Pot Roast
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Make the best Pot Roast ever, with deep, rich flavors, using this easy recipe. A classic pot roast is the perfect comfort food meal. And after you try this pot roast recipe, you’ll never make another one again! This juicy, fall apart tender beef roast is easy to make in the oven or a slow cooker, and it’s perfect topped with a delicious pan gravy.
Table of contents
I grew up on my Grandma Meme’s pot roast. We ate it at Sunday family meals throughout the year, and every time I make this pot roast recipe I think of her. After making her classic pot roast recipe for years, I made a few tweaks to enhance the flavor of the roast and give the dish more depth.
I started by making my own pot roast seasoning. It’s a simple blend of 9 herbs and spices that will add a ton of flavor to any pot roast recipe. I also added tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to the beef broth when cooking the pot roast. These ingredients add that depth of flavor that I mentioned, including the wonderful taste of umami.
This pot roast recipe is just as easy to make as the one that I grew up with, it’s just enhanced with a few extra ingredients that make this the best pot roast ever! The meat melts in your mouth and the flavor is at another level than any pot roast you’ve ever had, I guarantee it!
Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast – this is the most common cut of beef used to make pot roast. It has a rich, beefy flavor, and is great for braising and slow cooking.
- Pot roast seasoning – click the link for my homemade seasoning. It’s a delicious blend of 9 herbs and spices, including pantry staples like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, dried parsley and dried oregano. It’s easy to mix up in 5 minutes, and you can keep it in the pantry for up to 6 months, so you can make it ahead of time.
- Olive oil – or another neutral-flavored oil to sear the chuck roast.
- Onions – you’ll need two cups of yellow onions for this recipe, which is equal to one large onion.
- Carrots – I recommend peeling whole carrots and cutting them into two inch pieces. Cutting the carrots too small will result in them overcooking in the liquid with the pot roast. This can cause them to fall apart in the dish, or become very mushy.
- Mini red potatoes – over many years of making pot roast, I’ve found that the taste and texture of the potatoes is much better if you keep them whole while they cook with the pot roast. This will prevent them from falling apart in the liquid. When using whole potatoes, you’ll want small potatoes, usually labeled as mini potatoes, baby potatoes, or fingerling potatoes.
- Beef broth – since this is the main ingredient used to cook the pot roast, I recommend purchasing, or making, a high-quality beef stock, or broth. Beef stock has a richer, deeper flavor than beef broth. I found this Custom Culinary Beef Base at a restaurant supply store in San Diego and am absolutely obsessed with it. You can order it online direct with a $5 shipping charge. It’s a little expensive for beef bouillon, but oh my gosh the flavor is so good.
- Tomato paste – since tomato paste is cooked down to a thick paste, it adds a wonderfully sweet and acidic umami flavor to the braising liquid.
- Worcestershire sauce – this amazing condiment adds so much flavor to the pot roast. It’s sweet, salty, tangy and adds another layer of umami flavor to the dish. If you don’t have any Worcestershire sauce in the kitchen, you can use soy sauce instead.
- Fresh thyme – you can also use fresh rosemary sprigs if you prefer.
- Bay leaves – adding a couple of leaves to the cooking liquid before braising the chuck roast will add another layer of flavor to the dish.
- Cornstarch (optional) – to make gravy out of the pan drippings after you cook the pot roast.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season a chuck roast. Rub a 3 pound chuck roast on all sides with pot roast seasoning.
- Sear the chuck roast. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven on the stove over high heat. (I used a 7 quart dutch oven for this recipe.) Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned chuck roast and sear on each side for 2 minutes, or until it’s browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
- Cook the onions. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the dutch oven. Add 2 cups of large diced onions and cook for 5 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan. Pour about ¼ cup beef stock into the pot with the onions and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the beef back to the pan. Pour the remaining 2 ¾ cups beef stock into the pan. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, and carrots.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs, then cover the dutch oven with a lid, or tightly with a piece of aluminum foil. Place the pot roast in a preheated 325°F oven for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the pot roast from the oven and remove the lid. Use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Remove the pot roast from the dutch oven and place it on a large platter. Use the slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the dutch oven and arrange them around the pot roast on the platter. Cover tightly with a piece of foil.
To prepare a pan gravy to top the pot roast, heat up the liquid that’s left in the dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Once the liquid begins to simmer in the dutch oven, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Continue stirring until the gravy is thick and smooth.
Pour the gravy directly over the pot roast on the platter, or serve it on the side.
Substitutions and variations
If you would like to add another layer of flavor to the dish, you can replace one cup of the beef broth with stout beer or red wine.
Other vegetables can be used in addition to, or in place of, the potatoes and carrots. Delicious vegetable additions include whole button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, parsnips, or celery.
You can use another cut of beef besides chuck roast to make this recipe. A flat cut beef brisket, or bottom round roast will also work.
Recipe notes
- A cast iron dutch oven is best for this recipe as it will maintain an even temperature throughout the cooking process, and it’s large enough to hold the recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, use an oven-safe pot that’s at least 12 inches wide with sides that are 6 inches tall so that the recipe will fit in the pot.
- If you don’t have a lid for the pot, tightly cover it with foil before placing it in the oven.
- The vegetables do not need to be submerged in the liquid. They will steam in the dutch oven as they cook with the pot roast.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time. After braising the beef for 3 hours at 325°F, simply turn the oven to warm and leave the pot roast, covered in the oven, for up to 2 hours.
- You can braise the pot roast on the stove, instead of in the oven, if you prefer. Simply cover the pot, set the stovetop temperature to medium-low heat and allow the beef to simmer in the liquid for 3 hours on the stove.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients pictured above. If using another brand of Worcestershire sauce, always check the label to make sure that it’s gluten free.
- Store leftover pot roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend shredding the meat, then reheating it in a skillet on the stove over medium-high heat with 1-2 tablespoons water or beef broth. This will heat the beef up evenly and keep it moist as you reheat it.
How to make it in a slow cooker
Want to set it and forget it? It’s easy to make a slow cooker pot roast using the ingredients listed in this recipe and by following these simple steps.
- Rub a chuck roast on all sides with pot roast seasoning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned chuck roast. Sear on each side for 2 minutes, or until it’s browned on all sides. Remove the beef from the skillet and place it in a Crock Pot slow cooker.
- Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet on the stove. Add 2 cups of large diced onions and cook for 5 minutes. Pour ¼ cup beef stock into the skillet with the onions. Stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Transfer everything from the skillet to the slow cooker with the beef.
- Pour the remaining 2 ¾ beef stock into the slow cooker. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme springs. Cover the slow cooker and set it to high heat for 4-6 hours, or low heat for 8-10 hours.
What to serve with it
This pot roast really is a one pot meal, since we’re cooking veggies with the beef and making a gravy out of the beef drippings. But if you prefer mashed potatoes, or you want a dinner roll or salad to pair with the pot roast, look no further than these delicious side dishes!
More comfort food recipes
Try these other classic comfort food recipes for your next family dinner!
Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 3 tablespoons pot roast seasoning, click link for the recipe
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 cups onions, large dice
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 ½ pounds mini red potatoes
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, optional – to make gravy with the pan drippings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Rub the chuck roast on all sides with pot roast seasoning.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large 7 quart dutch oven on the stove over high heat.
- Add the seasoned chuck roast and sear on all sides for 2 minutes per side. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Pour ¼ cup beef stock into the pot and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the beef back to the pot.
- Add the remaining 2 ¾ cups beef stock to the pot with the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, potatoes, and carrots. Bring the broth to a boil.
- Once the broth is boiling, add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves, then place a tight-fitting lid on the dutch oven. If you do not have a lid, cover tightly with foil.
- Remove the pot from the stove and place it in the preheated 325°F oven for 3 hours.
- After 3 hours, remove the pot roast from the oven and remove the lid. Use a slotted spoon to remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Remove the pot roast from the dutch oven and place it on a large platter. Use the slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the dutch oven and arrange them around the pot roast on the platter. Cover tightly with a piece of foil.
- To prepare a pan gravy to top the pot roast, heat up the liquid that’s left in the dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Once the liquid begins to simmer in the dutch oven, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Continue stirring until the gravy is thick and smooth.
- Pour the gravy directly over the pot roast on the platter, or serve it on the side.
Notes
- To make this recipe in a slow cooker, refer to the blog post above for the full instructions.
- If you would like to add another layer of flavor to the dish, you can replace one cup of the beef broth with stout beer or red wine.
- Other vegetables can be used in addition to, or in place of, the potatoes and carrots. You can also use whole button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms, parsnips, or celery.
- The vegetables do not need to be submerged in the liquid. They will steam in the dutch oven as they cook with the pot roast.
- You can use another cut of beef besides chuck roast to make this recipe. A flat cut beef brisket, or bottom round roast will also work.
- A cast iron dutch oven is best for this recipe as it will maintain an even temperature throughout the cooking process, and it’s large enough to hold the recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, use an oven-safe pot that’s at least 12 inches wide with sides that are 6 inches tall so that the recipe will fit in the pot.
- This recipe is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients pictured above. If using another brand of Worcestershire sauce, always check the label to make sure that it’s gluten free.
Nutrition Facts
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