Pot Roast – fall apart beef, tender flavour infused vegetables and potatoes smothered in a rich gravy. It’s mouthwateringly good, yet simple to make, especially if you use a slow cooker. However, this beef pot roast recipe can be made in an instant pot, oven OR crockpot – pick which method works best for you!
Pot Roast
Confession: I wasn’t a fan of pot roast for most of my life. I just didn’t get it – the beef and vegetables were fine, but typically they are braised in just liquids that aren’t thickened in any way so the end result is like a watery broth.
Plenty of flavour in it, but when you pour it over the beef and vegetables, it doesn’t cling to it at all because it’s watery.
So I decided to change it and thicken the sauce using a touch of flour. So it’s more like a gravy. Now THAT’s a pot roast worthy of company, in my humble opinion!!!
If you love meltingly tender, slow cooked roast beef and deeply flavoured gravy, this pot roast recipe is for you!
How to make Pot Roast
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Season beef well with salt and pepper
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Sear beef aggressively – this is KEY for flavour in the broth and the beef!
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Sauté onion and garlic, then deglaze* the skillet or pot with red wine (or water or broth);
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Tip everything into a slow cooker, instant pot / pressure cooker or casserole pot for oven along with beef broth, carrots and celery;
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Sprinkle with dried rosemary and thyme then slow cook 8 hrs low, 55 min pressure cook on high, or oven 4 hours at 300°F/150°C;
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Add the potatoes partway through cooking and by the time the potatoes are cooked, the beef will be meltingly tender!
* Means simmering liquid and scraping bottom of pan to release the flavour stuck on the bottom of the pan from searing. It adds a ton of flavour into the cooking broth!
Best cut of beef for pot roast is chuck roast
The best beef for pot roast is Beef Chuck Roast. It’s an economical cut of beef that’s marbled with fat that needs to be slow cooked to breakdown the tough connective tissues so it becomes ultra tender to eat.
Chuck roast can be purchased in large pieces that are or aren’t rolled. You want to use rolled chuck roast for this recipe, otherwise the beef ends up all warped. Supermarkets and butchers should carry chuck roast that’s already rolled, otherwise, you can roll it yourself and tie with kitchen string or ask the butcher to do it for you.
It’s essentially a slow cooked Roast Beef!
The key point of difference with this pot roast recipe is that the braising liquid is thickened so it comes out like a deeply flavoured gravy rather than a watery broth which is how most pot roasts are made.
So it’s essentially a slow cooked Roast Beef that’s fall apart tender that comes with a gravy and tender flavour infused vegetables. Complete meal in one pot!
Because the beef needs to be mostly submerged in liquid while it slow cooks, you end up with lots and lots of liquid in the finished dish.
Which means, in my Pot Roast, you end up with lots and lots of very tasty gravy.
This is a sensational “problem” to have. Keep leftovers, drown your potatoes with them, toss through pasta (oh yes!!), serve it as a sauce for tomorrow night’s dinner. – Nagi x
PS Bread to mop your bowl clean wouldn’t go astray. Try these No Knead Dinner Rolls, a quick No Yeast Irish Bread or these moreish Cheese Muffins.
Watch how to make it
Note: My slow cooker looks like a pressure cooker because it’s a multi function slow cooker (but no, it’s not an Instant Pot!).
This pot roast recipe was originally published January 2018. Updated for housekeeping matters. No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare! 🙂
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Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 kg / 4 lb beef chuck roast , rolled (Note 1)
- 1 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion (large), cut into large dice
- 5 garlic cloves , peeled and smashed (Note 2a)
- 5 carrots , peeled and cut into 2.5cm/1" pieces
- 3 celery stalks , cut into 4 cm / 1.5" pieces
- 1 cup (250ml) dry red wine (sub with beef broth)
- 3 cups (750ml) beef broth , salt reduced
- 1/3 cup (50g) flour (plain / all purpose) (GF - Note 2b)
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 750g / 1.5 lb potatoes , peeled and cut into 2.5 cm / 1" pieces
Instructions
- Pat beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over.
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Brown aggressively all over - a deep dark brown crust is essential for flavour base! Should take about 7 minutes.
- Transfer beef to slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, add onion and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until onion is browned.
- Add wine, reduce by half. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Mix together flour and about 1 cup of the broth. Lumps is fine. Pour into slow cooker.
- Add remaining broth, carrots, celery, rosemary and thyme into slow cooker.
- Cover and slow cook on LOW for 5 hours. (45 min pressure cook on HIGH, Note 3a for Oven and Stove)
- Add potato, slow cook on LOW for 3 hours. (10 min pressure cooker on HIGH, Note 3b)
- Remove beef. Rest for 5 minutes, then slice thickly.
- Adjust salt and pepper of Sauce to taste.
- Serve beef with vegetables and plenty of sauce! Bread also terrific for mopping up sauce - try these No Knead Dinner Rolls, No Yeast Irish Soda Bread or these fabulous Cheese Muffins.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More slow cooked beef recipes
Because nothing beats the flavour of beef cooked long and slow until it’s meltingly tender….
Life of Dozer
When the homeless man at the dog park isn’t at his car (usually off tending to the park grounds – best groundskeeper EVER!), I tie food to the boot of his van. Pot Roast, in this case!
And this is Dozer, trying to figure out if he can reach the bag. #SHAMELESS
I made this pot roast for Passover and it was so delicious!! The meat was fall apart tender and the sauce was amazing. I love your recipes, Nagi! Love to Dozer!
I am thrilled that you liked the recipe Robin!! N x
My beef only weighs 1.152kg, should I adjust the timing?
See Note 1 under the recipe regarding this Claire! N x
This is my first time leaving a review on any of the hundreds of recipes I’ve tried online. I’ve spent years in search of the best stew recipe. Complex ones requiring the purchase of ingredients I’ll never use again, as well as simpler ones with fingers crossed that less truly is more.
Some have been tasty, others not so much. But this… GOODNESS, this ones takes the cake and reigns supreme as THE BEST STEW RECIPE EVER! Not only is it the most simple, requiring the least amount of prep and cost, but also the most flavorful. And tender. Oh god, so so so mouthwateringly tender.
As a general rule, I always follow a recipe for the first time as written. And in this case, I wouldn’t change a thing. Thoroughly seasoning your meat and getting a well-earned seared is key. The only thing I changes was adding whole baby bella mushrooms halfway through.
Thank you so much. My search is finally over. Cheers.
I am happy that you enjoyed it Natacha! N x
This recipe is delicious and I will never make pot roast any other way. I doubled the recipe and cooked it in the oven in a large foil ti using your tips. It was perfect. Thank you!
Nagi I made this today!
My first ever Pot Roast!
Everyone in my household thoroughly enjoyed this!
I’m just trying to think of All your recipes that I have ever done, I haven’t ever been even slightly disappointed!
Thankyou so much for your Amazing efforts!
God Bless
Cathy x
That makes me really happy to hear! I work really hard to be sure the recipes really work before I post them!! N x
I am sure there are lots of people that can tell that!
That’s why we come back of-course! 😉
The simplicity that you write recipes with as-well as the options you give help A lot too!
Cathy x
I never cooked a pot roast before and don’t really care for it much at all, but this came out AMAZING!!! Thank you, Nagi! <3
This was delicious. I added mushrooms but otherwise followed it exactly in the crockpot. Will make again.
Hi there. I’m making for a late family Christmas party and doubling the recipe.I have to travel two plus hours with it so could I make the night before and then reheat in the oven when I get there ?? Ps I LOVE YOUR RECIPES !!!
Can you substitute sweet/yam potato for the regular white?
My 98-year-old mother recently came to live with me and since she has very little appetite, I am always looking for meals that she will enjoy. One thing I know she likes is pot roast, but I have never made one (I guess, like you, I found it a little boring.) So of course recipe tin eats is the first place I check out. I followed your recipe and not only did my Mom love it, but I did also, and my 17-old-granddaughter who was sleeping over loved it also. AND–the 16-month old baby had leftover potatoes and carrots today for lunch and she positively gobbled it up. So there you have it, loved by all-from 16 months to 98 years old!
I have made this recipe several times and I wouldn’t bother roasting beef any other way anymore. Nagi can you cook this in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours? I would love to cook our beef like this for Christmas lunch, but I don’t want to be putting it on in the middle of the night 😅
Step 4 – Please also mention to add the carrots and celery before adding the wine/broth. This was shown in the video.
HI Brittany – That’s mentioned in Step 7 of the recipe – you add them at the same time. N x
👍🏻👍🏻 Thank you! I made this recipe today. It’s a very hearty dish and is great with the cold weather rolling in.
Chose a portion of beef for cost. Made the slow cooker recipe. Amazing!. Just like Mom used to make on Sundays;
Hi Nagi!
I have made this recipe a number of times and it’s a hit with the family. As is the bolognese sauce, the broccoli pasta, the lentil salad, the ragù, the oven baked vege rice, the emergency rice, the Greek chicken and rice, the sticky chicken…
Um… I think I only ever use your recipes Nagi because they are easy and delicious! I’ve forsaken all others!
Thank you for your amazing dishes!
When is the recipe book going to be available? 😍😍😍😍😍
Made this tonight & it is a winner. My sister said it was the best roast beef she had. It stays very moist & lots of gravy! I did thicken it a bit more after it was done.
What kind of red wine,..dry I assume?
Just an inexpensive one Regina such as a merlot or shiraz. N x
I was worried, 7 hours into cooking in my crockpot on low it did not seem as tender as I wanted it, but that last hour was the key. I did add mushrooms when I added my potatoes as I love them. A little oily, next time I will trim some of the fat off. But I skimmed it after taking out the veggies and meat. Then I added a little more corn starch as I wanted it a little thicker. Yummy!!
So glad you enjoyed it Barbara! N x
Hi, Nagi, I just made this recipe last night in my vintage Savory roaster. First time using the roaster and I was nervous but your recipe is SUPERB! The flavor is fantastic and the gravy was amazing! So clever the way you do it. So easy and delish. My husband swooned and I did my own happy dance – 3 times! Can’t wait to make this again. Thank you for this recipe and taking the time to give all the different cooking methods. A lot of work on your part. Sending positive energy for your cookbook. Love to you and Dozer!
I just recently found your recipe’s. I always go on line and type in what I want to cook. Yours are coming up more often, of course along with numbers of others, but seems each time, I will click on the one that I feel looks the best and boooommmm there yours. I am loving my choices every time I try your recipe. So yesterday I did this recipe, Pot Roast. Perfect !! I have created my recipe book, for all my best choices, and now your a rocking. Thank you
Just a note that your written recipe does match with video; i.e. veggies are added to onion and wine whereas the recipe says to add after onion and flour is added to pot
Hi Nagi, can you leave the red wine out and use beef broth? Or can you use non alcoholic wine as this is all I have? By the way, thank you for all your delicious recipes and amazing website! You are an amazing cook and a talented writer.