Melt in your mouth tender, full of rich beefy flavor, and all cooked in just one pot, the ultimate comfort food.
Every home cook needs to have a classic pot roast recipe served with carrots, potatoes, and rich brown gravy!
This easy recipe is great for beginners and delivers incredible results every time! Chuck roasts are inexpensive cuts of beef that cook in the oven at a low temperature for a few hours. Add in a handful of veggies and some savory herbs for the perfect meal.
What is Pot Roast?
This is a classic recipe and for good reason! A pot roast is a beef roast that generally starts with a tougher cut of beef. Cooking at a low temperature for a long time breaks down the tough connective tissues resulting in deliciously tender beef with a flavorful gravy. The meat is seared, surrounded by carrots, onions, and a savory combination of herbs and spices and baked or oven-roasted until melt in your mouth tender.
This is one of the best pot roast recipes because it isn’t overly salty with additions like packets of onion soup or canned soups.
The Best Roasts for Tender Pot Roast
The best pot roast is made with the right cut of beef. For pot roast choose meat with nice marbling throughout and cook it low and slow. Tougher cuts will become fork tender.
- boneless beef chuck roast (my favorite choice)
- round roast
- rump roast
How to Cook a Pot Roast
Similar to Mississippi roast this can be made in a slow cooker (this recipe is made in the oven), but pot roast can also be made in an instant pot (or pressure cooker) too! While this oven version is our favorite an instant pot pot roast is great when you’re short on time!
Here’s how to make pot roast:
- SEAR BEEF Add oil to the pan and sear chuck roast in oil (bacon grease is better if you have it!) until browned on all sides.
- ADD BROTH Place the onions around the roast and add wine, broth, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and then bake two hours in the oven.
- ADD VEGGIES Add potatoes and carrots and bake until the potatoes are tender, about two more hours. Remove the bay leaf.
- SERVE Cut the roast into smaller pieces or shred with two forks and serve.
Pot roast is an instant favorite! Not only is it easy to put together, but it makes for great pot roast sandwiches as leftovers with gravy or in a crusty bun dipped in the leftover juices (like a French dip). Serve this hearty and heartwarming recipe over creamy mashed potatoes and with a side of homemade garlic bread.
How Long to Cook a Pot Roast
This recipe is based on a typical chuck roast, about 4lbs (give or take). Pot roast is best cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time to break down any tough tissue.
- Cook a 3lb roast for 3-3.5 hrs
- Cook a 4lb roast for 3.5-4 hrs
- Cook a 5lb roast for 4.5-5 hrs
Cook times can vary based on the type of roast. Check the roast with a fork, if it is tough, the roast probably needs MORE time to cook. Cover it back up and let it keep on cooking.
How to Make Pot Roast Gravy
Turn the sauce into a great pot roast gravy in only 3 steps!
- Whisk two tablespoons of corn starch in cold water until smooth (this is called a slurry).
- Remove beef and veggies the broth and bring to a simmer. You should have about two cups, add more beef broth if needed.
- Whisk the slurry into the simmering broth until thickened.
Tips for the Perfect Roast
- Select a roast that has lots of marbling in it -which carries flavor and helps make the gravy absolutely mouth-watering!
- Baby potatoes are a great choice. They don’t require peeling and hold their shape well (russet potatoes tend to fall apart, although they still taste great)
- Cut the carrots and celery a bit bigger so they don’t overcook
- After searing, add a little of the broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits, they add lots of flavor.
- Fresh herbs are best but dried ones can be used, just use them sparingly since dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor than fresh.
- Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the broth if desired.
Favorite Cozy Beef Meals
Did you make this Pot Roast? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Perfect Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 pounds chuck roast or rump roast
- 1 large onion chopped, or two small onions
- 4 carrots cut into 2" pieces
- 2 stalks celery cut into 1 ½" pieces
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 2 cups beef broth or as needed
- 1 cup red wine
- 4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- 1 bay leaf
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 bake 2 hours.
- Add potatoes, carrots, and celery, and bake an additional 2 hours (for a 4lb 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
- Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
- Remove beef and vegetables from the pot and set on a plate to rest.
- Bring broth to a boil and whisk in cornstarch mixture a little bit at a time until thickened. Add extra broth if needed.
- Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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A winner except the cooking time was way off for my roast. I had 2 pieces that totaled about 4.5 lbs. Fortunately I checked an hour after adding vegetables and it was ready. So 3 hours total for me. I made the gravy and I think that really made the meal. Don’t skip it. Major mess to clean up now but my extremely picky 14 year old ate it so it’s worth it!
Amazing Pot Roast! Best one I’ve ever made! Meat was falling apart tender and the flavour on the vegetables was perfect. Delicious, simple and straightforward recipe.
Melt in your mouth perfect potroast. I did a 3 lb roast and didn’t change anything on the recipe except added a little more potatoes and carrots. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better roast. I usually do a crockpot to simplify but I doubt I ever will again. My husband said it was better than mom’s, which I’ve had, and is high praise. Loved it.
Can you put it in the crockpot on high for 4 hrs?
This can cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Enjoy!
This pot roast really is perfect! My sister and I made it for Easter dinner, and it couldn’t have been easier. The directions were clear and the timing was just right for the size roast we had. We used fresh rosemary and thyme instead of dried. The roast was flavorful and fall apart tender. The leftover meat made delicious sandwiches!
This was excellent. I used dried herbs, added mushrooms to the carrots and potatoes and finished off the last 15-30 minutes with the lid off to get that cooked down flavor. The gravy was delish too. Very easy (other than needing to plan out the length of time) and it’s a great recipe to feed a small crowd/guests. Thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I’m not naturally skilled when it comes to cooking, nor do I eat meat, but I really enjoy cooking for my boyfriend.
This was SO easy and DELICIOUS!
Yes, I taste tested it myself :)
Thank you !
If I’m making this in a crock pot do I have to increase any broth or seasoning amounts? Can I use grape or pomegranate juice in place of the red wine or should I just omit the red wine?
I would follow the recipe as written if making it in a Crock Pot. The roast and veggies do not need to be fully submerged. I would substitute the wine for additional broth. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Caitlin!
I’m not sure why there are two sets of instructions for this recipe. One set before the ingredients and a other after. it would be helpful to just have one since there are slight differences in them.
Hi Andrew, to see the full set of ingredients including the amount you can scroll down to the bottom or hit “jump to recipe” at the top and it will take you there. I hope this helps!
Hi there! I made this twice. The one time it was amazing and very flavorful! I think I did 5 pounds of beef. The moment I added more (I think I doubled but also doubled seasonings) it came out watery and not very flavorful. Can you please tell me what you recommend seasoning wise and for the wine for a 6.5-7 pound roast and how long to cook it for? I want to make sure it still tastes good.
Also, do I need to add the potatoes for flavor or can i follow a different recipe for potatoes? I find that they don’t come out with as much flavor as I would like.
Oh no! If you doubled the size of roast I would double all ingredients and it should have come out delicious still! I can’t say for sure what happened Maria.
You can skip the potatoes if you prefer :)
I followed the instructions exactly as they were given and when I pulled the pot out after the first two hours, my 3 1/2 plus lb piece of meat was done. Not over done, but just right. I had to microwave the carrots, potatoes and celery to make them soft enough and added them for one more half hr.at same temp.
What went wrong? I used a non coated cast iron Dutch oven but I don’t think that would have made a difference. Help?
I haven’t had this issue so I can’t say for sure what happened Cyndi. It could be the cut of meat, it may have been a very tender cut of meat so not needing as much time to cook low and slow to make it tender.
EXCELLENT and oh so flavorful! My entire family loved it. Added Bonus: Good easy recipe as well!
Holly, I am hosting for 10 ppl and wondering if I should cook one 9-10 lbs roast or 2 five lbs roasts? How would you adjust the cooking times? Thanks!
I haven’t tried a 9-10 pound roast so I can’t say for sure how long it would take. If using 2 5 pound roasts, the cooking time will be based on the individual roast sizes so I would plan for 4.5-5 hrs and cook until fork tender. I hope this helps!
This is the 2nd time in my life that i had pot roast. I was not that impressed by the pot roast served to me many years ago hence i was never keen on having another one. I tried to make my first ever pot roast tonight as it was freezing cold and it was a comfort food that my partner would have enjoyed. I didn’t change the recipe. This recipe is really easy to follow and the ingredients are so easy to find. It turned out so delicious. The meat was so delicious! The potatoes, celery and carrots tasted so awesome in the gravy. Thank you for a really yummy recipe. Two thumbs up!
I made this per directions, and it was fine and properly tender, but pretty bland. Any guidance on a particular variety of red wine, what kind of onion (there were at least four kinds at my grocery store), and a _specific_ amount of salt and pepper to use? (“Season to taste” is not helpful for me if I’m adding it before cooking and haven’t made the recipe before.) Could I boost the amount of garlic, onion, and herbs for the same amount of meat? Some of us who don’t cook as often could use more detail, please.
Hi Nicole, I use whatever wine I have on hand (which is usually a cabernet). I typically use a yellow onion. The amount of salt can vary, but you want a light even sprinkling on the whole roast which will be approximately 1/2 – 1 tablespoon depending on the size of your roast. Did you make the juices into a gravy? The gravy adds lots of flavor to this dish.
I would like to recommend something my mom-in-law taught me years ago; cut small slits in several places over one side of the raw meat creating little pockets then push slivers of fresh garlic into the slits. I’ve been doing this with my pot roast for 40 years now and never skip this step. It adds delicious flavor to the meat. I have found a narrow blade works best, a filet or paring knife.
Can you make this pot roast without wine? I don’t drink so, I don’t have any alcohol in my home. I’d hate to buy a whole bottle just for 1 cup.
You can use extra broth in place, it will change the flavor slightly but still be great.
They sell smaller than whole bottles just dont buy the cheapest one, it will not be as good.
someone mentioned the little 6 oz wine bottles…any wine/liquor store should let you buy just one. Or cooking wine from the store. But if you don’t want alcohol at all in your house, use a bit of red wine vinegar and cut it with water (1/2 an 1/2). The wine adds flavor but the main purpose of it is to tenderize the meat.
Delicious
My family loves this roast. I will make this at least twice a month. Delicious!
Excellent flavor! Chuck is my favorite also. This is the best we’ve had in a long time. I do believe in the oven is better than the crock pot.
Hi, Can I use a crock pot on low instead of the oven? And if so how long to cook? Thank you Dean
This can cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Enjoy!