Classic Pot Roast Recipe
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This classic Pot Roast Recipe is a pre-seasoned roasted chuck roast that is slowly braised in a flavorful beef broth and finished with perfectly cooked vegetables for an amazing home-cooked meal. I’ve always loved making and eating pot roast, and this is the ultimate recipe for comfort.
Meat is very expensive, so when I buy it and cook it, I want to ensure it’s spot-on and tasty beyond all belief. If you’re looking for foolproof beef recipes, you must try my Chateaubriand or Steak au Poivre.
Pot Roast
Pot roast is an American dish of a large, inexpensive cut of beef that is browned and slowly braised in liquid and vegetables until fork tender. This cooking process renders an extremely flavorful cut of meat. This dish has many variations, including the cut of beef and vegetables used to make a meal tailored to your liking.
This is different from Boeuf Bourguignon, also called beef burgundy, as that traditional French dish uses things like bacon and a lot of red wine while also using smaller chunks of beef as opposed to one big piece. Regardless, to me, there is no wrong way to make a pot roast.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – Beef chuck roast is the best cut of beef to use. However, you can use brisket, top or bottom round, and sirloin.
- Vegetables – Carrots, celery, and potatoes are the basic vegetables used in a pot roast. This can be enhanced by adding parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, celeriac root, and mushrooms. Options for potatoes are baby Yukon golds or reds, fingerlings, or larger russet potatoes that are quartered.
- Onions – I used yellow onions, leeks, and garlic. You can use onions and garlic in this recipe. In addition, you can substitute the yellow onion for a red, white, or sweet one.
- Tomato Paste – Some tomato paste will help add a touch of sweetness and acidity to the pot roast.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is used to make a beurre manié, a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Fat – Olive oil, avocado oil, lard, or beef tallow can be used when searing the beef and vegetables. In addition, you will need some softened unsalted butter.
- Wine – You can use dry red or white wine for this recipe. For red, use cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or shiraz. For white, use chardonnay, sauvignon Blanc, or pinot grigio. In addition, you could also use a dark beer such as Guinness.
- Herbs – I like to use a combination of fresh thyme and parsley with the addition of bay leaves. Fresh rosemary would also be an acceptable option. For dry ingredients, substitute the fresh thyme with 2 teaspoons of dry thyme and 2 teaspoons of dry parsley for the fresh parsley.
- Stock – Beef stock is best to use for this recipe. You can substitute with water, brodo, vegetable stock, or chicken stock.
How to Make a Pot Roast
Season the beef on all sides with salt.
Place on a rack over a sheet tray and place uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 to 48 hours.
Remove the beef from the fridge and season with pepper.
Add the olive oil to a large pot over high heat until it smokes.
Place in the beef, turn the heat down to medium and sear on all sides until it is completely golden brown all around.
Set the beef aside on a plate and add the onions and leeks, season with salt, and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to low medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
Deglaze with ¼ cup of wine and cook until it’s absorbed.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour in the ¾ cup wine, beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
Add back in the seared beef and bring the mixture to a boil. Add on a lid, place it on a rack in the lower third of the oven, and cook at 325° for 3 ½ to 4 hours or until fork tender and has an internal temperature of 200° to 210°.
With about 70 minutes left in the cooking process, add the potatoes, prepared carrots, celery, and any other vegetables to the pot along with the beef and finish cooking alongside the pot roast.
Remove the pot from the oven and carefully set aside only the beef roast. Mix softened butter and flour to make a beurre manie.
Add the beurre manie to the pot with the liquid and vegetables and cook over low to medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens like a gravy.
Finish the mixture by stirring in optional vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the beef back to the pot and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 1 hour ahead of time. Keep it warm, covered over very low heat.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cover and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw for 1 whole day before reheating.
How to Reheat: Add your desired portion of pot roast and vegetables to a small pot and cook over low heat until hot. Be sure to stir occasionally.
Chef Notes + Tips
- I used a 2 ½ gallon Dutch oven pot. No matter the material, any large pot will work for this recipe.
- The vegetables do not need to be submerged in the liquid as they cook.
- This goes from a regular pot roast to a Yankee pot roast when adding vegetables later so they do not overcook.
More Beef Recipes
Video
Classic Pot Roast Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ to 4 pound beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 peeled julienne yellow onion
- 2 thinly sliced and rinsed leeks, white and yellow parts only
- 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8-10 fresh parsley stems with leaves
- 2 pounds baby Yukon potatoes
- 6 peeled regular or 10 baby tri-colored carrots cut into 2” inch pieces
- 4 ribs of celery cut into 2” inch pieces
- 2 peeled parsnips, cut into 2” inch pieces
- 1 peeled rutabaga cut into 1” cubes
- 1/2 beurre manié recipe
- Worcestershire sauce to taste
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- optional finely minced parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Generously season the beef on all sides with salt.
- Place on a rack over a sheet tray and place uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 to 48 hours.
- Remove the beef from the fridge and season with pepper on all sides.
- Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven pot over high heat until it smokes lightly.
- Place in the beef, turn the heat down to medium, and sear on all sides until it is golden brown all around. This will take 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Set the beef aside on a plate and add the onions and leeks, season with salt, and sauté for 4 to 6 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to low medium and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the onions are well browned.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
- Deglaze with ¼ cup of wine and cook until it is completely absorbed.
- Next, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is incorporated into the vegetables.⅘
- Pour in the ¾ cup wine, beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add back in the seared beef and bring the mixture to a boil. Add on a lid, place it on a rack in the lower third of the oven, and cook at 325° for 3 ½ to 4 hours or until fork tender and has an internal temperature of 200° to 210°.
- With about 70 minutes left in the cooking process, add the potatoes, prepared carrots, celery, and any other vegetables to the pot along with the beef and finish cooking alongside the pot roast.
- Remove the pot from the oven and carefully set aside only the beef roast. Mix softened butter and flour to make a beurre manie.
- Add the beurre manie to the pot with the liquid and vegetables and cook over low to medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens like a gravy.
- Finish the mixture by stirring in optional vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add the beef back to the pot and serve.
Had to reduce the veggie to just potatoes and carrots due to my families “toddler like palettes.” Spot on just like your other recipes. Too bad can’t post the picture.
Thanks.
Glad you were able to make it work for your family! Thanks for giving it a try!
Delicious!!
Thank you!!
My second time this fall 2025.
Likes it so much had to come back for a second round.
Excellent! Thank you!
Best pot roast I’ve ever made. I used white wine instead of red since that’s all I had but it still turned out amazing! Will be my new go to recipe!
Fantastic! Thank you!
I’ve made several of your recipes and each one seems to top the other. As I was making this one I was so tempted to sneak an early bite. I waited and it was so worth it.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for giving it a try!
We only had potatoes and carrots, onions & garlic for our veg. This recipe was absolutely perfect. The timing and ratios were excellent.
Thanks for giving it a shot!
I made this especially for my grand kids and great grandkids plus the rest of the family. I also made homemade French bread to go with it. It’s my great granddaughter’s15th birthday and it turned out YUMMY…thank you for this fantastic recipe
My pleasure. Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
I made this identically for 4 ladies, and they all loved it. Albeit my parsnips were a bit undercooked, Other than that, I thought it turned out well. 2 of the ladies even had it for “brunch” this morning. Like a lot of other well constructed dishes, it tastes better the next day. Thank you
My pleasure! So glad you all enjoyed it.
Amazing! I added beets, I love beets 😋 and I used a smaller piece of meat, it took 1hr 45 min for a thinner 2 lb roast
nice!
I would rate this 10 stars – hell, TWENTY – if I could. I was so excited to try this recipe that I went to the store after work, which I absolutely LOATHE doing, and then I dry brined it for the full 48 hours. I just served it up. I cannot tell you how incredible it is.
Every pot roast I’ve ever made has always come out ‘meh’ – flavorless and dull, no matter the recipe. This, however… This is the best pot roast I’ve ever even *had*. I’m telling everyone I know and everyone I don’t. I’m going to print off recipe cards and hand them out to everyone I pass. I’m going to erect a statue in your honor.
Life changing. I will be trying every recipe on your website.
You just made my day! I love that you’re sharing it with everyone (statue optional, but appreciated). Can’t wait for you to try more recipes!