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    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce

    Updated October 18, 2025 / By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    Bright, tart cherries, gorgonzola and a good hit of black pepper make for a fun, festive twist on a classic pot roast recipe.
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce topped with parsley and gorgonzola cheese
    Photography by Gayle McLeod

    A Unique Pot Roast Recipe, Fit for Christmas Day

    While the trio of tart cherries, black pepper and gorgonzola cheese may sound a bit wild, it’s actually a classic combo. You can find tons of recipes for salads featuring this delectable threesome, and even a bottled cherry-gorgonzola-black pepper salad dressing. Why? Because there’s just something so very good about it—tangy, a bit spicy, and all tied together by the glorious sharpness of creamy gorgonzola cheese, this combo that has to be tasted to be believed. Cherries are a classic partner for beef, too, and so it wasn’t too much of a leap for us to pair the delicious triumvirate of cherries + gorgonzola + pepper with a classic pot roast.

    roast, onions, garlic, wine, broth, tart cherries, salt, gorgonzola and parsley in prep bowls
    a raw roast being seasoned with salt
    roast seasoned with salt being browned in a dutch oven
    onions and garlic being cooked in a skillet

    Classic Pot Roast Ingredients, Plus A Few Extras

    For the most part, this is a completely classic pot roast recipe. We take a big, beautiful chuck roast, give it a nice long braise with some wine, beef stock and herbs. The only difference is that we stir some tart cherries into the mix! As they braise along with the meat, they release their tannic juices and play beautifully with all of the other flavors in the pot, becoming a complex, ultra-savory version of one of summer’s most iconic fruits. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this pot roast:

    • Olive oil
    • Chuck roast
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Red wine
    • Beef stock
    • Thyme
    • Frozen cherries
    • Shallots
    • Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
    • Italian parsley
    onion, garlic, wine, beef stock, and thyme cooking in a dutch oven
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce in a dutch oven
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce in a dutch oven
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce topped with parsley and gorgonzola cheese

    How To Make The Most Festive Winter Pot Roast Recipe, Ever

    1. Sear the chuck roast in olive oil until a nice crust has formed on all sides. Be careful as you work, taking care not to turn the meat too soon or it may fall apart. Tongs are very handy for this step!
    2. Make the base of your pot roast. Sauté onions, then garlic and pour in red wine, stock and fresh thyme. Bring this sauce to a gentle simmer.
    3. Add the seared chuck roast to the pot, and top the whole thing with the cherries!
    4. Into the oven goes the pot roast! Lid on, it’ll cook for about two hours.
    5. Dig in! Serve with all of the glorious juices and braised cherries, topped off with hunks of that marvelous gorgonzola cheese. Gorgonzola as a garnish—who knew?!
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce in a dutch oven
    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce topped with parsley and gorgonzola cheese

    More Beef Recipes Fit for a Crowd

    Pot Roast, Pretty Please! With a Cherry on Top

    We hope you give this cherry-topped pot roast recipe a try because it’s so, so very good! When you do, share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

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    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce topped with parsley and gorgonzola cheese

    Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce Recipe

    Updated October 18, 2025

    By Holly Erickson & Natalie Mortimer

    • Serves:  8
    • Prep Time:  15 min
    • Cook Time:  2 hrs 25 min
    • Calories:  442

    Description

    Bright, tart cherries, gorgonzola and a good hit of black pepper make for a fun, festive twist on a classic pot roast recipe.
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      Ingredients

      • 1 (3-5 pound) chuck roast, fat trimmed
      • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
      • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
      • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
      • 6 garlic cloves, minced
      • 2 cups red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
      • 1 cup beef stock
      • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
      • 3 shallots, quartered
      • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
      • 2 cups frozen cherries, roughly chopped

      For Serving (optional)

      • 3 -4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
      • Finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
      • Mashed Potatoes
      • Cooked egg noodles

      Method

      1. Preheat the oven 350° F with a rack in the center position.

        roast, onions, garlic, wine, broth, tart cherries, salt, gorgonzola and parsley in prep bowls

      2. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, then generously season all over with the salt.

        a raw roast being seasoned with salt

      3. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the roast and cook until browned on all sides, about 12 to 16 minutes.

        roast seasoned with salt being browned in a dutch oven

      4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Pour in the wine, beef stock, and 1 sprig of thyme and stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer then return the meat back to the Dutch oven along with any collected juices.

        onion, garlic, wine, beef stock, and thyme cooking in a dutch oven

      5. Add the remaining sprig of thyme, nestle in the quartered shallots, and sprinkle with the pepper. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook in the oven until beef is tender and falling apart, about 2 hours.

        Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce in a dutch oven

      6. Transfer the roast to a platter. Add the cherries to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.

        Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce in a dutch oven

      7. Serve the roast over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, drizzled with pan sauce and warm cherries, sprinkle with gorgonzola cheese and parsley.

        Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce topped with parsley and gorgonzola cheese
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      Nutrition Info

      • Per Serving
      • Amount
      • Calories 442
      • Protein 62 g
      • Carbohydrates 7 g
      • Total Fat 56 g
      • Dietary Fiber 1 g
      • Cholesterol 229 mg
      • Sodium 387 mg
      • Total Sugars 2 g

      Pot Roast with Tart Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce

      Questions & Reviews

      Rated 5 stars by 3 readers

      or
      • Kate

        Can you make this with dried cherries? And how would you make it in a crockpot?

        I wouldn't use dried cherries you can use frozen. For Crock-Pot you could brown seasoned roast in oil, then transfer to crock pot. Sauté onions and garlic briefly, add wine and stock, pour over roast, Add thyme, shallots, and pepper, Cook on LOW 7-8 hours until tender. Warm cherries separately, serve roast with pan sauce, cherries, gorgonzola, and parsley over potatoes or noodles. It won't be the same, but it would still work.

      • Kendalyn

        When do you put the cherries in?

        Hi Kendalyn, instructions for the cherries are in step 6. Once they are made they go on top of the roast when serving. Hope you enjoy!

      • Carlos

        Does cooking time change if using a cross rib chuck roast?

        Should cook the same. Hope you enjoy Carlos!

      • Angelina

        Do I need to change anything if I make this in the instant pot? Would love to give this a go!

        We have not yet tested this in an instant pot.

      • Donna

        Would this recipe work with pitted fresh cherries? If so, how would it be adjusted? Thanks much. Also, congratulations on your Website and new cookbook (I bought one for myself and several for friends). It is first-rate.

        Thanks Donna, we are so happy you love the book! We have not tested this with fresh cherries.

      • Hoda

        I like the flavor combination. I can't use wine can i add more beef stock instead?

        Yes! Feel free to sub the wine with more stock. The flavor profile will be a little different but still delicious!

      • MissyG

        5-star rating

        This tastes amazing and I havent even added the cherries yet!! I wanted to try this before Thanksgiving because I so wanted this to work as an alternative to turkey and - Its been officially added to the menu!

        So I had my chuck roast thawing and coarse salted, uncovered, in the fridge for a few days. I kept running out of time to roast this proper in the oven, so I finally said, Ive just gotta getter-done. Its 9:30 at night so the Instant Pot it has to be. I know, I know, its not the same. Yes, the oven texture will traditionally be better and always my personal first choice, but I was outta time, so the IP it was.

        For those who also find themselves in this predicament - but I highly suggest the oven roast as directed in the recipe - I followed your instructions but did the searing and onion sauté in the IP on a the sauté mode. Then I added the broth, wine and thyme as instructed, brought it to a simmer and then sealed the lid and steam valve. I set it to high pressure for 50 minutes and did a natural release of the steam before opening the lid and taking that beautiful beef out. It was falling apart as I removed it which was delightful. I did a chunky shred with two forks and then rained some fresh black pepper (a lot of it) over it all. It tastes amazing. I cant wait to add the cherries tomorrow before eating some up. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It has been difficult for some reason to find a good pot roast recipe and this was perfect.

        Thanks Missy!

      • MissyG

        5-star rating

        This tastes amazing and I havent even added the cherries yet!! I wanted to try this before Thanksgiving because I so wanted this to work as an alternative to turkey and - Its been officially added to the menu! Ill heat up the cherries tomorrow to top this and I expect it to be awesome. I think I may even slightly thicken the cooking liquid with some sweet potato starch (I cant have flour otherwise Id use that) because it also tasted so good. Thank you for sharing this.

        Thanks Missy, glad you loved it! We are so excited to hear it made your thanksgiving menu!

      • Jenn

        5-star rating

        This cherry sauce, YUM! Loved it!

        THANK YOU JENN!

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