This Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast is so cozy and comforting! It’s incredibly fall-apart tender and just melts in your mouth. There is a bit of sweetness, savoriness and tanginess in every bite.
The beef is braised low and slow in the oven for over 3 hours, giving this one pot meal such amazing and robust flavor. It is also make-ahead and freezer friendly!
If you know me, you’ll know that I love roasts. My most popular recipe on the blog is my Dutch Oven Pot Roast, and recently my French Onion Pot Roast has become very popular too! Today, I’m sharing a delicious Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast recipe, which is a delicious variation of the classic.
It starts with beautifully seared chuck roast, and it’s slowly cooked for over 3 hours until fall-apart tender in a savory, sweet, and tangy braising liquid made with beef broth, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, and herbs. The sweetness of the juices and honey caramelize perfectly, giving the roast amazing flavor and texture.
I add plenty of onions, which caramelize as they cook, adding incredible flavor and keeping the meat extra moist. The roast shreds effortlessly with a fork and just melts in your mouth. It’s so good!
This honey balsamic pot roast is the kind of one pot meal that tastes amazing the next day, which always makes for great leftovers.
If you are looking for hearty one pot roasts, check out my Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken, Apple Cider Pork Roast, or Red Wine Braised Beef.
Why I love making honey balsamic chuck roast:
- All the flavors! Savory, sweet and tangy.
- Tender texture and nicely caramelized. The slowly braised meat along with the juices create the best texture.
- Effortless prep. After searing, the oven does the rest.
- Make ahead and freezer friendly. It tastes even better the next day!
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Ingredients Notes
You only need a few ingredients to make this braised honey balsamic chuck roast. Here, I included a few notes from recipe testing, and as always, quantities are located in the recipe card down below.
- Chuck roast: I recommend using a 3 lb roast for rich flavor. This size will also fit perfectly in a baking dish.
- Beef broth: The flavorful liquid base along with helping to deglaze the pan after searing.
- Balsamic vinegar: Use good quality balsamic vinegar so it shines through in this dish! A well-balanced balsamic makes a huge difference. I like to use Colavita brand balsamic.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds savory, sweet and tangy flavors to the juices.
- Dijon or honey mustard: Provides depth, richness and a sharp tangy taste.
- Honey: Adds sweetness and balances the acidity of the vinegar.
- Minced garlic and yellow onions: The aromatics that add another layer of amazing depth and taste.
- Rosemary and thyme sprigs: I’d recommend using fresh.
- Bay leaves: Fresh or dried.
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
Step-by-Step Tutorial
This comforting and cozy balsamic pot roast is such a family favorite. Let me show you how to make them, along with some helpful tips.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Season chuck roast with salt and pepper generously.
Step 2: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Sear chuck roast on both sides until you get a golden brown crust, 5-6 minutes per side. Transfer to a 4-quart baking casserole dish with a lid.
Step 3: In a microwave safe bowl, heat up the beef broth. Add the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine.
Step 4: Arrange the sliced onions and fresh herbs around the chuck roast. Pour the prepared braising liquid over.
Step 5: Cover tightly with a lid (or a few layers of aluminum foil). Braise in the oven at 325 degrees F for 3.5 hours.
Step 6: Shred and return to the baking pan so it will mix with the juices. Serve over your favorite mashed potatoes or sides!
Tips for Success
- A 3-pound chuck roast is a good size for the amount of liquid and baking casserole dish size I recommend below. Pick a more well-marbled piece for best flavor.
- Sear the beef first. Highly recommended! It will help enhance and lock in the flavor and juices so it stays moist.
- Equipment: I use a 4-quart stoneware baking casserole pan with a lid for this recipe. It retains heat well but not as strongly as a Dutch oven, which is ideal. This prevents the honey and balsamic from overheating, avoiding any bitterness or burning.
- If you don’t have a baking pan with a lid, cover tightly with 4-5 layers of aluminum foil for proper heat retention.
- Braise in the oven for 3.5 hours low and slow (325 degrees F). This way, the chuck roast will be extra tender and shred easily.
Why I Use a Stoneware Casserole vs Cast Iron
While I often cook roasts in a Dutch oven, for this honey balsamic roast recipe, I like to use a ceramic or stoneware baking casserole pan with a lid.
It retains heat well but not as strongly as a Dutch oven, which is ideal here since honey can burn easily. You want the honey to caramelize, not burn. Consistent, not-so-high heat from stoneware is ideal for that.
I really like this 4-quart Stoneware Baking Casserole, which comes with a lid. If your lid doesn’t fit tightly, put a layer of aluminum foil in between to seal any gaps.
Want to use cast iron? That’s totally fine! Just make sure not to simmer the braising liquid before putting it in the oven. Use 300 degrees F rather than 325F. This should help regulate the temperature for the honey to caramelize nicely without burning.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make ahead: Make ahead as directed, let it cool down, and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. The flavors develop even more overnight. When ready to eat, add a splash of broth and balsamic vinegar to loosen the juices and reheat.
Freezing: This recipe is very freezer friendly! Once cooled down, portion and transfer into freezing bags or Souper Cubes. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F until warm. Add a splash of beef broth and balsamic vinegar before reheating.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Mashed potatoes are my favorite side to enjoy with this juicy braised honey balsamic chuck roast! Here are our favorite mashed potato recipes on the blog, and also delicious veggie sides to make it a full meal:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Spinach Mashed Potatoes
- Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Lemon Green Beans
- Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
- Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots
To change it up, try these easy Buttered Egg Noodles or my delicious Garlic Butter Rice.
Recipe FAQs
I recommend using a ceramic or stoneware casserole dish with a lid. If you don’t have a lid, you can use about 4 layers of foil to cover tightly to ensure proper heat retention.
Yes! Sear the beef over the stovetop first, then transfer everything into a large 6 or 7-quart slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Yes, but don’t simmer the braising liquid to prevent the honey from burning. Transfer directly to the oven, and adjust the oven temperature to 300 F (rather than 325F).
Yes, feel free to add in celery, parsnips, carrots and potatoes. Add these about 1.5 hours before the cook time is up.
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Honey Balsamic Chuck Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless chuck roast - excess fat trimmed
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Vegetable or olive oil - for searing
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 6 fresh sprigs rosemary and thyme - plus more if desired
- 3 bay leaves - fresh or dried
- 2 cups beef broth
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar - use good quality
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon or honey mustard
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Season chuck roast generously with Kosher salt (1 teaspoon per side) and ground black pepper (½ teaspoon per side).
- In a large skillet, heat a few drizzles of oil over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned chuck roast on both sides until a golden brown crust forms, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove and transfer into a large 4-quart baking casserole pan with a lid. Tip: Let it sear undisturbed to get a good crust.
- Arrange the sliced onions and fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme and bay leaves around the chuck roast. Set aside.
- Prep the braising liquid: In a microwave safe bowl, warm up the beef broth (it needs to be hot to melt the honey, but not boiling). To it, add with the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, honey, mustard, and minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon salt). Stir to combine evenly.
- Add the braising liquid on top of the beef and around the sides.
- Cover tightly with the lid (or use about 4-5 layers of aluminum foil if your pan doesn’t have a lid). Braise in the oven for 3.5 hours until very tender.
- Remove from the oven and shred with a fork, tossing to combine with the juices.
- Serve over mashed potatoes or your favorite sides. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t skip searing the beef. It will help lock in flavor and juices so it stays moist.
- Equipment: I use a 4-quart stoneware baking casserole with a lid. Cast iron may retain too much heat and cause the honey to burn.
- If your casserole pan doesn’t have a lid, cover tightly with about 4 layers of foil for proper heat retention.
- Braising time: At least 3.5 hours for tender beef, but if you want it more tender, add an extra 20 minutes.
- Make ahead: Let the roast cool down and refrigerate overnight, covered. Reheat in the oven at 350F or microwave oven until warmed through.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave oven.
- Freezing: Let cool and transfer into freezer friendly bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven at 350F, adding a splash or broth and vinegar.
- Fresh herbs: If you don’t have fresh sprigs of herbs, use 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary.
Nisha says
Hi- I never leave reviews and I am not a confident cook but I wanted to thank you for sharing this incredible recipe. It’s the best meal I’ve ever made, and loved by my husband. I can’t wait to make it for others.
Tania says
Thank you for your kind words, Nisha! I truly appreciate it, and I’m so happy you both loved it.
Donna says
Since Tania’s stew was so good, I gave this recipe a try. It’s also a WINNER!! I followed the recipe, and it was an excellent meal. I love the helpful tips that Tania provides. This recipe is now in my old-fashioned 3-ring recipe binder. Keep these easy and great recipes coming, Tania!
Tania says
Thank you so much for your lovely words, Donna! I am really happy my recipe made it to your recipe binder! Thank you for your trust and kindness.
Lindsay Rowe says
This was wonderful! I used dried herbs because I didn’t want to make a special trip to the store for fresh ones, and it still turned out great. I also seared the roast in an enameled cast iron pan, removed it, then deglazed with the honey-balsamic goodness and returned the roast to the same dutch oven for roasting. The au jus is so flavorful, and my house smelled incredible all afternoon. Leftovers were great the next, day! Thanks for an easy recipe that I will make again and again..
Tania says
Thank you so much for your kind words, Lindsay! I’m really glad to hear. It’s one of my family’s favorites too, especially during the cold months.
Patricia says
The caramelization is amazing. I can taste the sweet notes and the balsamic is just perfect, not overpowering or anything like that. Super tender meat, going to use leftovers to make sliders tomorrow.
Tania says
Thank you so much, Patricia!
Kim says
This was a hit! I didn’t have beef broth, so I made a quick mushroom broth with some dried mushrooms I had in my pantry. Wow! I think the mushroom broth took it to the next level. We’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks so much for the awesome recipe.
Tania says
Ohh I love the idea of using mushroom broth! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Kim!