This is a step-by-step guide to making the perfect homemade pot roast. It’s the most tender beef chuck roast with vegetables and a rich beefy gravy.
This is the Perfect Pot Roast Recipe Because…
- This recipe has rave reviews and results in a tender roast every time.
- It’s easy to make with staple ingredients.
- Pot roast is cooked with veggies to make a complete meal in just one pot.
- I’ve included step-by-step instructions for a savory gravy.
Ingredients For The Perfect Pot Roast
- Beef: My first choice for pot roast is chuck roast because it is so tender once cooked. Tough cuts of beef with marbling, like round or rump roasts, are also great options and will become tender when cooked low and slow.
- Onions: Cook the onions with the roast—they will dissolve into the gravy, adding lots of flavor. If you’d like chunks of onion, add extra with the other vegetables.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, and potatoes are added to this pot roast recipe, but you can add other veggies like mushrooms, turnips, or sweet potatoes.
- Broth: Use beef broth or stock along with red wine to braise the meat. You can replace the wine with additional broth. Do not use low-sodium broth.
- Gravy: The base of the gravy is the juices from the meat thickened with either cornstarch or flour.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Pot Roast
This is an overview of the steps to make a pot roast—find full details below!
- Sear beef: Season and sear the beef roast.
- Add onions & liquid: Add onions, broth, wine, and seasonings. Bake in the oven for 2 hours.
- Add veggies: Add vegetables and cook until the roast and veggies are tender.
- Make gravy: Separate the fat from the drippings and prepare the gravy according to the recipe directions.
Holly’s Pro Tips For Tender Pot Roast
- Sear for flavor: Searing the beef adds flavor. Scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot (AKA the fond) to add flavor to the gravy.
- Check with a fork: Use a fork to check the roast, it should be fork tender and come apart easily. If the meat isn’t fork tender, cover it and cook for 20 to 30 minutes—then check it again.
- Cooking times can vary depending on the size and type of roast you purchase. Here are approximate cooking times for pot roast in the oven:
- Cook a 3 lb. roast for a total of 3-3.5 hours
- Cook a 4 lb. roast for a total of 3.5-4 hours
- Cook a 5 lb. roast for a total of 4.5-5 hours
Storing Leftover Pot Roast
- Keep leftover pot roast in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat on the stovetop, adding more broth if necessary.
More Roast Recipes You'll Love
Did you make this classic Pot Roast Recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below.
Pot Roast Recipe
This pot roast is slow-cooked with potatoes and veggies to savory, tender perfection.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast or rump roast
- 1 large yellow onion chopped, or two small onions
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 ribs celery cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound baby potatoes or chopped red potatoes
- 2 cups beef broth or as needed
- 1 cup red wine *see note
- 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
For the Gravy
- all-purpose flour or cornstarch, see notes
- butter optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Season roast with salt and pepper.
- In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on each side until browned, about 4 minutes per side adding more oil if needed.
- Arrange onions around the roast. Combine broth, wine, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Pour over the roast. Add bay leaf.
- Bring just to a simmer on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the broth is simmering, cover and place in the oven and cook 2 hours.
- Add potatoes, carrots, and celery, and cook an additional 2 hours (for a 4 lb. roast) or until the roast and potatoes are fork-tender.
- Discard bay leaf. Gently pull beef into large pieces with a fork or slice into thick pieces. Serve with juices or make gravy (below) if desired.
Notes
Red wine can be replaced with additional beef broth. Any dry red wine can be used—it doesn’t have to be expensive to add great flavor. I often use Cabernet Sauvignon as I have it on hand, but you can use Malbec, merlot, or Cabernet franc among others.
To Make Gravy:
- Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
- Remove beef and vegetables from the pot. Use a gravy separator or a spoon to separate the fat from the drippings.
- Bring the remaining broth/drippings to a boil and whisk in the slurry mixture a little bit at a time until thickened. Add extra broth if needed.
- Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 418 | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 1119mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 5171IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
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I have been trying for years to make the perfect pot roast and I just now found this recipe. It is perfect! So happy to have the recipe. This is going to be on repeat at my home.