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Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Published: Sep 30, 2022 by Jessica · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. 11 Comments

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An old-fashioned pot roast dinner with fall apart tender chuck roast, carrots and potatoes. A classic, cozy, comfort food recipe that’s perfect for Sunday dinner.

Pot roast and veggies in a red dutch oven.
Old fashioned pot roast is the ultimate comfort food recipe.

There’s nothing like the smell of a good pot roast filling up your home on a cold day. This easy old-fashioned pot roast recipe is hearty, healthy, full of flavor and super easy to make. There’s just something so satisfying about cooking an entire balanced meal in one pot. Tender meat, perfectly cooked fresh veggies and rich gravy made with red wine, all the juices and little browned bits scraped from the bottom of the pot just meld together to make this classic pot roast sing.

Every great cook needs a few go to comfort food recipes in their repertoire. This delicious, easy pot roast recipe will quickly become a family favorite!

Raw chuck roast on a white plate surrounded by recipe ingredients including potatoes, parsnips, carrots, broth, wine, herbs and seasonings.
Chuck roast is the best cut of meat for pot roast.

Ingredients

  • Boneless beef chuck roast – this is the best cut of meat for pot roast. It has a high fat content to meat and it’s perfect for making the best pot roast. Chuck roast is a tougher cut of meat with connective tissues that break down when cooked low and slow, producing melt in your mouth tender meat and a rich and flavorful brown gravy. You can also substitute another cut of beef like round roast or rump roast. I recommend a 2.5-3 pound roast for this recipe.
  • Carrots and Parsnips – carrots are a must in classic pot roast, but I absolutely love the sweet, earthy, peppery addition of parsnips. You can skip the parsnips if you don’t have them but I highly recommend trying them or experimenting with any root vegetables of your choice. Whole carrots are recommended as they hold up better but you can definitely substitute baby carrots as a shortcut.
  • Potatoes – I like to use baby Yukon golds or new potatoes in this recipe. You can also use red or russet potatoes. If they are large, cut them up into chunks.
  • Onion
  • Garlic – fresh garlic cloves are the best, but you can substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder.
  • Beef stock – I use bone broth.
  • Red wine – a bit of red wine adds depth of flavor. Simply omit and use more broth to make it without wine.
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Dijon mustard
  • Bay leaf
  • Fresh herbs – I use fresh thyme and parsley. Rosemary is also a great addition.
  • Cornstarch – to thicken the gravy.
Fall apart tender chuck roast, potatoes, carrots and parsnips on a white platter with a small pitcher of gravy next to it and a floral dish towel in the background.
A simple, delicious recipe that the whole family will love.

How to make pot roast in a dutch oven

This is a very easy recipe. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make a tender old fashioned pot roast, just a trusty dutch oven with a lid.

  • Prep the veggies. Peel and cut the carrots and parsnips into large chunks. This will help them keep their shape. If the potatoes are more than 1.5 inches, halve them.
Cut carrots and parsnips on a wood cutting board with a knife and a blue vegetable peeler.
Cut carrots and parsnips into large chunks.
Onion cut into chunks on a wood cutting board with a knife.
Cut onion into chunks.
  • Sear the beef roast. Pat meat dry with paper towels and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper. It’s important to dry the meat first, to get a good sear on it. Heat a bit of oil over medium high heat and brown meat on all sides. This will take about ten minutes total. Use tongs to remove the meat and set aside on a plate.
  • Deglaze. Add the onions and garlic into the pot and sauté until softened. Deglaze with wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This is TONS of flavor. Toss in a few sprigs of fresh thyme and a bay leaf. Add beef broth and place roast back in the pot. There should be enough beef broth to come up high on the sides but not cover the top of the roast.
Chuck roast searing in a dutch oven on the stove.
Sear the chuck roast on all sides.
Seared chuck roast with onions, garlic, herbs and broth in a red dutch oven.
Add the seared roast back in with the onions, garlic and broth.
  • Bake. Place the lid on the dutch oven and put the pot in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours.
  • Add veggies. Take the pot out of the oven, Lift the roast up with tongs and add the carrots, parsnips and potatoes, making sure everything is in the liquid. Put the top on and put it back in the oven for another 1.5-2 hours. You will know it’s ready when the meat falls apart when you pull it gently with a fork. If it’s still tough, it needs to cook even longer!
Partially cooked chuck roast with fresh veggies in a dutch oven.
Add veggies about halfway through cook time.
Close up of pot roast in a dutch oven.
Pot roast is ready when meat is fork tender.
  • Make the gravy. When your roast is fork tender, transfer beef and veggies to a serving platter and cover to keep hot. Skim as much fat as possible from the pan juices or use a fat separator. Place the pot back on top of the stove over medium heat and bring the pan drippings to a simmer. Dissolve a few tablespoons cornstarch in cold water to make a slurry and add the cornstarch mixture a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired thickness.
  • Serve. Serve this tender, juicy pot roast with gravy on the side and love your life!
Serving of pot roast on a white plate with a gold fork with a platter and floral napkin in the background.
A whole balanced meal made in one pot!

How long to cook pot roast in the oven

  • Cook a 2-3lb roast for 3-4 hrs adding veggies in after 1 hour
  • Cook a 4lb roast for 3.5-4 hrs adding veggies in after 1.5 hours
  • Cook a 5lb roast for 4.5-5 hrs adding veggies in after 2 hours

How to make pot roast in the crockpot or instant pot

Slow Cooker Instructions

  • If your slow cooker has a searing function, sear the meat on all sides. If not, use a heavy bottom or cast iron skillet for the first few steps.
  • Remove the meat and set aside. Add onions and garlic, deglaze and scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of the crock pot.
  • Add the meat back in and pour in the rest of the liquid.
  • Cook on low for 8-10 hours and add the carrots, parsnips and potatoes in about halfway through. You can definitely put everything in all at once, I prefer to stagger it so the carrots stay tender and don’t get too mushy.

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Cut the roast into 4-5 pieces. This will help it cook evenly.
  • Use the sauté function to brown the meat on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  • Add in the onions, garlic and cook for a few minutes until softened.
  • Deglaze with wine or beef broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits off of the bottom. This will also help avoid any burn notice in the Instant Pot.
  • Add beef and fresh vegetables into the pressure cooker along with the rest of the liquid. Cook on high for 50 minutes and then natural release for 15-20 minutes.
Pot roast in a red dutch oven.
The perfect slow cooked Sunday dinner.

What to serve with pot roast

The best part about pot roast is that it’s a whole balanced meal in one pot! To round out the meal serve it with:

  • Simple green salad
  • A big basket of dinner rolls or garlic bread

More comfort food recipes you will love

  • Dutch Oven Beer Braised Short Ribs
  • Creamy Potato, Leek and Cauliflower Soup
  • Vegetable Orzo Soup
  • Instant Pot Chicken and Brown Rice Soup
  • Hearty Lentil Soup
  • Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
Branded Pinterest template with photo of pot roast in a red dutch oven.
Save this Pin to make this Old Fashioned Pot Roast recipe later!

If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @bigdeliciouslife so that I can see your snaps. For more Big Delicious Life, follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook, or subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Pot roast and veggies in a red dutch oven.

Dutch Oven Pot Roast

An old-fashioned pot roast dinner with fall apart tender chuck roast, carrots and potatoes. A classic, cozy, comfort food recipe that's perfect for Sunday dinner.
5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 4 hrs
Course Main, Main Course, Mains
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 662 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pound chuck roast
  • ½ pound carrots 3-4 medium
  • 2 parsnips
  • 1.5 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1.5 cups beef broth plus more if needed
  • ⅓ cup red wine
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or other high heat oil
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees f.
  • Peel and cut onion into half inch chunks. Peel and cut carrots and parsnips into one inch chunks. Mince garlic. If the potatoes are larger than an 1.5 inches, halve them.
  • Season the chuck roast all over with salt and pepper.
  • Heat oil over medium high heat in a large dutch oven. Place roast in the hot pan and sear on one side for 3-4 minutes without moving, allowing a crust to form on the meat. Flip and sear on each side for another 2-3 minutes for a total of about ten minutes.
  • Using tongs, remove the roast from the pot and set aside on a plate.
  • Turn the heat down to medium low and add the onions to the pot. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, just until softened. Add in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  • Add in the red wine to deglaze the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook for another minute or two.
  • Stir in beef broth, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
  • Add the roast back to the pot, making sure the liquid comes mostly up the sides of the roast but not covering it. If you need a bit more liquid, just add in more beef broth.
  • Put the lid on the dutch oven and bake for 1.5 hours.
  • Add potatoes, carrots and parsnips to the pot, making sure they are nestled down in the liquid and not on top of the roast. Bake for another 2 hours or until the veggies are tender and the meat falls apart when gently pulled with a fork. If the meat is still tough, continue to bake until tender.

Make the gravy

  • Use tongs to transfer the roast to a serving platter and a slotted spoon for the veggies. Garnish with fresh parsley and cover with foil to keep warm while making the gravy.
  • Skim as much fat as possible off the top of the pan juices or use a fat separator. Place pot back on the stove and bring the liquid to a simmer.
  • In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the pan juices a little bit at a time until you reach desired thickness.

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven

Notes

This recipe is flexible and forgiving and the ingredient amounts do not have to be exact. 
If you don’t want to use red wine, substitute with more beef broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 662kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 48gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 884mgPotassium: 1696mgFiber: 7gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 6368IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 109mgIron: 7mg
Keyword dutch oven pot roast, Old fashioned pot roast, oven baked chuck roast
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Filed Under: Gluten Free, Mains, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: beef, Gluten free, Main Dishes

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Britney

    November 02, 2022 at 10:41 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe was incredible! I made it for Sunday family dinner and everyone raved about how flavorful and tender it was! 10/10!!

    Reply
  2. Jazz

    November 02, 2022 at 6:58 pm

    5 stars
    We finally have consistently cozy weather in Texas so I tried your pot roast recipe for dinner last night and it was wonderful. So tender and juicy. Everybody cleaned their plates!

    Reply
  3. Kaluhi Adagala

    November 02, 2022 at 1:41 pm

    5 stars
    I love love love a pot roast and this recipe was super flavorful and extremely comforting! With colder days ahead, I will be making this recipe every Sunday! Thank you so much for the recipe!

    Reply
  4. Krys

    November 02, 2022 at 4:01 am

    5 stars
    Really good Dutch oven pot roast recipe! The only thing I subbed was the potatoes (I used russets) and carrots (baby carrots). My favorite part is definitely the juices. Perfect for sopping up with bread or potatoes or the carrots. Mouthwatering…

    Reply
  5. Taneisha

    November 02, 2022 at 12:30 am

    5 stars
    Literally fall apart tender, I was so pleasantly surprised! I even shared it with my 12 month old and ate everything on her plate! So good and even better as leftovers!

    Reply
  6. Robin

    October 31, 2022 at 6:02 am

    5 stars
    This pot roast was so moist and tender it definitely reminded me of Mom’s! The red wine was wonderful flavor enhancer.

    Reply
  7. Shani Whisonant

    October 28, 2022 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    I love a good old-fashioned pot roast, and this one ticks all of the boxes for me! It’s homey and comforting, well-seasoned and the addition of the veggies always makes it a hit!

    Reply
  8. LaKita

    October 27, 2022 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    This pot roast is so comforting and perfectly delicious! Reminds me of the pot roast that my mom used to make when I was younger.

    Reply
  9. Kanyi

    October 27, 2022 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Gosh, that pot roast looks good! I am craving for roast right now.

    Reply
  10. Kanyi

    October 27, 2022 at 5:05 pm

    5 stars
    Gosh, that pot roast looks good!

    Reply
  11. Marta

    October 26, 2022 at 11:12 pm

    5 stars
    There’s nothing more comforting to me than pot roast and your recipe was so easy to follow with tons of the flavors I’m looking for. I will definitely be making this more often.

    Reply

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