The Best Pot Roast Recipe (2024)

A classic roasted, tender and juicy Pot Roast recipe, with large chunks of soft potatoes and carrots, herbs, and of course...the gravy!

• 2-3 pound boneless beef chuck roast – chuck roast, brisket, and even round roast can be with this pot roast recipe, my favorite is chuck roast for its extra fat and flavor!
• seasoning for browning the pot roast – all-purpose flour, sea salt, and black pepper – you can add any additional seasonings you want. This basic seasoning provides flavor and a coating for your roast. The flour also helps to thicken the sauce, but we’ll provide instructions to make gravy below.
• 2 tablespoons canola or olive oil – the oil is used to brown the roast before it goes into the oven for its long, slow cooking. Use your favorite cooking oil!
• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks – the vegetables add lots of flavor to both the roast and the gravy. If you don’t have onion available, add some onion powder to the seasoning or add a tablespoon of dried onion flakes to the pot. Sweet white onions or yellow onions both work well here.
• 3 medium carrots – large chunks are best as they’ll be cooking along with the roast over several hours. If your carrot pieces are too small, they will be total mush by the time the roast is done cooking. If you want to use baby carrots or smaller carrot pieces, add them to the pot about 45 minutes before it is done cooking.
• 2 pounds yellow or baby potatoes, cut into large chunks – any kind of potato will work, peel and dice Russett potatoes into large pieces. Baby potatoes, red potatoes, and Yukon gold potatoes don’t necessarily need to be peeled and can be added whole or cut in half.
• 2 ½ cups beef broth – The broth or beef stock provides the necessary moisture for the long, slow cook period. It also becomes the ultimate, flavorful gravy base. Substitute water, vegetable broth, or chicken broth if you don’t have beef broth available. Water plus beef bouillon is also suitable.
• 1 sprig rosemary – fresh thyme, bay leaves, and sage also pair well with pot roast. Remove large pieces of herbs after the pot roast is done cooking.
• Fresh parsley for garnish – this is completely optional and you can also garnish with freshly chopped rosemary, thyme, or sage. I love to add a sprinkle of fresh herbs as garnish to brighten up the serving platter.

Substitutions and Variations

For a low-carb roast

• If you are looking for a low-carb version of this recipe, I suggest omitting the potatoes and adding in some extra vegetables in their place.
• You’ll want to use hardy types of vegetables that can stand up to a long period of simmering so that you’re not left with a veggie mush. Turnip roots are ideal low-carb vegetables to use in place of potatoes.
• In addition to using turnips, you could also serve your Pot Roast over cauliflower rice to keep the meal as low-carb as possible.
• If you need to cut out the flour, you can simply brown the roast in oil with salt and pepper. Skip the flour altogether.

For a spicy dish

• If you want to add a kick of heat to this dish, think of including some Ancho chili sauce to the broth or slice some Ancho chilies and add them to the liquid. Pepperoncini peppers are another easy addition for flavor and heat.

For additional gravy

• If you LOVE your gravy, you may want to make some extra or thicken the juices that are produced after cooking the recipe.
• To do so, transfer your meat and vegetables to a serving platter. Place the pot of juices back on the stovetop. Add additional beef stock, if desired. Combine a couple teaspoons of cornstarch with equal parts water until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the pot roast juices and simmer until thickened. If the gravy doesn’t thicken enough after 2-3 minutes, add additional corn starch.

Fresh Herbs and Flavors that work well in a dutch oven pot roast

• Once you have your classic pot roast mastered, try adding some other flavors into the mix. A splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine will add depth and richness to the pot roast. You don’t need a lot of either of these ingredients – I would try ¼-1/3 cup.
• A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce will also enhance the natural richness of the beef.
• Garlic lovers may wish to slice small slits all through the roast and insert cloves garlic for a garlic forward dinner.

Step 1: Combine salt, pepper, and flour. Spread flour in a dish or on a piece of parchment paper and season roast by dipping it into the flour mixture to coat it on all sides.

Step 2: Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides (about 5 minutes). To make this a one-pot meal, be sure you use a pot large enough to add all of your veggies and several cups of broth to also. The pot should be oven safe. Once browned, remove the meat and set aside.

Step 3: Add additional oil if needed. Add onion and carrots to the pot and saute for 3-5 minutes, or just until onions begin to soften and caramelize around the edges. (If you’d like to add minced garlic to the recipe, now is a great time to toast that as well.) Remove from heat.

Step 4: Browning these vegetables is not mandatory to make a successful pot roast with vegetables. However, it does add some flavor and get the caramelization process started on the onions, aiding in the overall flavor of the gravy. If you’re pressed for time, you can skip this step.

Step 5:Add the potatoes to the pot over the vegetables. Add the meat back into the pot over the other ingredients. Place any fresh herbs into the pot.

Step 6: Pour beef broth over the meat. Cover with a lid. Again, if you don’t have beef broth, it’s important to add liquid – substitute water.

Step 7: Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat falls apart easily when pulled with a fork.

Step 8: Remove any large chunks of fat. Shred the meat with two forks. It should pull apart very easily – if you feel resistance, put the lid back on and cook another 30 minutes, then check tenderness again.

• Using larger chunks of carrots and potatoes will ensure that they don’t end up mushy once the roast reaches the end of its cooking time. If you’re adding other vegetables to this recipe, make sure that they are the kind that can withstand long simmering times.
• Use enough liquid and keep the lid on the pot roast the entire time it is cooking in the oven.
• Any brand of roast that’s labeled as chuck is suitable for this recipe; you can also opt for using brisket or even top round.
• Use up leftover shredded roast in sandwiches, tacos, wraps or in pasta dishes throughout the week for easy lunch ideas.

What can I serve with this Pot Roast Recipe?

Can this be made in a Slow Cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes, it can. Both slow cooker and Instant Pot Pot Roast recipes are extremely popular, both resulting in tender meat. Cooking in a slow cooker will take approximately 8-10 hours on LOW and about 1 hour in a pressure cooker.
Whichever method you prefer, I highly recommend searing your meat in a pan prior to adding it to a slow cooker or Instant Pot as this will increase the flavors of the dish. The caramelization of the meat really adds the next level of flavor.
Check out this Mississippi Pot Roast recipe for a step-by-step on making a roast in the crock pot.

Can I make the roast ahead of time?

Yes, this is a great meal to make ahead since you can either refrigerate it for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
In both instances, make sure that you store the leftovers in an airtight container once it has cooled completely.Typically, the melted fat will float to the top and harden in the refrigerator. Simply lift the solidified fat off the top and reheat your pot roast in the microwave or on the stovetop. Leftover pot roast is one of my favorite meals to eat the next day!

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