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.

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!

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.

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.

• 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.

• 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!

• 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!

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.

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

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!