Ultimate Pot Roast Recipe
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Consistently rated by our readers as the BEST pot roast recipe EVER! Fork tender beef is smothered in a rich gravy and served with tender flavor-infused vegetables – the depth of flavor in this pot roast is simply phenomenal and is guaranteed to get rave reviews from around the dinner table. You can make it in the oven or in your slow cooker. Whichever method you use, get ready to sit down to a truly memorable and mouthwateringly delicious meal!
The Magic of a Great Pot Roast
I can’t think of anything better than coming home to the smell of a roast wafting through the house, beckoning “it’s dinner time.” And this pot roast recipe is truly an exceptional one.
The smell of a cooking roast is nostalgic to me. It’s said that smell is more closely linked to memory than any of the other five senses. The smell of freshly baked bread might trigger memories of grandma’s kitchen; the scent of cologne or perfume, a romantic encounter; the odor of mothballs, a great aunt’s house; the stench of stale carpet, those penny-pinching college dorm days. Whatever the association might be, smell is a powerful thing. And for me the smell of a slow-simmering roast will forever remind me of home.
I learned how to make the best roasts and gravies from my mom. She is a master at coaxing the most flavor out of a roast and making the most mouthwatering sauces. Growing up she would often make roasts on Sundays (two of my favorites are her German Senbraten and Sauerbraten). Sunday mornings would mean the smell of a roast being seared and onions being fried. The remaining ingredients would be added to my mom’s special roast pan (something she got from her mom and that I’ll one day cherish as my own) and she would place it in the oven to cook for a few hours while we went to church. By the time we got back home, stomachs rumbling, we would be met with the most wonderful smell of tender beef slow simmering in the most flavorful juices. Before long our family was gathered around the table for a delicious pot roast dinner. I’m going to share what I learned from my mom along with a few tips of my own for making the most incredible pot roast.
How to Make a Pot Roast
Pot roast, also called Yankee pot roast, is a classic American dish that takes a tough cut of beef and cooks it low and slow until it is tender and juicy. The resulting juices are rich in flavor and are thickened to make the accompanying gravy. Vegetables like carrots and onions are commonly slow-cooked with the beef, infusing them with flavor, and are then served along with the roast.
There is a world of difference between a good pot roast and a great pot roast, and I’m going to share my tips with your for how to make the very best pot roast ever:
- Choose a tough cut of beef with a good amount of marbling. The more marbling, the more flavor your pot roast will have. Chuck roast, bottom round and brisket are all good choices with chuck roast being the most classic.
- Go for a high temperature sear and really SEAR it. Pat the roast dry with a paper towel to ensure a better sear. Searing the beef until generously browned will contribute more depth of flavor to the final gravy than probably any other variable. Give it a proper sear: When you go to turn the meat it should lift easily and it should have formed a deep brown crust. Sear the beef on ALL sides. The more browned, the more flavor.
- Deglaze the pot. After browning you’ll have bits of very browned pieces stuck to the bottom of your pot. These bits are called fond and pack a TON of flavor. The key is getting them unstuck and you do that by a technique called deglazing. You do that by pouring in the wine, bringing it a boil, and scraping the bits off the bottom of pot.
- Use dried herbs. They are ideal for dishes that require a long cooking time because it takes a long time to coax the oils out of them. Dried herbs will impart a deeper and more concentrated flavor.
- Add the bacon. Whether you lay it over the roast or dice it up and fry it first, it doesn’t matter. Just add it.
- Don’t skip the tomato paste. This “secret ingredient” adds sweetness and builds umami is sauces and will do wonders for your pot roast gravy.
- Use the red wine. I know we’re stepping into Beef Bourguignon territory here but there’s a reason that classic French stew has won the world over. And the addition of wine is one of them. It adds more flavor and helps tenderize the beef.
- Be patient. If the beef isn’t fall-apart tender it just needs more time. The connective tissues in beef require a very long, very low cooking time and the time can vary from one cut of beef to the next. Put the lid back and let it continue cooking.
Pot Roast Recipe
Let’s get started!
Note: The pictures for the pot roast recipe below show the roast being prepared in a slow cooker. In the recipe card I provide instructions for preparing it in the oven.
First prepare the rub by combining all of the pot roast seasoning spices/herbs together.
Rub, rub, rub that roast down on all sides using every last bit of that spice rub.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot and liberally sear the roast on all sides until a dark brown crust forms. Remove the roast and place it in the slow cooker (I’m using a 7 quart slow cooker).
Note: The pictures omit the step of sauteing the vegetables, which I highly recommend doing. Add the onions to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes until starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Deglaze the pan: Add the wine and bring it to a boil, scraping up the burnt bits of beef on the bottom of the pan. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and salt and return it to a boil for a couple of minutes, stirring to combine.
Pour the mixture over the pot roast, positioning the vegetables all around the sides of the roast.
Add the bay leavers and place the strips of bacon on top of the roast. (Note, if you prefer you can dice and fry the bacon first.)
Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours.
Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium stock pot, leaving the roast and vegetables in the warm slow cooker.
Make the Gravy:
Bring the liquid from the slow cooker to a gentle boil.
Make the flour slurry to thicken the gravy by whisking the flour in the extra beef broth until it’s dissolved. Whisk flour slurry into the simmering gravy and continue whisking constantly until the gravy is thickened. Whisk in the butter until melted and incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place the roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Discard the bay leaves and bacon. Pour a little of the gravy over the roast (it looks nicer that way).
Serve the pot roast with the extra gravy, potatoes, and veggies of your choice. See below for serving recommendations.
What to Serve With Pot Roast
Pot roast is a hearty and flavorful dish that pairs well with a variety of side dishes. Here are just a few options:
- Mashed Potatoes – plain and simple is all that’s needed with this amazing pot roast gravy. Or you can jazz things up with these Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips.
- Au Gratin Potatoes
- Spätzle, Gnocchi, or buttered egg noodles
- Yorkshire Pudding – these are one my favorites!
- Roasted or Grilled Vegetables – for something different try our roasted Spiralized Beets.
- Green Beans – steamed or sautéed or served French style like Green Beans Almondine.
- Coleslaw – a cool and crispy contrast, a great option for warm weather. Try my Creamy Coleslaw or Freezer Slaw.
- Biscuits or Dinner Rolls – for the flakiest biscuits EVER try our Buttermilk Biscuits.
- Rice – regular steamed rice or try our homemade Rice-a-Roni.
- Cornbread – we’ve got three options for you: Cornbread Muffins, a healthier Quinoa Cornbread, or our rustic 100% corn Skillet Cornbread.
- Salad – a leafy green salad like Greek Maroulosalata, grain salad, fruit salad or a Waldorf Salad all pair well.
- Pickles or Pickled Vegetables – serve some cool, crisp and tangy items on the side for some nice contrast like Pickled Onions, Pickled Pepperoncini Peppers, or even some Pickled Jalapenos for some heat.
- Braised Red Cabbage – my Rotkohl (German red cabbage) is always a hit and is a standard for beef roasts in Germany.
Feel free to mix and match any combination of side dishes. But in the end, the real star of the show is this incredible pot roast and whichever sides you choose to go with it, your guests are going to love the meal!
Make-Ahead and Storage
This pot roast recipe makes for the perfect make-ahead dish because its flavor gets even better. Pot roast leftovers are something I really look forward to. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and also freezes well for up to 2 months. Take it out of the freezer the day before and let it thaw in the fridge. Gently reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave in a covered dish.
For more favorite beef dishes from around the world try my:
- Old Fashioned Beef Stew
- Guinness Stew
- Beef Bourguignon
- Sauerbraten
- Hungarian Goulash
- German Goulash
- Rouladen
- Sega Wat
- Hachee
- Pörkölt
- Domoda
- Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
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Ultimate Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 pound beef chuck roast, bottom round or brisket (depending on how lean you prefer it)
- 2 tablespoons oil (I like to use avocado oil for its high smoke point)
- 2 carrots , cut into 1-2 inch pieces (can also use baby carrots)
- 2 ribs celery , cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (recommended but can substitute more beef broth)
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 strips bacon , cut in half
- For the Dry Rub:
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of EACH: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley
- For the Gravy:
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour mixed into a slurry with 1/2 cup beef broth (GF use 2 tablespoons corntarch dissolved in 1/2 cup beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub together in a bowl. Rub down the roast on all sides with the dry rub. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other oven-safe heavy pot over high heat and generously sear the beef on all sides. Transfer the roast to a plate.
- Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes or until starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the celery and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add the wine, bring it to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom. Add the tomato paste, beef broth, and salt and stir to combine.Return the roast to the Dutch oven, add the bay leaves and lay the bacon on top of the roast (alternatively you can dice and fry the bacon first if you prefer). Return the mixture to a boil and place the lid on the pot. Place the Dutch oven on a rack in the lower third of the oven and cook the roast at 325 F / 160 C for about 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until the beef is fork tender. If it isn't fork tender continue cooking. If using a thermometer the internal temperature should be between 200-210 F / 93-99 C. Discard the bay leaves.
- To Make the Gravy: Carefully pour the liquid from the Dutch oven into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisk in the gravy slurry and continue whisking until the gravy is thickened. Whisk in the butter until melted and incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place the pot roast on a serving platter and spoon the vegetables around it. Pour a little gravy over it and serve with gravy on the side along with potatoes and/or your choice of sides.
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast Method: After searing the beef, place it in a slow cooker. Follow the instructions to cook the veggies, deglaze with wine, add the broth, tomato paste and seasonings and seasonings, and then pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, positioning the veggies around the sides, adding the bay leaves and laying the bacon on top of the roast (alternatively dice and fry the bacon first). Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours. Carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and whisk in the gravy slurry and continue whisking until the gravy is thickened. Whisk in the butter until melted and incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the gravy with the pot roast and veggies and potatoes or sides of your choice.
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet Oct 24, 2013
Only just noticed how to “star” rate. So, 5 out of 5 it is!
Made this today. Absolutely the BEST pot roast, delicious. Thank you for the recipe , I will definitely be making it again. The only slight change I made was to saute the onions and garlic until translucent before adding them to the crock pot. I have a thing about putting raw onions into stews/pot roasts I just don’t think they yield up their sweetness like they do if they are sauteed first. That might just be me though. Off to explore the rest of your recipes!
Thanks so much, Fay! You’re absolutely right about sauteing bringing out the sweetness of the onions. Thanks again and I hope you likewise enjoy the other recipes you try! :)
Absolutely delicious!
Thank you, Dexter!
I just have to say, I’ve used this recipe 3 times now and it’s always amazing!! Thank you so much for sharing, the flavour is incredible!
Wonderful, Ashley, I’m so glad it’s been a hit, thank you!
Hello. I am slow cooking an 8 lb bladder roast on low from frozen state. I want to serve the next day how to keep moist and reheat.
Hi Kim, I will trouble you one last time. Also thank you so much for your response! I’ll now be cooking a 6 lb bottom round. Thought it would definitely need 9 hrs on low. Do you think I should cook longer than that ?
Hi Lynne, that just depends, you’ll need to check it for doneness – as soon as it’s fork tender it’s done.
Hi, I just discovered your site yesterday. My mom wants a beef roast and brown gravy for her 83rd birthday dinner. your slow cooker recipe looks wonderful but I’m concerned about the tomato paste. If this gives the gravy the slightest tomato taste should I leave it out? She loves traditional brown gravy and of course I want to please her for her birthday. What do you think? Im using a 5lb bottom round roast. Love your site!!
Hi Lynne, the tomato rounds the flavor out and I don’t notice a tomato flavor. I don’t think most people would. But if your mom is very sensitive to the flavor of tomatoes then I wouldn’t want to take the chance of ruining it for her, so you can simply omit it – it will still taste great. Happy cooking and I hope your mom has a wonderful birthday!
Will an Eye of Round roast shred easily at an internal temp of 190 degrees F?
Hello, I’m cooking this meal currently.
I’m about to hit the 9 hour mark but it’s not dinner time yet, can I put it on the keep warm feature and leave it till dinner time?
Also it smells amazing, can not wait for dinner time :)
Absolutely, Jadw. Happy eating! :)
My roast is in the crock pot now! I’ve never made a “recipe” roast. It sounded so delish. I’ve made my own for yrs., I’m looking forward to the change up! I didn’t have the wine, on hand. Do you suggest a replacement?
Hi Crystal, you can just substitute more broth or water in its place. Happy cooking and please let us know what you think! :)
THANK YOU for having a good recipe. I was searching for one that was loaded with fresh ingredients and no premix soup. It is currently in the slow cooker and my home smells like Heaven. I did adjust the recipe a small amount to accommodate my fresh herbs and lack of bacon…but I did sear it in back fat that I always have on hand. By reading the other comments and being a seasoned home cook..I know before it is done that this recipe is a winner.
Thank you, Leslie, I hope you enjoy it!
YUM! Was told the best EVER!
Fantastic, Cynthia, thanks so much!
Made this wonderful recipe this morning followed it exactly but made a mistake.once I had the beef broth/wine boiling I read to far down and added the gravy slurry then poured it over roast in crockpot. Hopefully it will still be ok.
Hi Gayle, it should be fine, you’ll probably just need to add a little more slurry at the end to thicken it.
It turned out wonderfully. The flavours were excellent. Had leftovers on a bun . Excellent
I’m so glad and you have me craving that pot roast sandwich, great idea! Thanks for the feedback!
I’m trying this today with 2 1/2 pound eye round. Unfortunately, I only have four hours to cook it, so I’m cooking it as I type on high for 2 1/2 hours and then switching it to low for 1 1/2 hours. I’m hoping with the smaller size it might work. I’ll let you know.
I also have to add a personal note. It wasn’t until I printed the recipe and was reading it while preparing the roast that I noticed your name is Killebrew. I have to ask, are you any relation to Harmon Killebrew? I’m originally from Baltimore and my father, and later my mother, ushered for the Baltimore Orioles for many years. My dad always picked up Brother Killebrew and brought him to church back in the days of Sunday School in the morning. We all grew to love him. When he went to Kansas City, he sent my baby brother KC a Royals cap, thinking it was only right he had one. What a considerate man. He never acted like a star even though he was a fabulous baseball player.
Hi Kathryn, small world! Yes, Harmon is my husband’s grandfather. My husband’s dad, Cam, is Harmon’s oldest son who also played pro ball for a while. I just read this to my husband Todd and he was really happy to hear this. Todd grew up with Harmon and as the oldest grandson got to travel everywhere with him; they were very close. Todd’s grandma is still alive and lives close to our other family members in Utah. Harmon really was an exceptionally kind and considerate man. Thanks so much for sharing these stories, Kathryn <3
This is my first time cooking a bottom pot roast and it turned out fantastic! I added a few teaspoons of sugar to the gravy as my kids prefer sauces to be sweeter and it tasted perfect! My husband was impressed too as he was skeptical about getting a pot roast right on the first try! I seldom find recipes that I would make again but this is definitely a keeper in my book! Thanks, Kimberly!
That’s fantastic, Catherine, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Made it tonight and hubby loved it. I normally make Swedish stew with cinnamon rub and sauce with vinegar and brown sugar, so this was different but yummy. Tip: I made in instant pot, did rub and browned in my cast iron and put meat in instant pot, made sauce poured over meat with onion and garlic. Cooked 45 min for 3lb of meat. Did quick release and opened and added carrots celery and cut up potatoes, cooked 10 more min and did quick release and thickened sauce while in saute mode with lid off. Perfectly tender shredded meat and tender veggies.
Fantastic, Stacey, I’m glad it was a hit and thank you for the IP info!