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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My roast is in the oven now, so this isn’t a review on the final product as I have messed up the recipe. It might just be me, but I would appreciate if the recipe itself specified that the herbs are to be fresh, not dried. I added the recipe amounts of dried herbs and only saw after doing so that the recipe was written for fresh herbs. I rarely read the blog post instructions and I feel that the default for recipes is dried herbs, unless specified fresh.
Sorry for the confusion, Anna! I hope you were still able to enjoy it.
Thank you for this comment, Anna. I too rarely read posts but happened to catch that note about fresh vs. dried herbs as I scrolled down. I’m making this recipe now and scaling down the herb quantities since I am using dried herbs today.
Thank you so very much for sharing your recipe with me ❤️❤️ I can’t wait to get started on the pot roast .
This looks absolutely delicious .
Absolutely perfect, I used a 4 1/2 pound sirloin round roast. Will forever make any pot roast this way. ♥️♥️
This recipe is MARVELOUS! I’ve made it many times just as written, sometimes I’ll throw in a splash of Lea Perrins when I salt and pepper the roast, but I never deviate far from the original. I use red cooking wine (holland house) the flavor is a must! The fresh herb aromatics do a lot of the work! I know buying each herb individually can get expensive but I found at meijer a “poulty herb” pack that has them all in it for just a couple dollars! So you only have to buy one! Just the right amount each for this roast! This is a great starter recipe as written and tastes gourmet! I’ve only ever used chuck roast with marbling. My only thing is that I need a bigger Dutch oven! :)
An excellent recipe for a brand new cook or an old timer like me! I used bone broth because it’s what I had on hand..and that amped it up even more. Cooking a roast with a bone also helps makes your broth richer.
Once I put the veggies in, do I put the cover back on ?
Yes, it is covered.
First time making this but I’m using a pressure cooker any tips or time adjustments??
We use this recipe for Pressure Cooker Pot Roast.
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!
Just an fyi as I’ve seen you comment this on others who have said they subbed the red wine out; people who cannot have alcohol for whatever reason (health, religion, substance abuse, etc.) will need to substitute it out, so just saying the wine taste cooks out is a bit ignorant and may not be why they are mentioning it.
I was actually in the comments trying to see if people subbed it out since the blog/recipe doesn’t offer a sub because I don’t drink, and prefer not to buy a bottle just for 1 recipe. So it was helpful to see that adding extra broth didn’t affect the flavours.
Wow, I don’t leave reviews normally, but I have made this so many times I feel like I need to give credit where it is due. This is a FANTASTIC recipe! The wine is a must. Thank you!
I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe Chloe!
Perfect. In every way. I added another cup of water as i added more vegetables. Other than that, don’t mess with this recipe!!!
can anyone please advise how to adjust this for a crock pot? thank you in advance
This can cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Enjoy!
I rarely comment on recipes but made this last night and drum roll please…
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!
WILL DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN!!!
Best pot roast ever!!! So easy, moist, fall apart tender, and excellent flavor. We loved it! This will be my go to pot roast recipe from now on. Thank you!!!
Hi, I am trying this recipie for the first time, so I can’t rate it yet (I literally just put it in the oven); however, I don’t have a Dutch oven–I am using a large roast pan covered in foil. Will this affect anything (cook time, additional prep, when veg should be added, etc.)? Thanks!
It should be fine in a covered roasting pan. You’ll want to cook until the meat is very tender, if it’s not tender, you can add a little more time.
My mother used to make pot roast on Sundays in her pressure cooker. I never was able to make one to taste as good as hers. This recipe is a definite winner and will go in my favorites book for sure.
Had to cook the roast five hours instead of the recommended three hours for a four pound roast. In addition, we found it to be tasteless.
Oh no! I am sorry to hear you didn’t love this recipe as much as we do Guy. The recipe does say to cook it for 4 hours, but depending on the cut it could have taken a little longer. Thank you for trying it.
Great recipe. I love pot roast in the oven. The oven produces better results for me that either the slow cooker or the instant pot options.
The oven seems to produce the most tender results for me. Your recipe is well-plotted and easy to follow. Definitely would make again.
I decided to prepare the potatoes separately, so I did not add them to the pot at the two-hour mark. That also means I added on piece each of celery and carrot to the pot before placing it into the oven. I think it contributed to the overall goodness of the recipe.
The gravy we made from the cooking liquid was delicious also.
Thanks again for another winner.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe James!
It really is a perfect pot roast! Simple, flavorful, and no frills, with very few dishes. It’s a work-from-home day favorite in our house because it’s hearty and just takes a bit of time in the afternoon to prepare.
This recipe never disappoints! Truly the PERFECT pot roast! I’ve made it at least 10 times since I found it and it’s a BIG family favorite. Thank you for sharing this one!
Hi. I’ve made this previously And the roast was perfect!! I have a frozen roast and wondering if I can make this from a frozen state and what I should do differently??
I have not tried this recipe from frozen, I have always thawed my roasts before cooking, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. It will likely take quite a bit longer to cook.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Maggie!