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Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) on gray-rimmed platter.
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4.67 from 225 votes

Italian Pot Roast (Stracotto) and Oven-Baked Gorgonzola Polenta

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!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Beef
Cuisine: Italian
Diet: Diabetic
Servings: 8
Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

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

SUBSTITUTIONS:
  • 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.
TIPS:
  • 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.
SLOW-COOKER:
  • 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.
ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER/INSTANT POT:
  • Will take approximately 60 to 80 minutes in an electric pressure cooker.
MAKE AHEAD:
  • The roast can be prepared 2 days ahead. Reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until heated through.
FREEZER-FRIENDLY:
  • 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

Serving: 1 | Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 737mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3409IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg