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
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.
I don’t have a Dutch oven can I use my stove/oven?? I really want to try this
Hi Lisa, absolutely you can. I would brown the roast in a skillet then transfer to a large oven-safe dish that can be covered such as a roasting pan. You can also always transfer to a large casserole dish and cover with tin foil if needed. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
This is by far the best pot roast that I have ever tasted. It has taken years for me to find a recipe that is tasty and tender. It just fell apart. Followed the recipe as printed and I received several accolades from my guests. Thanks!
I have a feeling this roast is going to be absolutely amazing! But haven’t started on it yet, so I’ll reserve a rating for later. I’m curious what kind of red wine would be best for the recipe? Thanks!
Hi Missy, 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. Ask your local liquor store for a full-bodied red wine and they can usually recommend something that will work well. Hope that helps!
Have not made it yet but looking forward to it based on all of the comments. I do have a question- How large of a dutch oven should I use?
I use a large dutch oven for this pot roast recipe, about 7 to 8 quarts.
I always look on your page for a home cooked meals whenever I’m in a pinch , Also brings back good memories from my childhood and I want to thank you , Tricia
I’m so glad you have loved the recipes. Thank you for your kind words.
I’ve always been leery of any recipe that claims to be the “perfect” anything, just by the audacious aspect of the boast. In my experience, these recipes usually turn out to be far from it. This pot roast recipe however, truly was absolutely perfect. After only twenty minutes of cooking, the heavenly aroma emanating from the oven was proof positive that this recipe was something quite special. After two hours I added the carrots and celery as instructed. I saw this wonderful roast with its caramelized crust. When finished, it was was fork tender and infused with that exquisite blend of seasonings. I used a merlot for the wine which complimented the heartiness of the garlic and beef broth braise. There is nothing I would change, which is the truest indicator of a perfect recipe. This one is a keeper, folks! A guaranteed crowd pleaser. Enjoy.
I ordered a 3-lb. roast and what was delivered was two roasts, one of which is 1 lb. and one of which is 2 lbs. can I use these in place of a 3-lb. roast with less cooking time? I’m a little concerned that the 1-lb. roast would become overcooked if I try cooking them together.
It should work fine Leah, just check them early by pulling a piece of meat with a fork. It should be really tender. If you’ve checked it early and it’s tough, it likely still needs more time.
Ok, I want to join the other reviewers and say this turned out awesome! It will now be a favorite in our home! Yum! I served with mashed potatoes since the gravy was so flavorful.
We LOVED this pot roast – it was SO tender and delicious! I had it cooking in the oven in my dutch oven and had just added the vegetables before we went with our son, his wife and the 2 grandchildren to a local corn maze, which took longer than we had thought, which meant that the vegetables cooked almost 4 hours before I got back to it. Honestly, though, we thought that it turned out PERFECT – everything was so delicious. My wife and daughter couldn’t believe how yummy a simple pot roast could taste.
The only downside was that the broth was pretty much gone at this point – adsorbed by the dish or steamed off, so I think that I’ll as an additional cup of broth at the start (we loved how it turned out so much that I’m going to cook it this long in the future, unless pressed for time). Oh, and the celery was toast with this length of time, so I’ll do something different there next time. LOL
Seriously, though, this recipe is the ONE for making a pot roast. I would like to try to adapt it for the instant pot just to reduce cook time but this one, as-is, is perfect. Thanks SO much!
Do I cover this when I cook it?
We cook it covered (in step 5). Enjoy Cheryl!
This was delicious. I’ve tried a lot of different pot roast recipes….in the slow cooker, instant pot and in the oven, and this was by far the best I’ve tried. So simple yet so tasty. I used fresh rosemary and thyme (because I had it available) and increased the amount of wine because I love the flavor it gives the gravy. Adding the corn starch at the end gave the gravy a perfect consistency. I’m already planning to make this again next weekend.
My husband and I made this together. When we tasted everything, we as well as my son were very impressed. We printed it and I added it to my favorite recipes folder! Thank you so much for sharing this!
I am so happy to hear your family loved this recipe as much as mine does Tanya!
I can’t rate this yet we still making the roast. But if I skip adding the carrots, celery and potatoes (my Dutch oven is already pretty full and I will make a sauce separately) should I still cook a 4lb roast for 4 hours?
Hi Jenn, yes you will want to cook a 4lb roast for a total of 3.5-4 hrs or until your roast is fork tender. You can do a very quick check to see if it’s fork tender a little early to be sure, but I suspect it will still take the full amount of time. Enjoy!
Would it be okay to use a blade roast instead as I have one in the freezer
This should work just fine Jessica! If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out.
Question.how lo g should a 6 lb chuck roast be I. The oven.live this recipe a d making it fie a dinner on Saturday thanks for the help
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure, but I would check at 5 hours to see if it’s fork-tender and continue to cook until it is fork-tender. It may need upwards of 6 hours.
My family really enjoyed this recipe! We made one small substitute, in that we used mushroom stock instead of beef. Highly recommend!!
Hello, I read some of the comments where you commented that for a smaller roast (2.5lbs) it should be more like 2.5 hours…. What about the liquid? Should the amount of liquid be adjusted for a smaller roast?
You want enough broth to fill the bottom of the pan and go a couple of inches up the roast. The liquid should be fine either way but if using a smaller pot, you can reduce it a bit.
Absolutely Delicious
Ive tried 3 different roast recipes. This one was my favorite and my boyfriend also loved it! I added flour to sear it and because of that I believe the broth picked it up during the oven portion and it gave me a gravy consistency I wanted, didnt have to do anything besides scoop it out!
This was excellent. The roast was so tender and delicious. The only change I made was to use Lipton Onion Soup instead of the spices because that is how my husband’s grandmother made hers. I have always put my potatoes and carrots in at the beginning but adding them two hours in made them just perfect.