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 was wondering if there is something I can substitute for the red wine. I’m a grateful recovering alcoholic. I want to make this tomorrow!!
Hi, Rae, That is AWESOME!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Thanks so much for your question! You could substitute 1 cup pomegranate juice or grape juice for the wine and use an extra cup of beef broth. You may need to adjust the acidity a little bit at the end–perhaps with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Thanks again, hope you enjoy!
Thanks so much for replying to my question!! I’m going to try the pomegranate juice! I’ll have to let you know how it all turns out! I’m so excited!!
I’m sorry…. I have another question. This one is about the polenta. Is the polenta you’re talking about in the actual recipe “pre-cooked” polenta? I’ve been reading others question about the instant polenta but my Italian store/deli has the pre-cooked. Thanks again.
Hi, Rae, Not a problem at all! It is not the pre-cooked polenta. It’s surprising that an Italian store would only have precooked but for some reason, regular polenta HAS been difficult to find lately. (As with many things, I guess.) I finally found some Bob’s Red Mill polenta the other day at Whole Foods. Instant polenta by DeLallo has been easier to find. Thanks so much and hope you can make it work out!
Would you sprinkle with gremolata?
Hi, Pat, Thanks so much for your question. You could certainly do that. That final touch of something fresh and tangy IS very nice on braised meats. Give it a try and let me know how it works. Thanks so much!!
HI! I made this last night with a very expensive piece of chuck roast! The sauce and flavors were AMAZING!! I followed the recipe exactly however, my meat was tough and very dry….I was so upset! What would make the meat NOT fall apart? It was hard to even cut with the knife!! I saved the sauce it made to put over pasta tonight though!
Hi, Lauren, OMG I’m so sorry to hear that and beef is so expensive now. Depending upon where you got it, I would say something to the butcher. The Fresh Market and Whole Foods are generally pretty good about making things right. If the roast was larger, perhaps it needed a little more time? Also, I know this goes against the grain, but I am not a fan of grass-fed beef. My experience with grass-fed (even though that’s how cows should be raised) is that it’s always more on the dry side. Do you have an Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker? Perhaps put it in there for a while and see if you can shred it then. That just shouldn’t happen with a chuck roast; they’re meant to fall apart because of the connective tissue. Again, so sorry and hope you’ll try this recipe again.
oh thank for getting back to me! It was 3 1/2 pounds! I do have a crockpot! Maybe I will throw it in and see what happens! Thank you!
Hi again, Lauren, a 3 1/2 pound chuck roast should have gotten tender in that amount of time if it’s cut properly and a true chuck roast. I wonder if they gave you the right thing.
Also, is your oven temperature accurate?
Could I use quick cooking polenta follow directions with broth and add butter and Gorgonzola?
Hi, Cindy, Thanks so much for your question. Sounds like you want to leave out the half-and-half so yes, that should work fine. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
Making this for a NYE dinner. So excited to try!
Thanks so much, Rhonda. Hope you enjoy!!
This recipe sounds amazing. My boyfriend can’t have the red wine, do you have any suggestions for substitutes?
Hi, Ryan, Thanks for your question. Can he have red wine vinegar? If so, I would add a teaspoon or two per cup of broth and use a little extra broth. You don’t want it too acidic so taste it after using 1 teaspoon. You could also use pomegranate juice with a teaspoon or two of white wine vinegar. I’ve also used white wine in recipes for beef and it has worked out fine. Thanks so much and hope you can make it work and enjoy!
The red wine vinegar should work. Thank you, looking forward to trying this!
Could this be made in the slow cooker?
Hi, Pam, Thanks so much for your question. Yes, you can definitely do this (without the polenta) in your slow cooker but keep in mind that slow cookers tend to water flavors down. You could do four to six hours (would depend on size of the roast) on high and eight to ten 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 amount of broth in the beginning by a cup or so. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!
I made this last night and it was superb! I could only use a 3-lb roast because that’s all the store had on hand… wishing I had more leftovers now! I also had to use precooked polenta because Publix was sold out of the dry. I heated it with butter and milk and had to mash it but it was still awesome. The pancetta is a great touch as it adds a ton of flavor!
Hi, Christine, Thanks so very much and so glad you enjoyed!! That was a great creative solution on the polenta! I haven’t tested this with two 3-pound roasts but it should still work. You may need to increase the liquid amount a little bit. Thanks again!
This was a top 10 recipe! We seriously ate with our eyes closed because we were all lost in the decadent richness of this. Thank you!
Hi, Caril, Wow, what a compliment! Thank you so very much and so glad you and everyone enjoyed! You really made my day. Thanks again!!
I am making this very soon but am having a hard time finding polenta. I have some quick polenta and wondered if I could use that?
Hi, Judy, Thanks so much for your question. I am also having a very hard time finding polenta; instant is about it. Must be a supply chain thing? You can definitely use instant but follow the package directions closely; instant polenta is not meant for the oven. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!!
If there were 10 stars I would give it 10! Oh my word, this is amazing. Talk about a comfort food! I made the roast as written. Didn’t change a thing. My only thing….the fat that accumulated on the top of my dish. I used a spoon and got at least 1/2 a cup of fat from the top but it still had more than I would like. Any tricks of the trade on eliminating most of that fat? The roast I used was already trimmed so I didn’t trim anything from it. The polenta I used was “instant” – and all that I had on hand, so I just cooked it on top of the stove and used the cheese I had on hand too and that was parmesan. My husband went NUTS over this recipe and said it was to go in the “special” food and into fall/winter rotation. Seriously, if you are just thinking about making this recipe….think no longer! This is a hands down WINNER! So thankful to find it and find your website. Anxious to try some of your other recipes. Love the detailed instructions too!
Hi, Cindy, Oh my. Thanks so very much!! Your kind comments are very humbling and I’m so happy that you and yours had such a fabulous meal. Thanks again and sure hope to hear more great reviews from you!!
Regarding chuck roasts, they have more fat and connective tissue that breaks down but that’s why they become so tender. You could use a sirloin tip roast but you won’t have that silky texture; it will be drier.
Cindy, put the whole thing in the fridge overnight and you will be able to lift the fat cap right off. You can add a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin to give a silky mouth feel to replace the fat.
The store was out of pancetta. Do you think I could substitute cubed prosciutto? Thank you!
Hi, Mark, Thanks so much for your question. Definitely substitute prosciutto. Bacon would be a little too smoky. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!