes it a perfect, stress-free dish for entertaining or a cozy Sunday family dinner!
“About the best recipe I’ve made in a very long time. Made it for family and got loads of praise. Will do this again and again!”
Table of Contents
- What is Stracotto?
- Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
- How to Make Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast)
- Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Storage:
- Besides polenta, serve with:
- Also on the side….
- More great, slowly braised recipes you’ll love!
- Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) and Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta Recipe
What is Stracotto?
Stracotto, or Italian pot roast, differs slightly from a traditional pot roast. A stracotto recipe starts with a soffritto base of finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery rather than large and chunky vegetables like a traditional American-style pot roast.
Also called Stracotto di Manzo, the name translates to “overcooked,” and Manzo roughly translates to “beef” or “steer.” The braising liquid for Stracotto is more tomatoey and winey than a traditional pot roast.
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
Is anything more comforting than a slowly braised beef pot roast that melts in your mouth? It’s even more special when it’s Stracotto, an Italian pot roast!
The slow braising process allows the beef to absorb the complex flavors of red wine, herbs, garlic, and vegetables, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness packed with robust taste.
Despite the time it takes to prepare and cook a pot roast such as Stracotto in the oven, it’s very easy. This Italian pot roast recipe cooks hands-off much of the time, allowing you to do other things. Although you can speed up the process with a pressure cooker, the rich, flavorful result you’ll end up with by doing it low and slow in the oven is time well spent.
When making it at home, I pair it with Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta, which is also practically hands-off. The Stracotto and polenta combination is perfect for entertaining or a lovely Sunday family dinner.
I’ve been making this Italian pot roast (Stracotto) for personal chef clients for almost 23 years, so it’s tried and true!
This Stracotto recipe:
- Can be made ahead and is often better the next day.
- Can be adapted to a slow cooker or electric pressure cooker.
- Freezer-friendly!
How to Make Stracotto (Italian Pot Roast)
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this stracotto recipe, along with instructions for preparing the ingredients. The exact quantities are on the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- The Beef: My preference for a Stracotto recipe is a chuck roast. However, you can use almost any cut for slow braising, such as brisket, eye-of-round, rump, sirloin tip, or beef short ribs. In fact, the more tough the cut is, the better! When a tough cut is cooked slowly and correctly, the connective tissue breaks down to tenderize the meat, adding richness and body to the braising liquid. In the end, you end up with a luxurious, velvety sauce.
- Onion / Carrot / Celery Combination: This combination is called a mirepoix in French cooking. In Italian cooking it’s a soffrito, and consists of two parts onions, one part celery, and one part carrots. You have my permission to eyeball it. 🙂
- Pancetta: Pancetta is pork belly (the same cut of pork that bacon is made from). It’s not smoked like bacon; rather, it’s cured in salt, sometimes sugar, and various spices. Pancetta is sold sliced thin or cubed. If you don’t consume pork, substitute turkey bacon for the pancetta.
- Beef Broth: Can also use beef stock.
- Dry Red Wine: When cooking with wine, you want to use a wine you enjoy drinking. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but a bad wine will only yield a bad result. I like to use a Cabernet because I like the full flavor, but a Pinot Noir or Merlot, which are lighter, will also work. NON-ALCOHOLIC SUBSTITUTION: Substitute with beef broth with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar added. Add more to taste after the beef is cooked. Red wine vinegar is another option.
- Italian Seasoning: This kitchen staple generally includes dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Use the best canned crushed tomatoes you can afford, like San Marzano. I like Mutti because of its fresh Italian tomato flavor. San Marzano tomatoes are more expensive. However, the investment is worth it.
- Polenta: Polenta is made from ground flint corn, usually coarsely ground yellow cornmeal. It’s often labeled as polenta or corn grits. It can also be made from finely ground white corn. Avoid anything instant or sold in tubes.
- Gorgonzola Cheese: Blue cheese, such as Gorgonzola, and beef are a culinary match made in heaven! But, if you’re not a blue cheese fan, use Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Cheddar or Gruyere cheese.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Season the chuck roast liberally with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven.
- Place the chuck roast in the Dutch oven and brown well on both sides, approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side.
- Transfer to a plate, pour off the browning fat, and discard it.
- Refresh the oil with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add chopped garlic and cook briefly for 10 to 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil 1-2 minutes.
- Add the beef back to the pot along with any accumulated juices.
- Add beef broth, tomatoes, sliced garlic, rosemary, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Place a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the top of the Dutch oven, followed by the lid. (You want to minimize evaporation as much as possible.)
- Place in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is extremely tender.
- Get the polenta going when the Italian pot roast has about 45 minutes to go.
- Spray a 2 1/2 to 3-quart oven-safe casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Combine chicken broth or water, half-and-half, polenta and salt and black pepper in the prepared casserole dish and stir well.
- Place in the oven uncovered and bake alongside the roast during the last 40 to 45 minutes.
- After approximately 30 minutes, stir, add Gorgonzola and butter and stir again.
- Return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Serve polenta with pot roast.
- And then! A lovely, slowly braised, fall-apart tender Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto)!
- Let the Italian pot roast rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then place on a serving platter with the amazing, rich sauce!
Serve the Stracotto over the luscious Gorgonzola polenta for the perfect Italian-inspired comfort food everyone will rave about!
Chef Tips and Tricks:
- Because the Stracotto is so melty tender, a Dutch oven pot roast such as this Italian pot roast is challenging to slice unless you let it chill first. So, instead of slicing the pot roast, I break it into serving-sized pieces, as shown above.
- If the sauce for this Stracotto recipe is thinner than you like:
- Combine 2 tablespoons softened butter with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
- Remove 3 to 4 tablespoons of the hot braising liquid from the Dutch oven and add it to the butter and flour. Stir until you have a thick paste slurry.
- Add the slurry (flour, butter and liquid mixture) to the Dutch oven and gently stir it in.
- Bring the roast to a gentle simmer on your cooktop and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. (Do not let it boil.) You can also move the roast to a platter to rest when doing this step. Cover to keep warm.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, you can do in your slow cooker without the polenta. Keep in mind that slow cookers tend to water down flavors. You can cook for four to six hours (depending on the roast size) on HIGH and eight to ten hours on LOW. If you can, leave the cover off for the last 30 to 45 minutes so the sauce has a chance to reduce. You could also reduce the broth by a cup or so in the beginning.
Yes, but you’ll have a much better result if you do it in the oven. I haven’t tested this recipe in an electric pressure cooker. If you really want to do that, you’ll probably have to reduce the liquid in this recipe. It will take approximately 60 to 80 minutes in an electric pressure cooker.
Absolutely! In fact, a pot roast gets even better when the flavors have a chance to meld. Best of all, it’s much easier to remove the excess fat, which congeals at the top when the roast cools and is refrigerated. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
Storage:
- Store any leftovers of this Stracotto recipe in the refrigerator and enjoy within five days.
- To freeze, cool completely and place in airtight containers in desired volume. Freeze for 1 to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator then reheat in a 350-degree oven.
Besides polenta, serve with:
- Pappardelle (thick, strand pasta)
- Mashed potatoes
- Risotto or other rice
- Cauliflower White Bean Puree
- Celery Root Puree
- Creamy Mashed Turnips
Also on the side….
- Baked Cabbage Wedges
- Roasted Cauliflower with Black Olive Pangrattato
- Braised Greens with Olives and Lemon
More great, slowly braised recipes you’ll love!
- Boneless Short Ribs Recipe (Bourguignon Style)
- Slow Cooker Beef Short Ribs Barbacoa with Cilantro – Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Beef Braciole (Braciola)
- Cabernet-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Cauliflower – Leek Puree
- Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Stout Braised Beef Short Ribs and Colcannon
Get all my beef recipes at Beef Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen.
Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) and Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta
Ingredients
Roast
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 (4-pound) chuck roast, tied
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 12 cloves garlic, 2 chopped, 10 sliced, divided
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 can (14.5-ounce) beef broth, with enough water added to make 2 cups
- 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes, preferably a good imported Italian brand
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 large bay leaves
- Chopped fresh parsley
Polenta
- Cooking spray
- 3 cups chicken broth, or water
- 1 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 cup polenta or corn grits, not instant, coarse ground
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Roast
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Season the chuck roast liberally with salt and black pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Place chuck roast in Dutch oven and brown well on both sides, approximately 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, pour off and discard browning fat.
- Refresh oil with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion, carrot, celery and pancetta. Reduce heat to medium. Cook 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Add chopped garlic and cook briefly 10-15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the wine and bring to a boil. Boil 1-2 minutes.
- Add the beef back to the pot along with any accumulated juices.
- Add beef broth, tomatoes, sliced garlic, rosemary, Italian seasoning and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Place a layer of aluminum foil or parchment paper over the top of the Dutch oven followed by the lid. (You want to minimize evaporation as much as possible.)
- Place in the oven and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until meat is extremely tender.
- Place on a serving platter and slice or shred as desired.
Polenta
- Spray a 2 1/2 to 3-quart oven-safe casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Combine chicken broth or water, half-and-half, polenta and salt and black pepper in the prepared casserole dish and stir well.
- Place in the oven uncovered and bake alongside the roast during the last 40-45 minutes of braising the roast. After approximately 30 minutes, stir, add Gorgonzola and butter and stir again. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
- Serve polenta with pot roast.
Notes
- If you’re not a blue cheese/Gorgonzola fan, try Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, Cheddar or Gruyere.
- If you prefer not to use alcohol, substitute 1 cup of pomegranate juice or grape juice for the wine and use an extra cup of beef broth. You may need to adjust the acidity slightly at the end–perhaps with a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar (trace alcohol if any).
- Substitute turkey bacon for the pancetta if you don’t consume pork.
- Because the roast will be difficult to slice, break it into pieces as shown or shred. If you prefer sliced and have made it ahead, it can be easily sliced if it’s cold.
- If the sauce is thinner than you prefer and want to thicken it:
- Combine 2 tablespoons softened butter with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
- Remove 3 to 4 tablespoons of the hot braising liquid from the Dutch oven and add it to the butter and flour. Stir until you have a thick paste slurry.
- Add the slurry (flour, butter and liquid mixture) to the Dutch oven and gently stir it in.
- Bring the roast to a gentle simmer on your cooktop and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. (Do not let it boil.) You can also move the roast to a platter to rest when doing this step. Cover to keep warm.
- Keep in mind that slow cookers tend to water flavors down. You can do 4-6 hours (depending on the roast size) on HIGH and 8-10 hours on LOW.
- If you can, leave the cover off for the last 30-45 minutes so the sauce has a chance to reduce. You could also reduce the broth by a cup or so in the beginning.
- Will take approximately 60 to 80 minutes in an electric pressure cooker.
- The roast can be prepared 2 days ahead. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
- The roast is freezer-friendly. Place in an airtight container and freeze up to 1-2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I used an immersion blender to grind up the vegetables after taking the meat out to be carved. It made the sauce thicker and tasted wonderful.
Hi, Marie, Thanks so much for the tip! I’ve done that with my onion-averse family members, and they never knew the onions were in there. Thanks again and happy you enjoyed!
Excellent recipe and instructions. There is a more recent one but same ingredients and almost no instructions.
Hi, Phyllis, Thanks so much and so happy you love this recipe. Yes, I’ve had people copy my recipe and just make minor changes. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.
I’m making this recipe again for company tonight. I made the beef two days ago and it should be even more flavorful. I LOVE the polenta recipe, I’ve made it so many times! This is a keeper!!
Hi, Lisa, Thanks so very much and so happy you love this recipe! It’s an honor that you’ve made this recipe part of your special time with company. Appreciate your taking the time to come back and comment and rate.