Easy Pot Roast - Fork tender slow cooked beef, with a rich, garlicky au-jus. Super easy dinner recipe full of savory flavor. The ultimate comfort food with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Make this tasty recipe when the thought of savory comfort food at the end of the day sounds good. After the pot roast has been in the oven for a while, the whole house will begin to fill with its wonderful aroma and your family will start wandering into the kitchen wondering what you're making.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
The secret to this recipe ...is in Searing the Meat. Searing the meat produces all the flavors and aromas that you crave in beef by a chemical reaction called The Maillard Reaction. So for all the rich flavors and aromas, crank up the heat and get a good, dark sear on your beef.
"The Maillard reaction is many small, simultaneous chemical reactions that occur when proteins and sugars in and on your food are transformed by heat, producing new flavors, aromas, and colors."
An Introduction to the Maillard Reaction: The Science of Browning, Aroma, and Flavor
Here's What You Need
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4-5 lbs beef chuck roast (or brisket)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 large yellow onions, cut each onion crosswise into 4 equally thick slices.
- 5 large cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled.
- 1 quart Swanson beef broth, enough to almost cover the chuck roast.
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
What Kind of Pot Should I Use?
The best kind of pot to use is one that is both stovetop and oven proof like a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. If you don't have one, two pots will work. You can use a frying pan to sear the meat on the stovetop, and a roasting pan for the oven. We love to use a disposable roasting pan and some foil to cover. They make cleanup so much easier!
How to Make It
- Season and Sear - Add oil to bottom of the pot, turn on the heat, and let it get hot. After the oil gets good and hot (shimmering), place the roast in the pot. You should hear it sear as it touches the oil in the pot. If you don't, take it out of the pan immediately and try again when the pan is hotter. After the meat has a good amount of brown sear on it, flip it over and sear the other side. I do this with two pairs of kitchen tongs.
- Add Onions - After there is good color on the second side, layer ½ inch slices of onion under the roast.
- Add Broth and Garlic - Add the beef broth. The broth should reach high enough up the roast to almost cover it. Approximately ¼ inch from the top of the roast. Then add whole cloves of peeled and crushed garlic.
- Slow Roast - Then, all you have to do is put the roast in the oven and let it do its thing for about 6 hours in a regular oven (4 hours in a convection oven). The roast is done when you can pull it apart with a fork and there is a lovely, dense, garlicky au-jus in the bottom of the pot.
Pro Tips for Perfect au Jus
Don't Open The Lid: Taking the lid off releases all of the steam contained in the pot causing an exponential increase in evaporation of the broth and juices that will become the au jus.
How to Check The Evaporation: Lift the covered pot from the oven and give it a slight left to right movement so you can feel the amount of au jus in the pot. There will be a big difference in the weight of the pot when you first set it in the oven when compared to when it is almost done cooking. You'll learn to "feel" when the roast is done. First timer? No worries. Just take the roast out at 6 hours and it will be delicious.
Cooking Method Variation: This Pot Roast Recipe will work with these other cooking methods:
- Convection Oven - Want to speed up the process? A convection oven will speed up the roasting time to approximately 4 hours.
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast - Going to be at work all day? Put a sear on the beef and transfer all the ingredients to a slow cooker on low and let the slow cooker work its magic all day. Have some delicious comfort food ready when you walk in the door!
- Instant Pot - Need dinner ready fast? Follow your Manufacturer's instructions and make this Easy Pot Roast Recipe in an Instant Pot.
Common Questions
Roast - a roast is meat that has been placed on a rack in a roasting pan in the oven so as to keep in out of any juices that are released from the cooking process.
Pot Roast - A pot roast is braised, or partially submerged in a broth while it cooks in the oven.
The best cut of meat for a pot roast is a fatty cut like Beef Chuck Roast or Beef Brisket. A fatty cut of beef brings the flavor and pull apart texture you'd expect from pot roast. A lean cut of beef will not pull apart with a fork.
A tough pot roast is usually the result of undercooking. For best results, keep the pot roast in the oven until it is fork tender.
You can, but I wouldn't. Carrots and Potatoes can be added before the pot roast is put in the oven, but not during the cooking process. Adding them during the cooking process will release the steam from the pot, increase the rate of evaporation of the cooking liquid, alter the cooking time, the quality of the au jus, and the flavor of the pot roast itself. Note that the carrots and potatoes will be mushy by the time the pot roast is finished, but still delicious.
Serving
We love to serve this with classic pot roast with mashed potatoes and its own garlicky au jus or a thicker gravy. Our favorite way to serve this delicious pot roast recipe is to pair it with a creamy mushroom risotto or with tortellini. So Delish!
It's as easy as that! We hope you enjoy our super simple, super tasty recipe for the very best Pot Roast every time! Try it and let us know how you like it. We'd love to hear from you!
xo ~ Seanna
Video: Watch How to Make It
More Tasty Recipes
- Simple Gravy Recipe Without Milk - Elevate your meal with this dairy-free gravy recipe made from pan drippings. This flavorful pan gravy is made with simple ingredients and can be ready in 5 minutes.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes - These delicious and creamy mashed potatoes are a tasty side dish everyone will love. Prep in 30 min, ready in an hour.
- Garlic Breadsticks - Soft and chewy, these buttery, homemade garlic breadsticks are super tasty and easy to make. They are the perfect addition to any meal. So delicious!
Hungry for More? Subscribe to my Newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for all of the latest recipes.
📖 Recipe
Easy Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- 4-5 lbs beef chuck roast or beef brisket
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 2 yellow onions cut each onion crosswise into 4 equally thick slices.
- 5 garlic cloves. smashed and peeled.
- 1 quart beef broth enough to almost cover the chuck roast.
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 325°F.
- Season and Sear. Take the Chuck Roast out of the package and dry each side with paper towels so that the meat will sear well. Moisture needs to be dried off of the meat or it will steam instead of sear. The browning of the meat is a flavor booster. Season. Season both sides of Chuck Roast liberally with Kosher Salt. Add ¼ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover the bottom of the dutch oven or oven proof pot. Then, turn the stove top heat or flame to high. (See Note below). Sear. Sear the meat on both sides.Caution - Dutch Oven should not be heated dry without at least oil in the bottom and sear meat at a medium temperature.¼ cup olive oil, 4-5 lbs beef chuck roast, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add Onions. When meat is browned, use kitchen tongs to place thick slices of onion underneath the meat to act as kind of a rack for the pot roast.2 yellow onions
- Add Broth and Garlic. Next, add enough beef broth to just about cover the pot roast, leaving ¼ inch of uncovered meat. Sprinkle the top of pot roast with ground pepper and toss in garlic.1 quart beef broth, 5 garlic
- Cover and Roast. Cover the pot with a lid or foil. Put pot roast into the oven and leave it there for a good long time! Approximately 6 hours in a regular oven or 4 hours in a convection oven.
- Check for Doneness. The roast is done when you can pull it apart with a fork and there is a lovely, flavorful, dense broth of caramelized onions in the bottom of the pan.
Video
Notes
Note regarding proper use of Dutch Oven
NEVER heat an empty dutch oven! Always cover the entire bottom of the Dutch Oven with Cooking Oil or Fat, BEFORE you turn on the heat. Doing this will protect the enamel on your dutch oven! Remember, Add Oil THEN Heat!Nutrition
Did you love this recipe? If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Seanna's Kitchen and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest and subscribe my Newsletter for ALL the latest recipes! We'd love to hear from you!
Rachel
Loved this recipe thank you xx
Seanna Borrows
So great to hear! Thanks so much Rachel!
Will
Excellent!
Seanna
Thank you my son! 😘
Russ B
Incredibly tender and flavorful. ALWAYS want "seconds"!
Seanna
Thank you! I'm so happy you like it. You're the best!
Lisa Hatfield
The BEST pot roast recipe. You are right, browning the meat makes all the difference. Great recipe Seanna.
Seanna
Thank you so much Lisa! I really appreciate your kind thoughts!