This pot roast recipe is foolproof. With fresh ingredients (no packets!), it has the best flavor and the beef slowly roasts until it is fall-apart tender. It’s a complete, cozy meal in one pot, with tender meat and lots of veggies, smothered in rich gravy.
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Here’s Why Thousands Rave About This Pot Roast Recipe…
- This recipe has been tested to perfection and makes a tender roast every time.
- It’s easy to make with fresh ingredients. No packets or ‘cream of’ soup needed.
- Vegetables are added to make it a complete meal in just one pot.
- I’ve included step-by-step instructions for a savory gravy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Easy to prepare, this recipe never disappoints! It is tender and tasty every time. I use the Dutch oven in my oven and it slowly cooks to perfection!”
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.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef: The best cut for pot roast is a chuck roast or boneless beef blade roast. Other cuts of beef with marbling, like round roast or rump roast, are also great options for cooking low and slow. Be sure to select a roast that has lots of marbling in it which carries flavor and helps make the gravy absolutely mouth-watering!
- Onions: Cook the onions with the roast, they will dissolve into the gravy, adding flavor. If you’d like chunks of onion, add extra with the other vegetables.
- Vegetables: 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. You can add other veggies like mushrooms, turnips, or sweet potatoes.
- Broth: Use beef stock and red wine when cooking the meat. You can replace the wine with additional broth. Do not use low-sodium broth, or the gravy won’t have enough flavor.
How to Make a 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 chuck roast in a Dutch oven or large pot.
- Add onions & liquid: Add onions, broth, wine, and seasonings. Bake in the oven for 2 hours.
- Add vegetables: Add vegetables and cook until the roast and vegetables are tender.
- Make gravy: Separate the fat from the drippings and prepare the gravy according to the recipe directions.
How to Check if Pot Roast Is Done
For this recipe (which uses the technique of braising), skip the thermometer and go by feel. Insert a fork into the roast and twist it slightly. It should be very tender, have very little resistance, and come apart easily.
If the meat isn’t fork-tender, cover it and cook for 20 to 30 minutes longer, then check it again.
Instead of a Dutch oven, try using an oven-safe pot with a lid, a deep roasting pan covered tightly with foil, or a casserole dish with an oven-safe lid.
You can use additional beef broth in place of wine.
Cooking times 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
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.
Turn this into a slow cooker pot roast recipe with the following changes:
Reduce the broth to 1 cup and the wine to ½ cup.
Cook in the slow cooker on 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.
Note: In our tests, we found the roast to be more tender when cooked on low. Larger roasts will need extra time.
I recommend searing the roast to create a flavorful crust. This, along with deglazing the pan, really enhances the flavor of the gravy. You can certainly skip the searing if you’d like.
Turn the sauce into a great pot roast gravy in only 3 steps!
1. Whisk two tablespoons of corn starch in cold water until smooth (this is called a slurry).
2. Remove beef and veggies. Leave the broth and bring it to a simmer. You should have about two cups; add more beef broth if needed.
3. Whisk the slurry into the simmering broth until thickened.
Storing Leftovers
- Fridge: Keep leftover pot roast in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With Pot Roast
To stretch this pot roast a little further, add some sides to go with your mouthwatering roast.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast or rump roast
- 1 large yellow onion chopped, or two small onions
- 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
- 1 pound baby potatoes or chopped red potatoes
- 4 carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 ribs celery cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
For the Gravy
- all-purpose flour or cornstarch, see notes
- butter for optional roux-based gravy, see notes
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, cover 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.
Video
Notes
- 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
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’ve made this a couple of times with the modifications for the crockpot. It always comes out great and super tender. I have my own modifications, but this recipe as it stands is great. I also don’t drink so don’t use wine. I use extra beef broth instead and it still has a great flavor.
This time I’m doing it in the oven, but I think I started it too early. I don’t want to overcook it, any recommendations on how to keep it warm without ruining it for dinner?
If it’s done before you are ready for it I would keep it covered or tented with aluminum foil and that will keep it warm. I am so glad you enjoy this recipe Jenny!
when you cook with wine/ alcohol the alcohol disappears and you only have the flavor! so even if you don’t drink you can use the wine!
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 ½-1 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.