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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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
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.
Excellent results! The meat was very tender. with a rich, beefy. satisfying flavor. Easy & quick prep after which this pot roast virtually makes itself! I left the potatoes out & prepared mashed potatoes instead, which I highly recommend. So good with that delicious, meaty gravy!
I’ve only ever made a pot roast in thr crockpot. I forgot to start it this morning, which is why I sought out this recipe. I didn’t have the rosemary or wine. Nonetheless, this is one of the most flavorful roasts I’ve ever made! I can’t wait to try it out with the ingredients I’ve missed!
i’ve received really good praises on this. make sure to season your roast generously with salt and pepper. thank you so very much!
made this tonight and it was stellar! Browned the roast in bacon grease and tossed the bacon in with the veggies. Threw in a ton of extra veggies (mushrooms, peas…) and extra broth to accommodate them. Got a fantastic roast and fantastic gravy out of it! Even the 4 yr old asked for seconds.
hello, how would I adjust the cooking time for the pot roast if I have a 3 lb roast? 2 hours then 1 hour after adding the vegetables? Also, what type of red wine works best? Thank you.
A 3lb roast will take a little less time. I would check it for doneness at the one hour mark and adjust from there. As for red wine, I prefer to use a dry red wine but you can use whatever you have on hand or substitute it with beef broth if you prefer.
we love this recipe!!
Family favorite. Love
Excellent Recipe. I wouldn’t change a thing. I loved it! Thank you.
I made this with a chuck roast, veggies, extra onion and no potatoes. I doubled the garlic and herbs, it was the best pot roast I’ve ever made and the stew we turned it into a few days later was outstanding – the broth at that point was amazing! Great recipe, thank you!
I tried this recipe today and it tastes amazing! Thank you
great great i mortared the rosemary and thyme ,,bacon grease ,, was well balanced
If using a slow cooker do you still brown the meat and do you add the vegetables at the start of the cooking process?
I brown the meat for flavor and I do add the vegetables at the start of cooking.
What size Dutch oven do I need? I have a 6 qt, but could buy a bigger size.
I use a large dutch oven for this pot roast recipe, about 7 to 8 quarts. As long as your roast fits in your dutch oven it should be fine!
This is a great recipe! The ingredients are so simple that I was a bit skeptical, but it came out wonderfully and was very delicious. I eliminated the celery and added half a container of sliced mushrooms. It does need a generous amount of salt to bring out the flavors, but once you do that the flavors are fabulous. I also eliminated the baby potatoes and just made mashed potatoes. I will make this again, highly recommend! It has simple yet sophisticated flavors.
Delicious
After adding the vegtables do you put the lid back on for the last two hours?
yes, we do! Enjoy, Julie.
how to do this with a slow cooker?
Hi Michael, this can be made in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Let us know how it turns out!
One question to slow cooker method, do I put all the vegetables in at the same time w/ the roast and then cook for 8 to 10 hours?
Thank you,
Yes, I do add the vegetables at the start of cooking.
Excellent recipe! My picky 5 year old loved it. That’s a huge deal!
My husband made this for me recently. He has been on night shift for 2 years now, and we don’t eat supper together, and he wanted to do something special for my birthday. He prepped this before he went to sleep and I took it out and served it up. It was absolutely amazing! Best pot roast I’ve ever had (though it’s been a long time, so maybe I’ve just forgotten). It was so tender and the vegetables were cooked to perfection.
Only suggestion I have for others is to use the freshest carrots you can get for this! Mine tasted like candy, they were so good when they were done roasting. Thanks again!
That is so sweet of him! I am glad you enjoyed it, Michelle.
Tried this with a crock pot , 5 hours high. Meat was so tender , used the juices and made gravy . Ate it on top of home made mashed potatoes , a solid recipe for very little prep . Left over for days . Will try again but on low for 8 hours .
I’m a big fan
Perfection