Classic Pot Roast

October 10, 2024

Pot roast is such a classic. Super tender beef smothered in a rich, flavorful gravy served over creamy mashed potatoes. It is the ultimate comfort food meal to serve for Sunday dinner or to friends and family that you want to make feel quite special.

In addition to the cozy vibe and delicious flavor of a great pot roast, it is also quite simple to bring together. You can used a dutch oven (in the oven or over a stovetop), a crock pot or a pressure cooker to make pot roast and if you add vegetables in with the braising liquid, all you need to do is whip up some simple mashed potatoes and dinner is all ready to go.

If you have been searching for a super flavorful, tender pot roast then you will definitely want to give this one a try.

Let’s get started…

The first step is to let your beef sit out at room temperature for about 45 minutes. This will give the beef time to relax before you begin searing it, which will result in a much more tender pot roast.

While the beef is warming, begin gathering your ingredients. Everything comes together pretty quick, so if you prepare ahead of time, this pot roast will go super smooth.

Prepare your chuck roast by slicing it into 2 inch cubes and patting each piece dry with paper towels. Generously season all sides with salt and black pepper. Seasoning your beef before searing it is a very important step towards a flavorful finished product. This will guarantee that the meat has flavor locked inside and not just in the gravy.

Coat all sides of the chuck roast pieces with all purpose flour. This will help the beef form a nice crust during the searing process, which will help lock the moisture in during the roasting process.

Now that the beef is prepared, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and butter into your braiser or dutch oven and place it over medium heat. This is the vessel that you will roast everything in, so make sure that it is both oven safe and large enough to hold all of the ingredients.

Place the beef into the braiser and let it sear for about 5 minutes undisturbed or until the underside has formed a nice crust. Carefully rotate the beef to the other side and continue rotating until all surfaces have been seared. Transfer the seared beef onto a plate and leave the braiser over medium heat.

Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes.

Now, add 6 cloves of finely minced garlic and 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix in with the softened onions, carrots and celery.

Whisk in 4 cups of beef broth, 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Nestle the seared chuck roast pieces into the pot and add your herbs.

I am using 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, a big pinch of dried thyme and 3 bay leaves. Fresh herbs are always best, but some squirrels to a fancy to my thyme, so I am using dried today. If you can’t find fresh herbs, use about a heaping teaspoon of dried Italian herb blend instead.

When it comes to cooking your pot roast you have some options…

- - In the oven: we started this recipe today in the oven and once you add the seared chuck roast back into the pot, cover the pot and transfer into a 325 degree oven. Usually, chuck roast takes an hour per pound to become super tender. I am using 4 pounds of chuck roast today, but I did cut it into pieces. I would start checking the tenderness around the 2 1/2 hour mark and let it keep cooking until it is fall apart tender.
  - In a crock pot: you can also repeat this same process in a crock pot or slow cooker. Most modern ones have a sauté setting that you can use to sear the chuck roast and once everything is brought together, cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  - In a pressure cooker: this is my go-to for a few reasons. In addition to a pressure cooker or insta-pot having a large cooking vessel that can fit even the biggest pot roast, it is also beautifully tender in only an hour.

Whichever cooking method you use, as soon as the pot roast is super tender, transfer the beef out onto a platter and make your gravy.

When it comes to gravy, some of us love smooth gravy and some of us prefer a little texture in our gravy. Thankfully, you can have either one!

To make a smooth gravy, strain the vegetables out of the liquid and add a slurry (2 tablespoons of all purpose flour mixed with 1/4 cup of cool beef stock). Place the pot over medium to medium high heat and simmer until the gravy has thickened.

To make a thicker, more texture filled gravy, remove the herb stems and use a potato masher or immersion blender to blend the vegetables into the gravy. This will both add texture and flavor to your gravy.

Now that your pot roast is tender and your gravy is all ready to go, all you need to do is add it over something creamy and get ready to dig in.

I highly suggest served your pot roast with mashed potatoes, because it is just such a classic pairing. Here are some of my favorites…

- - Creamy Mashed Potatoes – a true classic
  - Garlic & Herb Mashed Red Potatoes – super flavorful, no peeling required
  - Whipped Parsnips – a unique twist on the classic
  - Mashed Cauliflower – a super creamy, healthy option with less carbs, but loads of flavor

Whatever you pair this beautifully tender pot roast with, one thing is for sure, you are going to absolutely love how incredibly flavorful it is!

By starting the roast with a generously seasoned sear, so much flavor was locked into the beef and the gravy is pretty much drinkable on it own. The worcestershire sauce adds an interesting tanginess, the brown sugar helps to balance the savoriness.

It is a wonderfully delicious pot roast that you are going to love, so the next time you are searching for something wonderful to serve someone special make this pot roast… you’ll be so glad that you did.

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