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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This recipe does make the perfect pot roast! Turned out to be the best I have ever made or had. It’s also a good excuse to open a bottle of red wine ;-)
I’ve never cooked with red wine before. What kind should I use? Thank you!
Hi Maria, I use whatever I have on hand (which is usually a cabernet). It doesn’t have to be expensive to add great flavor to this pot roast though. You can ask at the liquor store for a full-bodied red wine and they’ll be able to recommend something. Hope that helps!
I do NOT consider myself a cook, BUT, I CAN follow directions, most of the time. This turned out very nice. I am ho e from work due to medical issues , and I like it when I can have a hot meal ready for my wife when she gets home. She loved it
So happy to hear that, Dave. I bet she loved coming home to this delicious meal!
I will just throw in my veggies WITH the roast. Roast was done in 2 hours and now I have the raw veggies to cook.
I wonder if your oven cooks hot? Mine is 15 degrees higher so I always have to adjust the temp.
This was so good on a cold rainy night! :)
I have a small 2lb chuck roast. How long and what temperature would you recommend cooking this roast?
I haven’t tried this with a 2lb roast (the smallest I’ve used is 3lbs). I would check it around 2 to 2½ hrs. If it isn’t tender, cover it back up and continue cooking. Let us know how it goes!
Absolutely, wonderfully amazing!! I made it as written and added 2 whole, peeled cloves of garlic with the onions. I’ve never made a pot roast this tasty and satisfying. Thank you!
Great Roast! Husbands said its the best one I have made yet! However, I didn’t sear. I threw everything in a crockpot on low at 9am and it was ready to eat at 4:30pm! I substituted the beef broth for better than bouillon vegetable. (thats what I had)
That is awesome, Linda! So happy you both enjoyed it.
Easy and delicious chuck pot roast!
I like this recipe. I use 300 temp for about 4 hours. Half way through I bring roast out of oven and add the cut up veggies. Cover and bake another 2 hours. Take out, rest for a small bit and uncover and the meat comes off with a fork. I do not add all the ingredients that this recipe does. I add my own very delicious ingredients and after one plate a few minutes later you will be wanting another plate.
This is the first time I made this recipe for chuck roast. I broke in a new dutch oven too. This was beyond good. My mom would have been proud. The only things extra she would have had was a parsnip and some fresh parsley. My bag of potatoes weighed 1½ pounds. I put them all in. Thanks for sharing a great recipe Holly.
never said what temperature!!
Step 1 says “Preheat oven to 300°F.” Enjoy the pot roast Scott!
First time ever making a pot roast, cooked it for the whole 4 hours. Followed the recipe but I added more of my everyday spices to it and it came out amazing!!!
Do you use fresh herbs or dried?
We used fresh herbs in this recipe!
I’m so bummed this didn’t work- followed the recipe exactly with a 4lb roast at 300 degrees for 4 hrs. Was so over cooked!!
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that, Nicole. We recommend cooking a 4lb roast for 3.5-4 hrs. Cook times can vary based on the type of roast you are using. So I would check it around 3½ hours 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.
This is the most amazing recipe!!!! So easy and so tasty!!!!
This is the first time my pot roast has been “falling apart good” like what I grew up with. I used a chuck roast that was about 3 lbs so only needed 3.5 hrs cook time tops
If I make in slow cooker do I put potatoes and carrots in at beginning or halfway through for example. Thank you!
I would add them in about halfway through, Tammy!
I just bought a 6 qt slow cooker and would like to make this pot roast in it. I noticed someone else asked about a slow cooker for this recipe and you said that you could but wouldn’t there need to be some adjustment in the amt of liquid since it doesn’t require as much as when using an oven? I just want to be sure before I make it this weekend. thanks!
We leave the liquid the same as it helps to cook the meat. A slow cooker performs best when it’s at least ½ full. You may end up with a bit of extra liquid which is great for gravy for even to add to soups if you’d like.
Great recipe