This dish has long been the Sunday night dinner that makes a large number of servings (and incredible leftovers) while perfuming the whole house. After a few hours of cooking, you have tender pieces of beef in a rich, meaty glaze, surrounded by melt-in-your-mouth carrots, potatoes, and onions all soaked in the beef’s gravy. It’s a dish only a long, slow braise could deliver.

While it is near impossible to screw up a pot roast, there are a few steps that make this dish worthy of its celebrated status. Choosing the right cut of meat and the best potatoes for braising, and making a lush gravy are chief among them.