Pot Roast 101
Learn the basics for how to cook pot roast, including a breakdown of the many different pot roast cooking methods, plus get tips on what to serve with this mouthwatering dish.
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Aromatics:
- Garlic
- Onion
- Shallots
- Herbs
Veggies:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Potato omit potato if low-carb
Liquids:
- Broth
- Wine
Beef
- Beef chuck roast
Instructions
- Prep your vegetables. I like to use onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes when I cook any roast. I start by halving or quartering my potatoes, depending on the size, then I chop the onions, celery, and carrots in large chunks.
- Gather spices and liquids. Make sure you have all your spices, herbs, and broth liquids ready to pour into the Dutch oven.
- Sear meat. It's important to remember to sear the meat on all sides to keep the juices inside while it cooks. You can sear using any method, but you want charred edges on all sides of the beef.
- Begin cooking. Put your meat and broth mixture into a Dutch oven then cook for 4-8 hours. Make sure to add your veggies to the Dutch oven about halfway through cooking.
- Serve and enjoy. Garnish your roast with fresh herbs and serve alongside your favorite sides for an easy and delicious family dinner.
Notes
There are many different ways to cook pot roast, and much of the time, the method chosen depends on how much time you have to allow your roast to cook. Here are some of the most common methods and a quick note about time and temp:
- Instant Pot: Generally, you cook roast for 20 minutes per pound in the Instant Pot. You can add a few minutes if you like extra tender meat.
- Slow Cooker: When I make a Crockpot roast, I let is cook for about 8 hours on low.
- Oven: Cook for about 3 hours at 350 degrees F.
- Stovetop: Some prefer to allow the roast to cook on the stovetop by leaving the Dutch oven on a burner for several hours. I would recommend against this method, as it doesn't cook the roast as evenly.