For The Most Flavor-Packed Pot Roast, All You Need Is A Dollop Of One Fridge Staple

Making a delicious pot roast is truly an art. Some home cooks spend years trying to formulate the perfect combination of ingredients to create a roast that's just the right combination of rich, comforting, and, perhaps most essentially, has some flavor that's surprising yet totally fitting. Something that makes you say "wow" at first bite. Some home cooks add a bit of Coca-Cola to their roasts for a slightly caramel taste, for example, while others add a bit of cocoa powder to their roast for depth of flavor. While these ingredients certainly give your roast a punch, another addition is the ultimate coup for the braised chuck dish: Dijon mustard.

Adding the spicy, sharp yet creamy, ever so piquant condiment to your roast brings a depth of flavor and brightness because the punch of mustard's spice helps cut through the rich, beefy base. To incorporate, simply add a tablespoon or so of Dijon mustard to beef broth when deglazing the pan after browning the chuck. If you're making your roast in a slow cooker, top your seared roast with this deglazing liquid along with sauteed onions. This helps form the base of your braising liquid, thus infusing your roast with a lovely, rich, slightly mustardy flavor.

There's more than one way to add that beautiful Dijon twist. You can also apply your mustard as a rub for your roast before searing it. For this, you need about ¼ cup of mustard per 3 pounds of chuck. To prep, dry off the chuck roast, then cover it with salt, pepper, and a layer of Dijon mustard. When you brown your beef on each side, the mustard crust suffuses delicious Dijon flavor into your beef, and also helps trap moisture, resulting in a super-juicy roast on the inside and a lovely bark formed on the outside.

If you want a mustardy cut to your roast without adding it directly to your beef or when deglazing your pan, you can also add mustard just before popping the roast in the oven. Just stir it in so it fully mixes into the base of your braising liquid. A few tablespoons is enough to add a slight kick without overpowering the roast.

Any of the above methods help add that signature mustard punch, but varying your method of incorporation can alter the texture of your roast. If you prefer a crust on your meat, go for the rub. If you simply want a little piquant kick, add it during deglazing or as you prepare your braising liquid.

You can absolutely use Dijon mustard as a small perk up to your usual recipe, but it also does well as the starting point to bigger changes. One great companion to Dijon is balsamic vinegar. The rich, sweet vinegar pairs perfectly with the meaty beef and the bright, spicy mustard. In other words, it's the perfect bridge between the contrasting flavors. You could also add a bit of apple cider vinegar to your pot roast if you want a similar flair without the distinct taste of balsamic. Both vinegars pair well with mustard and can help tenderize and add flavor to your roast, but apple cider vinegar is just a bit brighter in flavor.

You can also add whole grain mustard along with Dijon to double up on the flavor, or you can pair mustard with a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. This combination is the perfect blend of umami (from the Worcestershire sauce) and spice (from the mustard), which rounds out the meatiness of your pot roast and helps bring out some much needed complexity in the classic comfort food.