This classic Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a simple meal that’s cooked all in one pot. It’s a hearty, filling meal that can easily feed your whole family.
Comfort food is king, especially in 2020! For more delicious belly warming meals, try our French Onion Soup, Slow Cooker Pork Roast and Creamy Chicken Casserole.
Pot Roast is a classic dinner that is undeniably simple and rustic. There are several ways to prepare it, all of which can be totally delicious as long as you follow a few key rules.
Best Roast for Pot Roast
The meat you choose for your roast is really important to the tenderness and flavor of the finished product. Chuck Roast is the clear favorite, for its rich marbling which, when cooked properly, produces the most succulent bite.
Because it’s a tougher cut of meat, Chuck roast requires ample cooking time at a low temperature to soften the connective tissue and create a tender, juicy pot roast.
What is a Dutch Oven?
One of the benefits to this recipe is you only use one pot – a dutch oven. A dutch oven is a heavy cooking pot, usually cast iron, with a tight fitting lid that is good for braising. They are also great for making soups and stews.
Totally splurge-worthy in my opinion is the Le Creuset 6 quart Dutch Oven for the best quality, and it’s a pure workhorse – I use it for everything! But you can also find other brands that are good and a little more affordable.
How to Make Pot Roast
I mentioned there are a few key rules to the best pot roast, and here they are.
- Season well. Salt, pepper are your friends, and they will bring out the beefy flavor in the meat.
- Sear for optimal flavor. First, brown the vegetables in a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Then transfer the vegetables to a plate and sear the seasoned meat on both sides until browned.
- Deglaze the pan. This is the process where you add liquid to the hot pan and scrape up all the little browned bits on the bottom. That’s where the real flavor is! My recipe using red wine but you can replace that will beef broth is you prefer.
- Cook low and slow. Since we are going to be cooking the roast in the oven, you want to preheat that first to 275 degrees. Add more beef broth to the pan and place the meat and veggies back in. Add the herbs, cover and cook low and slow in the oven for 3-4 hours.
Pot Roast Vegetables
The classic combination of carrots, onion and potatoes are a real winner in this recipe. Sometimes I add celery, or I switch up the types of potatoes. The carrots, onions and potatoes have a wonderful beefy flavor when you take them out of the pan, and the meat is fall apart tender.
Pot Roast Gravy
You can serve the meat with the juices in the pot or create a gravy from them. To make a gravy for your pot roast, strain the liquid through a metal sieve. In a skillet, melt a 2-3 tablespoons of butter and whisk in ¼ cup of flour. Cook for a few minutes, then pour in 2 cups of the cooking liquid. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the gravy is nice and thick. Add a splash of cream of a pat of butter if you like.
Pot Roast Recipe Notes and Pro Tips
- Try mashing your potatoes just before serving.
- I use dried herbs in the recipe, but use fresh if you can. A few sprigs of each would add a wonderful flavor and aroma.
- Store leftovers with the juices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you made gravy, store it separately.
- Easy to freeze! Store in a freezer safe container and thaw before reheating.
- Leftover pot roast is excellent for sandwiches!
- Other cooking methods: Slow Cooker Pot Roast, Instant Pot Pot Roast
More Beef Recipes to Love
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Cooker Top Round Roast
- 27 Simple Ground Beef Recipes
Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lb. pot roast
- 1 large sweet onion peeled and quartered
- 1 package carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 5-6 potatoes peeled and quartered
- 1 cup dry red wine or water
- 32 oz beef stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
- Place dutch oven over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown the onion until soft. Remove from pan and brown the carrots. Remove the carrots and lightly brown the potatoes. Remove the potatoes and add a bit more oil, if necessary. On high heat, sear the pot roast on both sides for a minute or two.
- Remove the beef from pan. Slowly add 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze the pan. Add the meat back to the dutch oven and place the vegetables around the edges of the meat. Pour 4 cups of beef broth to the pan so meat is halfway immersed.
- Place lid on dutch oven and cook in 275 degree oven for 3 to 4 hours. Remove from oven and let meat set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Leave a Comment