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Usually all I want to eat during the winter is soups, and chilis. They’re comforting, they warm me up, and they make great leftovers. Let’s switch it up! How about some pot roast instead?
This perfect pot roast checks all of my boxes.
It’s incredibly warming, and comforting, and it makes great leftovers.
The chuck roast is fall-apart tender, the carrots are sweet and succulent, and the potatoes are perfectly cooked. I added mushrooms, which aren’t always traditional in a pot roast – I am a mushroom fiend. The mushrooms do add a lot of great flavor to the cooking liquid, and to the final dish. The cooking liquid is laced with red wine, beef broth, and is infused with fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and sage.
The cooking liquid is then turned into a super flavorful, luscious gravy that can be drizzled over top of everything. Serve this pot roast as is, on it’s own, or with a simple side salad to lighten it up – and, it is one satisfying meal.
This perfect pot roast recipe is easy to make – the prep time is about 15 minutes, then it cooks in the oven for 4 to 5 hours without needing any attention. Once it’s cooked, you quickly turn that cooking liquid into a gravy. It only requires one pot (when made in the oven), and it makes a large portion – making it ideal for feeding a crowd, or for leftovers. It’s naturally gluten free, and dairy free, and is a well-rounded meal with meat, veggies, and a complex carbs from the potatoes.
BTW, there is a slow cooker option listed in the notes of the recipe card too!
This perfect pot roast with gravy is a winner of a recipe, if you ask me!!!
Ingredients for perfect pot roast
Of course the measurements for the ingredients are in the recipe card down below, but let’s discuss them here.
- chuck roast – chuck roast is a tough piece of meat, which makes it ideal for this recipe. It softens up and falls apart as it cooks low and slow in the liquid. You can also use brisket, or round roast as well.
- kosher salt – for seasoning the chuck roast, and the broth liquid. Without enough salt everything is pretty bland.
- black pepper – again to flavor up the chuck roast itself, and the cooking liquid.
- avocado oil, olive oil, or grapeseed oil – for searing the chuck roast.
- dry red wine – such as pinot noir, merlot, or cabernet sauvignon. The red wine is part of the cooking liquid. It not only adds great flavor to the entire dish, but the acidity in the wine helps to tenderize the meat a little. NOTE: you can easily swap the red wine for more beef broth, if needed.
- low sodium beef broth – the bulk of our cooking liquid. Cooking the cuck roast inside of a liquid helps to slowly break down the toughness of the chuck roast, without drying it out. Beef broth is ideal because it adds great flavor that compliments the chuck roast.
- red potatoes – those little baby red potatoes are perfect in a pot roast. I do cut them into large chunks, if they are on the larger size.
- garlic cloves – adds so much flavor.
- carrots – I love the hint of sweetness the carrots provide to the overall dish. Plus they get perfectly tender.
- onion – The onions are so good once they are cooked down in the pot roast. Plus, they help flavor the entire dish.
- cremini mushrooms – mushrooms are not a traditional ingredient in a pot roast, but I can’t resist. They add so much flavor, and they get nice and tender. If you want to omit them, then simply swap them with more potatoes, carrots, or onion.
- fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme, and sage. Adding the fresh herbs really makes the entire dish pop.
- corn starch – this is used to thicken up the cooking liquid into a thicker gravy.
- parsley – for garnishing the dish. Along with sprigs of rosemary and thyme.
What is the cooking time for the perfect pot roast?
4 to 5 hours. Will provide you with tender veggies, and fall-apart meat.
That may sound like a long time, but the best part is, you don’t have to check on the pot roast at all while it’s cooking!!!
Should I submerge the chuck roast in the liquid?
Most of the chuck roast should be submerged underneath the cooking liquid.
However, if you a little bit sticking out is okay, the steam from the Dutch oven will ensure that it doesn’t dry out.
Make sure the potatoes are submerged under the liquid though, otherwise they will be slightly undercooked.
Should I cover the pot roast with the lid?
Yes.
The lid allows the heat to build up within the Dutch oven so that the temperature of the liquid simmers. The lid also traps the steam in the pot, allowing it to stay moist.
Why is my pot roast dry?
The pot roast didn’t cook long enough.
The meat within the pot roast should be falling apart when you go to remove it from it’s cooking liquid. If it isn’t falling apart, it needs more time to cook.
How to make the gravy for the perfect pot roast recipe
Making gravy out of the super flavorful cooking liquid is 100% worth the extra step. Think about it, why would you want to throw away all those lovely flavors?
All you need to do is simmer the cooking liquid in the empty Dutch oven for a few minutes, then add a corn starch slurry to thicken it into a gravy like consistency. So easy!
How do I remove the grease from the cooking liquid?
You will inevitably end up with some grease in the cooking liquid that has cooked off from the meat. Obviously we don’t want that in our gravy.
The best way to remove the grease is to use a fat separator. A good fat separator, like this one, makes the job easy. (Affiliate link).
Trust me, you don’t want a greasy gravy. No Bueno!
Can the perfect pot roast be made in the slow cooker?!
It sure can!!!
I have included slow cooker directions in the notes of the recipe card below.
Mostly the same methods apply to making pot roast in the slow cooker, as in the oven.
The main difference is that the slow cooker takes a little longer to cook (7 to 8 hours on low) than cooking it does in the oven.
Should I cook the pot roast on low or high in the slow cooker?
I recommend cooking it on low for 7 to 8 hours, if you can. The more time in that cooking liquid, the better. And, with a slow cooker, it really takes a while to get up to that simmering stage.
Should I separately brown the chuck roast in a skillet when making it in a slow cooker?
I think so. It is an extra step, but it adds a lot of flavor the entire dish.
However, if you are in a pinch, then you can skip this step and you will still have one delicious meal waiting for you when you get home.
Is it better to cook the perfect pot roast in the oven, or in the slow cooker?
My preferred method was to cook the pot roast in oven!
It had a richer, more developed flavor than the slow cooker version did. Plus, the oven version is all made in one pot. Because you are able to sear the meat, make the pot roast, and then make the gravy all in the Dutch oven. For the slow cooker you need a separate skillet to sear the meat in (if doing so), and for making the gravy.
Besides, the method of making pot roast in the oven is sort of like the OG slow cooker, if you think about it.
With that said, making pot roast in the slow cooker is still a great option. It does allow you to safety leave your house while it’s cooking. Whereas cooking the pot roast in the oven doesn’t need any attention either – but, I don’t recommend leaving your house while the oven is on.
So, it just depends on when you are making your pot roast. Both the oven method, and the slow cooker method have a time and place.
What to serve perfect pot roast with?
You can honestly serve it on it’s own. It is a complete meal with veggies, meat, an complex carbs.
However, if you want to lighten it up a bit, I like to serve the pot roast with a nice light, simple side salad.
Equipment I used to make the perfect pot roast
(affiliate links)
- Dutch oven – I can’t recommend my 6QT Lodge enameled cast iron Dutch oven enough. It retains heat nicely, it’s oven safe, it’s nonstick, easy to clean, and it is great for cooking soups, and of course this pot roast in. I use it all winter long!
- Chef’s knife – a good chef’s knife is always helpful when cutting up veggies.
- Tongs – Tongs are helpful for turning the chuck roast as it’s searing in the Dutch oven. And, for removing it when it’s done cooking.
- large liquid measuring cup – great for measuring out the beef broth.
- Kitchen twine – I use kitchen twine to tie the sprigs of herbs into an herb bundle, which makes them easy to remove once done cooking. Of course, kitchen twine is an essential kitchen tool to have around, for many more reasons.
- Fine mesh siv – a fine mesh siv is helpful for straining the gravy so you don’t have any random bits of fat. A nice smooth gravy is what we want.
- Fat separator – I recommend using a fat separator so that you can easily remove the fat from the gravy. If you don’t, you will have a greasy gravy – yuck.
- whisk – a good whisk is essential for making the gravy nice and smooth.
- Slow cooker – if you decide to make the slow cooker version (directions in the note of the recipe card), then you will need a 6 QT slow cooker, with a timer.
Reasons you’ll love this perfect pot roast recipe
- It’s satisfying,
- comforting,
- and warming.
- It’s easy to make.
- It’s a one pot meal.
- It’s gluten free,
- and dairy free.
- It makes a large amount,
- making it perfect for feeding a crowd,
- or for leftovers.
- It’s the perfect winter-time meal.
More cozy winter recipes for you to try
- the best beef chili
- traditional Irish shepherd’s pie
- chili relleno enchiladas
- traditional Irish beef stew
- instant pot white chicken chili – (stove top option)
- roasted tomato and red pepper soup
- chicken tortilla soup with homemade tortilla strips
- healthier mac and cheese
- Instant pot lentil soup – (with stove top option)
Did you make this recipe?!?!
Let me know how it went. Leave a comment and a star rating.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This helps my recipes to rank higher in google, which helps my business to thrive – which, allows me to keep sharing FREE recipes with you. Thanks, friends!
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Perfect Pot Roast with Gravy (Slow Cooker Option)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- making the gravy: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 5 to 6 1x
- Category: dinner, entree, one pot, easy
- Method: chop, simmer
- Cuisine: gluten free, dairy free, egg free
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Making the perfect pot roast is easy. Once it’s in the oven it cooks itself. The meat is fall-apart tender, the carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, and onions are bursting with flavor. All of this is served with a delicious gravy made from the cooking liquid. See the notes for the slow cooker option.
Ingredients
Chuck Roast
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast (or other tough meats such as, brisket, or round roast)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Morton)
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoons avocado oil, (or olive oil, or grapeseed oil)
Pot Roast
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, such as pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon (sub with beef broth, if you want to omit it)
- 4 to 5 cups low sodium beef broth
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt (I use Morton)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound small red potatoes, washed, unpeeled – if potatoes are large cut them into 2 inch chunks
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced (don’t mince, it will burn during the long cooking time)
- 3 large carrots, peeled, and sliced in large chunks (about 2 inches)
- 1 large white, or yellow onion, cut into large chunks
- 1/2 pound (8 ounces) cremini mushrooms, ends trimmed – left whole if small, cut in half if big (See notes)
- several sprigs of rosemary, and thyme (if only want to only use one herb, use rosemary)
- optional: several leaves of sage
Gravy
- 2 to 3 1/2 tablespoons corn starch (depends on how much liquid you are left with after the pot roast)
Optional garnishes
- parsley, chopped
- fresh thyme leaves
- fresh sprigs of rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the ingredients for the pot roast – Measure out the wine (if using) and beef broth, so they’re ready. Prepare the remaining pot roast ingredients – the garlic cloves, carrots, onion, potatoes, and cremini mushrooms as instructed above. Also create an herb bundle by tying all of the sprigs of herbs together using kitchen twine – this makes for easy removal after cooking. Set these ingredients aside.
- Prepare the meat – Use paper towels to pat the meat dry. Sprinkle each side generously with the 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper.
- Sear the meat – this step adds great flavor. Heat a large Dutch oven, with a tight fitting lid (or, a heavy-bottomed oven-safe stew pot) over medium high heat. Once the pot is heated, add the 1 tablespoon of oil. Sear on the first side for 5 minutes, or until the chuck roast is nicely browned, use tongs to flip the chuck roast over and sear on the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the meat looks nice and browned. Remove to a plate, or dish, and set aside.
- Deglaze the pan – Add the red wine to the Dutch oven, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck on bits from the pan. Allow the wine to come to a simmer, simmer for 1 to 3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Note: if not using the wine, then do this step using the beef broth, but you can omit the simmering step – just deglaze the pan.
- Add in the remaining pot roast ingredients – Add in 4 cups of the beef broth, along with the 3 teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper – stir. Then add the chuck roast back into the pot, next add the potatoes – making sure they are submerged under the liquid so they cook. Add the garlic, carrots, onion, and mushrooms. If your cut of meat happens to be sticking up over the liquid, add another 1 cup of broth. Then, add the herb bundle.
- Cook – Place the lid on the dutch oven and transfer the dutch oven to the pre-heated oven. Allow the pot roast to cook for 4 to 5 hours – or until the meat is falling apart, and the potatoes, and carrots are fork tender. There is no need to stir, or check on the pot roast during the cooking process – just at the 4 hour mark. Once it’s done cooking, use tongs to remove the herb bundle.
- Prepare for the gravy – Use tongs to remove the meat, and set aside on a cutting board – tent with foil to keep warm. Remove the veggies using a slotted spoon, and set them aside in a dish, or bowl – cover with foil to keep warm. Place a fine mesh siv on top of a bowl. Carefully pour the broth liquid through the fine mesh siv, so you have smooth gravy. Use a fat separator to separate any grease from the broth liquid – discard of the grease, pour the un-greased gravy into the dutch oven.
- Make the gravy – Place the dutch oven onto a stove top burner. Turn the heat to high – bring the broth to a boil, reduce to a simmer – simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced a little. Add the corn starch (starting with 2 tablespoons) to a small bowl, add 2 tablespoons water, use a fork to whisk the mixture so there are no lumps. Slowly stream in the corn starch slurry into the gravy, while whisking the gravy the entire time. Once the slurry is added allow the mixture to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. The gravy should have thickened. If you want the gravy to be thicker, then add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of corn starch and simmer another 2 minutes. Taste the gravy, and add salt to taste, if needed. (if you seasoned it enough at the beginning, you won’t need very much more salt).
- Cut up the chuck roast – use a knife, or two forks to pull the meat into 1 inch chunks. It will easily fall apart, so you don’t need to make much effort here.
- To serve – Place the meat, and veggies onto one platter (or individual serving plates), and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley, thyme leaves, or rosemary sprigs placed around the platter – if desired. Transfer the gravy into a gravy boat, or other serving dish. Serve immediately. Allow individuals to pour, or drizzle the gravy over top of their pot roast, as desired. We like to lighten this meal by serving it with a simple, light side salad, when possible. So good! Enjoy!
- Leftovers – To store any leftovers, transfer the meat and veggies to an air tight container. Store the gravy separately. Re-heat the veggies and meat, and the gravy separately. The leftovers will keep up to 5 days.
Notes
Wine – The wine adds great flavor to the overall dish. However, if you don’t drink wine then you can easily sub it with more beef broth – either way, it will be delicious!
Mushrooms – Mushrooms aren’t traditionally in a pot roast recipe, but I love them so much, I couldn’t resist. Plus, they add so much great flavor to everything, especially the gravy. If you don’t want to include the mushrooms, you can easily swap them for extra potatoes, or carrots, or even onions.
Fresh herbs – The fresh herbs honestly make a huge difference in the flavor – don’t sub with dried herbs. If you only want to use one herb, then rosemary is the one that makes the most impact on flavor.
Salt – It may seem like a lot of salt in this recipe, but the salt really flavors the broth that everything is cooking in, which flavors the meat, all of the potatoes, and veggies etc. Trust me, it is bland without enough salt added into the broth at the beginning. Keep in mind, I use Morton kosher salt – the crystals are bigger than table salt. If using table salt, then you want to reduce the amount of salt to 1 1/2 teaspoons. If using Diamond kosher salt, increase the salt to 4 teaspoons (the crystals are larger than Morton salt).
Leftover gravy – you will have leftover gravy after all of the meat and potatoes are gone. It’s really good served over mashed potatoes. Check out my instant pot garlic mashed potatoes recipe!
Slow cooker option – I did test this in the slow cooker. While both were very delicious, I found the dutch oven method to yield a richer taste, and better texture than the slow cooker. However, the slow cooker is a great option if you want a meal to cook itself when you’re away from the house.
Slow cooker Directions – Heat a large cast Iron (or other heavy bottomed skillet) over medium high heat,. Prepare the chuck roast by patting it dry with paper towels, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Add the 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot pan, Sear the chuck roast about 5 minutes per side, until browned on both sides. Transfer the chuck roast to the slow cooker. Add the red wine (or sub with beef broth) to the skillet and deglaze the pan by scraping off the stuck on bits with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes to cook off the alcohol (skip the simmering step if using beef broth). Transfer the liquid to the slow cooker. Add the beef broth along with the 3 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, give everything a stir. Add the remaining pot roast ingredients, making sure the potatoes are submerged under the liquid. Don’t forget the herb bundle. Cover and cook 7 to 8 hours on low (recommended), or 3 to 4 hours on high – or, until the meat is fall-apart tender, and the potatoes, and carrots are fork tender. Follow the remaining instructions as above from “prepare for the gravy” to the end – using a large skillet to make the gravy in. Note: if in a pinch you can skip searing the meat in a skillet, and just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, but I recommend it, it adds a ton of flavor.
Cook time – the cook time stated in the recipe is based off the Dutch oven method. It does take longer if using the slow cooker method (7 to 8 hours + prep time, and time to make the gravy).
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