This pot roast recipe in the oven is the kind of old-fashioned Sunday dinner I grew up with: tender beef slow-cooked with carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic and fresh thyme, then served with homemade gravy made from the pan drippings.
Pot roast is one of those recipes that proves simple is often best. Searing the beef first gives it a beautifully browned exterior, then a long, slow cook in a covered Dutch oven does the rest of the work.
This recipe originally appeared in my cookbook as Sunday Pot Roast with Gravy, inspired by the timeless Sunday meals my mom would make when I was growing up. It’s unfussy, comforting and made from basic ingredients, exactly the kind of family recipe worth keeping.
Why You’ll Love This Classic Pot Roast
There are certain meals that immediately feel like home, and pot roast is one of them. It’s also one of my favorite recipes for a slow Sunday because most of the cooking time is completely hands-off.
- A true one-pot dinner. The beef and vegetables cook together in the same Dutch oven.
- Simple, classic ingredients. Nothing fancy or complicated.
- Fall-apart tender beef. The chuck roast cooks low and slow until easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Homemade gravy. The drippings left behind in the Dutch oven become a simple old-fashioned gravy.
- Wonderful leftovers. Leftover beef and potatoes make the best crispy breakfast hash the next morning.
What Is the Best Cut of Beef for Pot Roast?
For this recipe, I use a 3-pound boneless chuck roast. Chuck is particularly well suited to pot roast because its marbling and connective tissue become tender during a long, slow cook. It’s also one of the most commonly recommended cuts for classic pot roast.
Look for a roast with good marbling throughout rather than the leanest piece of beef in the case.
Why I Make Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven
A heavy cast-iron Dutch oven is ideal for pot roast because you can sear the beef on the stovetop and transfer the same pot directly to the oven.
The heavy lid also keeps the cooking environment moist as the roast slowly cooks. And if there’s one piece of cookware that earns its keep in an old-fashioned kitchen, it’s a good cast-iron Dutch oven.
Sunday Pot Roast With Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pot Roast
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 4 to 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch pieces
- 1 bundle fresh thyme
- 10 to 12 small white potatoes, quartered
For the Gravy
- Drippings from the pot roast
- 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ to 1 cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté lightly until it just begins to become fragrant.
- Season the chuck roast generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the roast to the hot pan and sear it until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the roast briefly from the pan.
- Return the roast to the Dutch oven and scatter the onion, carrots and fresh thyme around it. Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the oven.
- Roast covered for approximately 2½ hours.
- Remove the Dutch oven and add the quartered potatoes around the roast, rolling them in the pan drippings to coat.
- Cover and return to the oven for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the roast pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter and allow the beef to rest while you make the gravy.
To Make the Gravy
Remove the roast and vegetables from the Dutch oven, leaving the drippings behind.
Using a wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the pan over low heat and gradually stir 2 tablespoons flour into the drippings to create a roux.
Slowly add water, stirring continuously, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Add additional flour only if needed, remembering that adding flour after you’ve added the liquid can create lumps.
Add a small splash of Kitchen Bouquet, if desired, for deeper color and flavor. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve the warm gravy alongside the pot roast and vegetables.
Why This is the Best Classic Pot Roast Recipe
This recipe stays true to the roots of a traditional pot roast — slow-cooked, deeply flavorful, and made with love. I’ve tried many variations, but always come back to this one. The balance of tender beef, roasted vegetables, and savory broth is pure comfort food. I love cooking mine in a Dutch Oven or large, covered Cast Iron Pan.
Pot Roast Recipe In Oven
Description
This delicious pot roast in the oven is the ideal comfort food and is complete with vegetables and a wonderful pot roast gravy. Cook it in a dutch oven for a tender perfect meal.
Ingredients
Ingredients
For the Pot Roast
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (3-pound) boneless chuck roast
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 4 to 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 2– to 3-inch pieces
- 1 bundle fresh thyme
- 10 to 12 small white potatoes, quartered
For the Gravy
- Drippings from the pot roast
- 2 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ to 1 cup water
- ⅛ teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce, optional
Instructions
-
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté lightly until it just begins to become fragrant.
- Season the chuck roast generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the roast to the hot pan and sear it until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the roast briefly from the pan.
- Return the roast to the Dutch oven and scatter the onion, carrots and fresh thyme around it. Cover tightly with the lid and transfer to the oven.
- Roast covered for approximately 2½ hours.
- Remove the Dutch oven and add the quartered potatoes around the roast, rolling them in the pan drippings to coat.
- Cover and return to the oven for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender and the roast pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Transfer the roast and vegetables to a serving platter and allow the beef to rest while you make the gravy.
To Make the Gravy
Remove the roast and vegetables from the Dutch oven, leaving the drippings behind.
Using a wooden spoon, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Place the pan over low heat and gradually stir 2 tablespoons flour into the drippings to create a roux.
Slowly add water, stirring continuously, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Add additional flour only if needed, remembering that adding flour after you’ve added the liquid can create lumps.
Add a small splash of Kitchen Bouquet, if desired, for deeper color and flavor. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve the warm gravy alongside the pot roast and vegetables.
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Pot Roast FAQs
What temperature should pot roast be cooked at in the oven?
I cook this pot roast at 325°F. Pot roast benefits from long, slow cooking, which gives a tougher cut like chuck time to become tender.
How long does a 3-pound pot roast take at 325°F?
Plan on approximately 3¼ to 3½ hours for this recipe, including the final cooking time after adding the potatoes. Because ovens and individual roasts vary, use fork tenderness rather than time alone to determine when it’s finished.
Should pot roast be covered in the oven?
Yes. I keep my Dutch oven covered while the pot roast cooks. The lid helps retain moisture during the long cooking time.
Do you have to sear pot roast first?
Technically, no, but I wouldn’t skip it. Searing creates the beautifully browned exterior and deeper savory flavor that you want in a classic pot roast.
Why is my pot roast still tough?
It may simply need more time. Chuck roast contains connective tissue that takes time to break down. If the beef still resists when you pull at it with a fork, cover the Dutch oven and continue cooking, checking it periodically.
When should I add potatoes to pot roast?
I add the potatoes during the last 45 minutes to 1 hour of cooking. This gives them time to become tender without becoming overly soft.
What is the best meat for pot roast?
Chuck roast is my preference. Brisket and bottom round can also be used for pot roast, but chuck’s combination of marbling and connective tissue makes it particularly well suited to long, slow cooking.
Can I make pot roast ahead of time?
Yes. Pot roast reheats beautifully, making it a good meal to prepare ahead. Store the beef, vegetables and gravy covered in the refrigerator and gently reheat before serving.
Heirloomed Kitchen Notes
This is one of those meals that has always felt grounding to me. My mom would make pot roast on slow Sunday afternoons, and the smell would gradually fill the house while it cooked.
And don’t overlook the leftovers. One of my favorite ways to use them is to chop the remaining beef and potatoes and crisp them together in a cast-iron skillet the next morning for an easy breakfast hash.
Recipes like this are exactly why I believe family recipes are worth writing down and passing along. They aren’t complicated or trendy. They’re simply the meals you remember.
How Long to Cook a 3-Pound Pot Roast in the Oven
For this recipe, I cook a 3-pound chuck roast at 325°F for about 3¼ to 3½ hours total, adding the potatoes during the final 45 minutes to 1 hour.
But don’t let the clock alone decide when your roast is finished.
The best test for pot roast is tenderness. When it’s ready, a fork should slide easily into the beef and the meat should pull apart with very little resistance.
That’s consistent with how established pot-roast recipes determine doneness as well.
Why I Add the Potatoes Later
I don’t add the potatoes at the beginning of the cooking time.
Instead, they go into the Dutch oven for approximately the final hour. This gives them enough time to become tender and soak up some of the wonderful pan drippings without completely falling apart during the long cook.
Tips for a Tender Pot Roast
Don’t skip the sear. Browning the beef before it goes into the oven builds much more flavor.
Keep the Dutch oven covered. You want to retain the moisture inside the pot throughout the long cooking time.
Don’t rush it. Chuck roast needs time for its connective tissue to break down and become tender.
Trust the fork more than the timer. If your roast is still difficult to pull apart after the suggested cooking time, cover it and give it a little longer.
Add the potatoes toward the end. They’ll retain their shape and texture much better.
I’d love to know if this is one of your go-to’s or if you also are giving this one a try for the first time. This is the perfect recipe for a Sunday dinner in the Fall when the weather is just beginning to get cool & crisp. #HEIRLOOMED
Other Family Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
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