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.
Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions included.
Table of Contents
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 beef and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Step 2: Add the onion and garlic to the same pot and saute until soft and translucent. Next, stir in the tomato paste and flour.
Step 3: Deglaze the pot with red wine before pouring in the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves.
Step 4: 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 5: Let the pot roast cook for several hours or until the beef is very tender. Scoop into bowls, garnish with parsley or cilantro, and enjoy!
Slow cooker instructions
Heat olive oil in a pot on the stove, then add the seasoned beef and sear on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
In the same pot, saute the onion and garlic, then stir in the tomato paste and flour. Deglaze the pot with wine, then add the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves.
Place the beef, broth mixture, carrots, and potatoes in a slow cooker. Cover with a lid and cook on High for 5 to 6 hours or on Low for 8 to 10+ hours.
Instant Pot instructions
Use Saute mode to heat the olive oil. Add the seasoned beef and sear on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
Saute the onion and garlic in the pot, then stir in the tomato paste and flour. Deglaze the pot with wine, then add the beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the seared beef to the pot and top with carrots and potatoes.
Seal the lid and cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
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 crusty sliced bread or dinner rolls, garlic bread, fluffy rice or mashed yuca (low-glycemic option for mashed potatoes)
For a lighter side, go with roasted vegetables, or a green salad.
Frequently asked questions
A low temperature and slow cooking time are best here. Set your oven to 350ºF and let the roast do its thing for a full 2 hours or longer, depending on the size. Patience is key!
To make a very flavorful isn’t so much about the seasoning for the beef chuck roast, and more about creating a flavorful base for the sauce. Don’t worry about covering up the chuck roast with a mix of dry rub but rather season generously with salt and pepper (pre-browning) and working on the base for the roast.
The time it takes to braise pot roast in a dutch oven will depend on the size of the meat. A smaller 3 to 4-pound roast should be checked for doneness between 2 and 2½ hours. Larger roasts should be cooked for at least 3 hours.
The meat will be fall-apart tender when the pot roast is cooked and ready to eat. This happens when the internal temperature is between 190ºF to 200°F. A high internal temperature like this causes the marbled fat to melt throughout the meat, making it extra soft and tender.
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?
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For this recipe I am using a Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 5.5 qt., color Rosemary (color has been discontinued, other colors available). For an alternative dutch oven that is high quality and inexpensive I recommend the Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid.
Classic Pot Roast
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Heavy Pot
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast, shoulder cut
- table salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, GF flour, cassava flour* (see note of GF and Whole30)
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 lb small yellow potatoes
- 1 lb carrots, chunks
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh parsley or cilantro
- fresh thyme
Instructions
- Start by seasoning the beef well, on all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil. Brown roast on all sides to lock in moisture and flavor (about 15-min). Transfer to a plate.
- To the grease left in the pot, add in onions and garlic and saute until onions are translucent (about 2-3 minutes). Then stir in the tomato paste, then flour. At this point the flour will absorb all the oil/ moisture. Add the wine, stir and allow the wine to reduce (1-2 minutes). Add beef broth, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and bay leaves.
- Transfer the beef back to the pot. Add carrots and potatoes around the beef in the pot. Cover and cook in the oven at 350F degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- When done, garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro and serve.
Video
Notes
- Vegetables in 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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Should all of the ingredients be covered in liquid while cooking in the oven?
How do you know when it’s done?
Hi Kimberly, the ingredients do not need to be fully submerged in liquid. The recipe has enough liquid to fill up about half of a dutch oven however if you want more liquid for broth that’s fine too, the recipe will work regardless. Many people have double the liquid so they can have lots of broth and they loved it. If you follow the recipe as it and cook for the time recommended the roast should be perfectly done in the end. However generally you know it is done but making a slice or even checking for doneness with a fork. Hope this helps
What is A substitute for beef broth?
Use any broth you like, also the cubes that you dissolve in water. But I’ll have you know that I have just used water and the end result is still absolutely delicious. Hope this helps
can I cook it at 275 for longer or does it need to be a higher heat setting
Hi Antonio, I am not sure how long you will need to cook the pot roast for at 275F degrees but it will cook -eventually. Anywhere from 325F to 375F would be the ideal temperature if you can do that it will be best.
Thank you
Everyone loved this delicious pot roast..what a difference making it in a Dutch oven ..Fork tender! I bought 2, 3pound chuck roasts, and combined in my lg. pan,..so I followed the recipe 2x. I did add parsnips. I found the 350 degree temp was ok for the 1st hour, but then reduced temp. to 250 degrees. for the remainder cooking time. It was done in 2.25 hours. It came out , perfectly , as well as all the vegetables. The Dutch oven seems to cook food faster and is the way to go for this fabulous recipe! Thank you!
That’s awesome Valerie, happy that you enjoyed my pot roast recipe! xoxo
covered or uncovered in a regular oven? and I got beef round will that make a difference
This is a delicious recipe. Everyone who has tasted it has asked me for the recipe! I don’t put potatoes in the dish – I prefer to make mashed potatoes to serve with the roast.
best pot roast I have made. added a sprig of rosemary and some extra beef stock. absolutely perfect.
Great recipe! Thank you!
This was the BEST pot roast that I have ever had or made!
I had to use chicken broth because I didn’t have beef. I used Josh Cabernet wine. I didn’t have fresh herbs or thyme so I sprinkled dry parsley, oregano, and a pinch of marjoram. My roast was bigger than recipe called for so I put the meat/sauce in first for 2 hours at 300. After that I put veggies in and increased temp to 350 for 1 1/2-2 hours. Absolutely AMAZING!!!!!!
That’s wonderful, happy to hear Kim and thanks for sharing your feedback! xoxo
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious! When storing leftovers in the fridge, would you recommend putting everything (meat, potatoes, carrots, liquid) in the same container? Or separating it all out?
Hi Francesca, I am happy to hear that you enjoyed my pot roast recipe. To answer your question I freeze everything together and allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. My favorite way to reheat it to maintain the quality of the dish is in a sauce pan, and if needed I add a bit of broth depending on how much is left you will need some liquid to properly heat the roast/ veggies in the sauce pan. Hope this helps and thanks for sharing your feedback!