Classic Pot Roast

Feast your eyes on this Classic Pot Roast. This recipe includes all the crave-worthy elements that make pot roast a family favorite, including melt-in-your-mouth meat, potatoes, carrots, and a rich, warming broth.

With hundreds of five star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ this pot roast recipe will surely be a hit at your dinner table too!

As New Englanders, the best way we gear up for a long, cold winter is with a Classic Pot Roast. Using these step-by-step instructions, you’ll learn how to transform a typically tough chuck roast into a fall-apart-tender pot roast surrounded by soft potatoes, succulent carrots, and a soul-warming, nourishing broth.

The best part about preparing a crowd-pleasing classic Sunday pot roast is that it’s very easy and hands off. The proper technique, however, takes patience. The longer it cooks, the more flavorful and tender the beef becomes.

I’ll walk you through how to make traditional pot roast in a dutch oven, pressure cooker, and slow cooker. As a result, you’ll make the perfect pot roast every time!

What type of meat is best for pot roast?

Pot roast is traditionally made with tougher cuts of well-marbled beef. As it cooks, the marbled fat breaks down and tenderizes the meat. There are a few options to choose from:

• Chuck – You can’t go wrong with a shoulder chuck roast. It’s affordable and ideal for braising. When finished, the meat is super juicy and easy to shred.  
• Brisket – Braised brisket becomes deliciously tender and still sliceable.
• Round – Round has the potential to be juicy and flavorful, but it’s very lean compared to chuck and brisket. Therefore, it’s important to cook it precisely and be careful not to dry it out. 

Ingredients and substitutions

The ingredients in this pot roast recipe are fairly common and should be easy to find:

• Beef – Shoulder cut chuck roast is my pick for pot roast. It has outstanding marbling and is perfect for braising at a low temperature over several hours.
• Onion and garlic – Two important aromatic elements that not only make your pot roast taste amazing, but also fill your home with a wonderful aroma.
• Flour – All purpose flour will thicken the red wine and beef broth sauce. If you’re gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend, almond flour, tapioca flour, or cassava flour instead.
• Red wine – To deglaze the dutch oven and wake up the deep, rendered flavors. A dry red wine is best, like Merlot, Cabernet, or Pinot Noir. If you’d prefer to make it without alcohol, replace the wine with more beef broth or unsweetened pure grape juice.
• Beef broth – This is your primary source of liquid for braising. Use a good, quality beef broth or make bone broth from scratch. 
• Herbs – I like to keep it simple with bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. To improve the presentation, garnish each serving with parsley or cilantro.
• Yellow potatoes and carrots – These are classic pot roast vegetables. If you use a different potato, make sure it’s waxy with thin, delicate skin. Avoid starchy Russet potatoes as they do not hold their shape as well. 

How to make classic pot roast

I recommend making this old-fashioned pot roast in a cast iron dutch oven. The heavy, thick bottom distributes and retains heat better, resulting in evenly cooked meat. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the seasoned chuck roast, and brown on all sides. Make sure the beef is generously seasoned with salt and pepper on all sides. Transfer to a plate. 

Note: the chuck roast should come tied with a kitchen string, if not use a butchers twine to tie around the roast so the beef stays whole. By tying the roast, it will cook more evenly, retain the shape and therefore be more attractive to serve.

Step 2: Add the onion and garlic to the same pot and sauté until soft and translucent. The onions can stay a bit tender for now, as they will cook slowly for a couple hours.

Stir in the tomato paste and flour. This is a quick moving step, once you stir in the flour the mixture will look dry, and you’ll need to move to the next step quickly.

Step 3: Deglaze the pot with red wine. Stir well until the wine has been absorbed into the paste.

Step 4: Add the beef broth and stir well so there are no chunks of onions sitting on the bottom. This will prevent burning. Add fresh or dried thyme, and bay leaves. 

Step 5: Return the seared beef to the pot and surround it with carrots and potatoes. Cover with a lid and place in a hot oven. 

Step 6: Let the pot roast cook for several hours or until the beef is very tender. Scoop into bowls, garnish with thyme, parsley or cilantro, and enjoy!

For the Slow cooker instructions please refer to this post.

Variations

• Vegetables in pot roast – much like the classic Mississippi Pot Roast, potatoes and carrots are the classic vegetables you’ll find in pot roast but don’t feel like you need to limit yourself. Try adding chopped onion, pearl onions, parsnips, turnips, or rutabaga as well.
• Make pot roast gravy instead of red wine sauce – To do so, strain the broth mixture through a fine mesh sieve and pour the strained liquid back into the pot. Make a slurry by whisking the flour and water together, then add the slurry to the pot. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously until thickened.
• Gluten free pot roast gravy – Make a slurry with a gluten free thickening agent, like tapioca, potato, or arrowroot starch.

Serving suggestions

Pot roast with potatoes and carrots is a complete meal on its own, but adding another side or two is never a bad idea. 

Serve this classic pot roast with starchy sides like this crusty bread to soak up all the delicious broth or garlic bread. I also love serving a pot roast with fluffy rice.

Frequently asked questions

Storing and freezing

Store: Let any leftover pot roast cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. 

Freeze: Leftovers can also be kept in a freezer-safe container for 2 to 3 months. Allow the roast to thaw in the fridge before reheating. If it appears dry, pour beef broth over the top and reheat in a 350ºF oven until the meat is hot and juicy.

Hungry for more hearty beef dinners?

• Dutch Oven Beef Stew
• Carne de Panela (Stew Beef)
• Irish Lamb Stew
• Bourbon Beef Short Ribs