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A large Dutch oven with pot roast, potatoes, and carrots.
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4.94 from 30 votes

Pot Roast in the Oven, Dutch Oven, or Instant Pot

Nothing says comfort food more than our Sunday best Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe. Start it in the early afternoon or before you leave for church and your house will smell amazing by the time dinner rolls around a few hours later. The leftovers are even better the next day.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Calories: 245kcal
Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

  • 1 (3- to 5-pound) beef chuck roast
  • 2 Tablespoons coarse kosher salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
  • ¼ cup olive oil, divided
  • 2 sweet onions, peeled and quartered or roughly chopped
  • 6-8 large carrots, roughly chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 5-6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, halved if they are large

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Generously season the chuck roast on all sides with about 1 tablespoon of the kosher salt and 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper. Lightly dredge the meat in the flour, shaking off any excess.
  • Heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  • Place the seasoned chuck roast in the hot oil and let it sear without moving for 3-5 minutes until browned on one side. Use tongs to carefully flip the meat to sear on the other side for another 3-5 minutes. Sear edges and ends of the roast as well. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside.
  • Add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Add onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until tender. Remove to a plate. Add the carrots and garlic. Toss them around for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned. Add tomato paste and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly dispersed among the vegetables. Remove to the plate with the onions.
  • Add 1 cup of liquid (either red wine or beef broth) to the dutch oven and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze.
  • Return the roast to the pan and add the remaining beef broth. Add the onions, carrots, and herbs, then cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 300°F and cook for 3 hours for a 3-pound roast or 4 hours for a 4-5 pound roast until the meat is fork tender. Add the potatoes during the last hour of cooking. The meat is done when it can be pulled apart with a fork.

Notes

  • To make gravy: Strain fat off the pan juices after removing the roast, carrots, potatoes, and onions. Whisk 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons cold water. Whisk a little of the slurry at a time into the hot juices on the stovetop until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Thin with water or broth, if needed, or add more slurry for a thicker gravy. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. You may want to add 1 Tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce.
  • Storing: 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.
  • Freezing: Once cooled, freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 months. They can be frozen with the gravy or separately.
  • Reheating: 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.
  • 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.
  • Slow Cooker: 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. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.
  • Instant Pot: Use the saute feature to sear the meat. You may need to cut it in half to do this depending on how large it is. Transfer to a plate, then saute the onions and carrots. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with ½ cup of beef broth, scraping up any browned bits, then 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). Pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 1 hour. Do a 15 minute natural pressure release, then remove the lid and add the carrots and potatoes. Replace the lid and pressure cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes. Do another 15 minute natural pressure release, then remove meat and vegetables and serve. The gravy can be made with the remaining liquid using the saute feature.

Nutrition

Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 2865mg | Potassium: 875mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 10304IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg