I like to start my holiday celebrations early by preparing festive dishes and getting everyone in the mood for the holidays. The smell of a pot roast in the oven is divine. Add ingredients like cranberries, orange zest and cloves and you got yourself a house bursting with happiness. While I love a traditional pot roast I equally love adding unexpected ingredients to make things extra festive.
My Holiday Roast is super simple to prepare, all the work happens in the oven. The hardest part is keeping away and restraining yourself from opening that oven door too many times. When picking out meat for this dish I suggest chuck. It the perfect cut for braising and gets very tender. 2 1/2 hours in the oven and you got yourself a pretty amazing dinner.
Once the roast is cooked, set it on a cutting board then using a slotted spoon fish out all the cranberries from the pot. Try to leave the carrots and onions behind. I find that cranberries add a great flavor but I am not a big fan of serving them on top of the mashed potatoes. The sauce is great without the cranberry chunks. Mashed potatoes are a must. Garlic cheesy bread on the side makes this meal complete and simply delectable. If cranberries is not your thing prunes work fabulously in this recipe.
PrintTender Cranberry and Bourbon Pot Roast
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This tender pot roast is infused with the festive flavors of cranberries, orange zest, and cloves, creating a warm and inviting holiday meal.
Ingredients
- 2½ lb chuck roast
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- ½ (12oz) bag of cranberries ( i also suggest adding ¼ cup prunes)
- 2 whole cloves
- 4 garlic cloves, cut in half
- strips of zest from half orange
- orange juice from half orange
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup sugar (plus more if needed) (if using prunes you might need less sugar)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Generously season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Using a paring knife, make small slits in the meat and insert the halved garlic cloves into the slits all around the roast.
- Heat canola oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the roast on all sides until browned, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove the roast from the pot and set aside. In the same pot, add the sliced onions and diced carrots. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Return the roast to the pot. Add the cranberries, prunes (if using), cloves, and orange zest. Pour in the beef broth and bourbon.
- Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Braise for 2½ hours, or until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
- Once cooked, remove the roast from the pot and let it rest on a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cranberries from the pot, leaving the carrots and onions behind.
- Slice the roast and serve with the sauce and vegetables from the pot. Pair with mashed potatoes and garlic cheesy bread for a complete meal.
Notes
For a different flavor, substitute prunes for cranberries. The roast pairs well with mashed potatoes and garlic cheesy bread. If you prefer a smoother sauce, strain out the cranberries before serving. The dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 110
I am planning on making your wonderful sounding recipe.
Reading the instructions leaves me unsure when this goes from the stove top in the dutch oven into the oven that you say to preheat to 350.
Can I use a normal large stove top pot? Do you have instructions to alter this recipe so I could use a slow cooker? Maybe instead of just cooking in over for 2+ hours I then use the slow cooker for 8hrs?
Thanks,
John