How to Bake Chuck Roast

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The key to preparing a chuck roast is ensuring that the meat is tender when you serve it. Baking the roast in a small amount of liquid, a technique called braising, promotes breakdown of fibers in the meat that can make it tough. After the roast is finishes baking, any remaining liquid can be used to make gravy. Baking a roast isn’t difficult and even novice cooks can look forward to preparing a tender and tasty roast following basic baking instructions.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Press salt, pepper and garlic on to all sides of the roast. Add other spices, such as oregano or thyme, if desired.

Place 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a dutch oven and place the dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Brown both sides of the chuck roast. Browning the chuck roast improves the appearance of the roast and enriches the flavor.

Turn off the burner after browning the roast. Add 1 cup of water, broth, apple cider or wine to the dutch oven. Combine several liquid ingredients if you wish.

Put the dutch oven in the preheated oven. Turn the roast after cooking for one hour and continue to bake. Total cooking time may range from two to four hours, depending on the weight of the roast.

Insert a meat thermometer into the thicket part of the roast to check for doneness. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends cooking chuck roast to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove the roast from the oven when done. Let the roast sit for approximately 30 minutes before cutting and serving.