Dutch Oven Pot Roast

Nothing says comfort food more than our Sunday best Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe. Mouthwatering bites of roast beef is braised in its rich juices until tender with earthy carrots, caramelized onions, and Yukon gold potatoes. This simple recipe is a timeless classic that is perfect for entertaining company or establishing a weekend tradition for your family.

Table of Contents

1. Beef Roast in Oven
2. Why You’ll Love Dutch Oven Pot Roast
3. Oven Pot Roast Ingredients
4. How to cook Pot Roast in the Oven
5. Tips for making Beef Roast in Oven
6. How to Store Oven Pot Roast
7. Pot Roast in Oven Variations
8. Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe FAQs
9. More like this Pot Roast in Oven Recipe
10. Pot Roast in the Oven, Dutch Oven, or Instant Pot Recipe

Beef Roast in Oven

If you are tired of dry, stringy pot roasts with overcooked mushy vegetables, then you have come to the right place. I’m sharing my best pot roast recipe and all the tips for making perfect pot roast every time that comes out tender and juicy, with the most delicious roasted potatoes, carrots, and a simple brown gravy to pour over the top. It’s just like mom used to make for Sunday dinner except even better with a few little extra flavor boosts!

Although this truly is a one-pot meal, we like to serve our pot roast with a fruit salad and dinner rolls with cinnamon honey butter for a special treat.

Why You’ll Love Dutch Oven Pot Roast

• Searing the meat caramelizes the edges for a delicious crust that also seals in the juices and really amplifies the meaty flavor. You want the pan to be really hot for the meat to sear rather than steam.
• Perfect for every occasion. Sunday dinners, holidays, graduations, birthdays, you name it and a pot roast is a great celebratory meal.
• Make-ahead friendly. Start it in the early afternoon or before you leave for church and it will be ready right on time for dinner a few hours later.
• Simple pot roast seasoning. When you get the searing technique right, you really don’t need much beyond salt and pepper to season a pot roast, but we like the additional depth of flavor from a couple of sprigs of rosemary and thyme thrown in with the broth.

Oven Pot Roast Ingredients

This is a quick overview of some of the important ingredients you’ll need for this pot roast recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

• Beef Roast: Chuck roast is my favorite cut of beef for a pot roast. It’s beautifully marbled with fat, which means lots of flavor, and it will pretty much fall apart by the time it’s done. Round roast or brisket will also work. Brisket is fattier and can be sliced. Round roast is my least favorite because it’s leaner and tends to dry out more easily, but it can be used if that’s the only option available.
• Carrots: I recommend using whole carrots cut into large chunks rather than baby carrots, which don’t have nearly as good of flavor when roasted. You can substitute parsnips or turnips for carrots.
• Tomato paste: Adds richness and depth.
• Garlic & onions: The onions are cut into wedges and sauteed briefly in the same pot where the meat was seared to help caramelize them and bring out their natural sweetness before roasting.
• Potatoes: Yukon golds are our favorite potatoes to go with pot roast because of their buttery flavor and texture that holds up better than Russets which tend to fall apart.

How to cook Pot Roast in the Oven

1. Generously season the chuck roast with coarse kosher salt and black pepper. The salt will help develop that wonderful crust and this is a large piece of meat, so be liberal with your seasoning.
2. Spread a small amount of flour on a large plate or pan and lay the roast on top of it, turning to coat all sides, then shaking off any excess flour. This thin dusting of flour helps develop the crust as well and protects the meat while searing.

3. Heat a little oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, then place the meat in it and sear for 3-5 minutes without moving until it’s browned on the bottom. Carefully use tongs to lift and turn the meat to sear on the other side for another 3-5 minutes. Be sure to also sear the edges of the roast by holding it up with tongs and searing on each side until a nice browned crust has developed all over. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Leave any browned bits in the bottom of the pot and add the remaining oil to the Dutch oven along with the onions. Saute for 5 minutes until they start to soften and get a little browned in places. You may want to reduce the heat slightly if the onions start to burn around the edges.

5. Add the carrots and garlic to the pot with the onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 1-2 minutes. The point is really to just get a little color on the vegetables before you put everything together. The carrots should be thick or they end up mushy and overcooked. My mother-in-law adds whole carrots, but I like to cut them into 2-inch pieces. No need to peel them first as long as they are washed well.
6. Season the vegetables with the remaining salt and pepper, then add the tomato paste. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly dispersed.

7. Deglaze the pot by adding 1 cup of beef broth to the vegetables and continuing to cook over medium-high heat. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
8. Return the seared chuck roast to the pot, nestling it in with the vegetables, and add the remaining beef broth. Lay a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme on top (dried herbs will also work), then cover with a lid and transfer the Dutch oven to a preheated 300°F oven to cook slowly for 2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of your roast. This technique of slow cooking in liquid is known as a braise.
9. Remove the lid and add the potatoes to the Dutch oven. Place the lid back on and roast for 1 more hour, for a total of 3 to 4 hours until the veggies and potatoes are tender and the roast is practically falls apart with a fork.

10. Use tongs to lift the pot roast out of the Dutch oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Likewise remove the carrots, potatoes, and onions and arrange them around the pot roast. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley for a little color.
11. Make the gravy on the stovetop by pouring the remaining liquid through a fat separator, then return the juices to the Dutch oven. Whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons of cold water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the meat juices over medium-high heat until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 2-3 minutes. For a thicker gravy, you may want to double the amount of cornstarch.

Internal Temp for Pot Roast

A pot roast is usually done when it has reached an internal temperature of around 195 to 205°F. This is usually when the connective tissues have dissolved and fat rendered so that the meat is incredibly tender and almost shreds apart.

Tips for making Beef Roast in Oven

• Flavor variations: If you want to adjust the flavor profile slightly, consider adding ¼ cup balsamic vinegar or 1-2 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce with the broth when deglazing the pan. You can also use 1 cup of red wine to deglaze in place of 1 cup of the beef broth.
• Add more vegetables: You can stretch your meat and budget by adding more potatoes and carrots per person without increasing the size of the roast. Also, you can add celery or mushrooms with the carrots for even more veggies.
• Serving with gravy: We like to pour a little of the gravy over the meat before serving with the remaining gravy in a gravy boat on the side.
• Repurpose leftovers: Leftover pot roast makes great sandwiches or pot pie. Add some frozen peas and thicken the gravy even more with some flour, then combine them in a pie plate (affiliate link) and throw on a pie crust before baking at 375°F for an hour.

How to Store Oven Pot Roast

• How to store: Store any leftover pot roast and vegetables in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Store the gravy in a separate container.
• How to freeze: Once cooled, freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. They can be frozen with the gravy or separately.
• How to reheat: Reheat leftover pot roast and vegetables in the microwave or in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes until warm. Reheat gravy separately on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.

Pot Roast in Oven Variations

How to Cook Pot Roast in Slow Cooker

1. Follow the same steps for seasoning and searing meat and vegetables in a large skillet or cast iron pan. Add everything to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

How to Cook Pot Roast in the Instant Pot

1. Use the saute feature to sear the meat in half of the olive oil. You may need to cut it in half to do this depending on how large it is. Transfer to a plate. Saute the onions and carrots in the remaining olive oil.
2. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with ½ cup of beef broth, scraping up any browned bits. Remove the carrots and set aside. Return the chuck roast to the pan with another 1 ½ cups beef broth (less liquid is needed with this method).
3. Switch to pressure cooking mode on High and seal the lid (the steam release knob must be turned to the sealed position). Cook for 1 hour. Do a 15 minute natural pressure release, then quick release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position.
4. Add the carrots and potatoes. Replace the lid and cook on High pressure for another 10 minutes. Do another 15 minute natural pressure release, then remove meat and vegetables and serve.
5. The gravy can be made with the remaining liquid by switching back to the saute feature.

Dutch Oven Pot Roast Recipe FAQs

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