Talk about a beautiful and satisfyingly delicious meal. Quintessential comfort food.
This recipe takes a humble chuck roast and slow cooks it to a fork-tender, flavorful finished dish that just can’t be beat. This has been one of our favorite ways to prepare a roast for many, many years. We think you’ll like it a lot, too.
How To Make Pot Roast
We’re going to show you how to do a pot roast in the oven, but we’ll also give you the slow cooker pot roast steps, as well.
It’s all really easy and the ingredients are straightforward. You just need to give yourself a little bit of time.
Best Cut of Meat for Pot Roast
As mentioned, you don’t need to run out and buy an expensive cut of meat for this classic recipe.
A 3 to 4 lb chuck roast is ideal. Now, you may be asking: “What is Chuck Roast?” It’s the perfect cut of meat for this recipe. Learn more about it here.
Searing the roast first locks in flavor and creates a beautiful crust on the outside of the meat. Mmmmm.
This meat is now ready to be braised in beef stock and sauteed vegetables, or a mirepoix.
We add the vegetables into the dish in stages in order to achieve them being cooked perfectly.
EXPERT TIP: We’ll use 4 carrots for the recipe. Two that will be finely chopped (for the mirepoix), and then larger pieces for the final dish. This takes a little extra effort but makes a big difference in the final dish. You can saute the veggies along with the beef broth in a separate dish and then pour it over the meat, or, if preparing in a Dutch oven, you can do it all in the Dutch oven and nestle the meat into the braising liquid.
The Quintessential Sunday Dinner
What Is Pot Roast? It’s family. It is comfort, but more than anything, It’s just delicious.
This dish brings families together around the dinner table.
EXPERT TIP: Once the roast is finished cooking, use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables and then carefully transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and simmer over high heat for about 10 minutes until thickened. You can add more broth to the sauce to make even more.
This classic pot roast checks all those wonderful comfort boxes.
Fork-tender and so delicious. We love serving it with our amazing Homemade Country White Bread.
This is a plate of goodness that you and your family will turn to time and time again.
Ready to make the most comforting dinner in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Classic Pot Roast
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3½ lb beef roast chuck
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 carrots 2 finely chopped and 2 cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 rib celery chopped
- 3 cups beef stock
- 3 gold potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 cup pearl onions frozen
- ½ cup peas frozen
Instructions
- Lightly season the roast all over with salt and pepper. On a large platter, mix together 3 tbsp of the flour, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Turn the roast in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.
- In a large Dutch oven, or large saucepan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add the roast and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of the oil in the pan.
- Add the finely chopped carrots, yellow onion, and celery and saute over medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp of flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Pour in the beef stock and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer.
FOR SLOW COOKING THE OVEN
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Nestle the roast into the vegetables and cooked stock. Cover and place in the oven for 2½ hours.
- Remove from the oven, uncover and stir in the potatoes, large carrot pieces, and pearl onions. Cover and return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Stir in the peas and place in the oven for another 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
FOR USING YOUR SLOW-COOKER
- Transfer the roast to your slow cooker.
- Pour the vegetable and stock mixture over the meat and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
- Uncover and stir in the potatoes, carrot pieces, and pearl onions.
- Cover and cook for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and stir in the peas.
- Cover and cook until all the veggies are tender, about 15 minutes longer.
FINISHING THE ROAST
- Transfer the roast to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes, large carrot pieces, onions, and peas. Place in a large bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, or a colander with cheesecloth, discarding the excess solids.
- Bring the strained liquid to a boil over high heat and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if desired.
- Slice the roast against the grain and place the slices on a serving dish and then arrange the roasted veggies around the meat. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and veggies. Serve at once, passing extra gravy on the table.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally posted February 2018 but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography, and a fabulous new video in August 2020!
What is a “chuck roast” called in the UK?
Hi Dolores…I believe it’s the equivalent to a braising steak. And roast that has some decent marbling. Doesn’t need to be an expensive cut. The slow braising will make it very tender. Hope this helps and let us know if you make the roast and how it turns out. We LOVE it!!! xoxo
Hi guys.
Lazy Barb here.
A picture of your roast & veggies belong on the cover of a “down home” cooking magazine containing comfort foods.
I swear I was smelling it while I was watching you guys make it.
I’m old and I’m lazy, so I’m going to use all your ingredients and simplify the prep.
There’s no doubt yours is better, but mine will be very close.
I always watch your video twice.
The first time it’s muted because I love to watch Wesley’s facial expressions and body language without sound. Sooooo entertaining!
Thank you for another delicious recipe.
After watching your amazing video, I had to make this. It is in the oven now and it smells amazing! Thank you both for the time and love for sharing your amazing videos!
Hi Cheryl!! Yay!!!! That’s so awesome to hear! So…how did the roast turn out? We hope you enjoyed it! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Oh my gosh, guys! I did this last night, and it was amazing. My husband was in heaven. I had to do a couple changes – I added parsnips instead of potatoes (did baked potatoes) and was hit with laziness when it came to where I was supposed to strain out the mirepoix, so I grabbed my immersion blender and just liquified everything. But the flavour! I’ve done pot roasts in my slow cooker, but from now on it’s the slow roast in the oven. Wesley, I think Fred might just have equaled your reaction – and he’s normally a bit reserved. LOL I always know that if I try your recipes, they’ll be winners. Thank you so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Kate! Woo hoo!! Your modifications sound awesome!! We are SO HAPPY that you and Fred enjoyed the roast as much as we do!! And thank you so so so much for letting us know. That truly means the world to us! Please stay in touch! And tell Fred to keep on giving us those awesome reactions!! LOL!! All the best, Kris & Wesley
What if I wanted more carrots and potatoes? Could I add more? If I used a bigger roast (5 lbs) would I need to increase the cooking time?
Hi Jane! Sorry for the delayed response! You could absolutely use more carrots and potatoes. We would increase the beef stock to 4 cups. And if you’re going with a 5 lb roast, then you’ll probably need to increase the initial cook time to 3 to 3½ hours. Hope this helps, and please let us know if you make this roast and what you think. We really love it a lot!! Best, Kris & Wesley
Love you guys great recipe and personalities. What a great combo
Bonnie!! You have no idea how happy that makes us to hear. Thank you so much. That really means the world to us! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley