For some people, pot roast was their first real introduction to beef as a dinner. It once filled dinner tables around the country, especially on Sundays when there was time for the slow roasting process. Leftovers from this dish are particularly versatile. When cooking a pot roast today, you’ve got plenty of equipment to make it faster and easier than ever before. There’s no need to spend all Sunday in the kitchen like your mother or grandmother might have. Create your perfect beef pot roast dinner with this guide to every step of the process.
Table of Contents
Introduction to Beef Pot Roast
A well-cooked pot roast is tender, juicy, and easy to carve into slices or shred into pieces. The flavor is less intense than most steaks, making it appealing to picky eaters who might avoid cuts of meat from the grill. Yet if you add the right flavors to the pot when cooking it, you’ll get a complex and tantalizing dish.
Beef pot roast has long appealed to busy families because it’s easy to toss in an assortment of vegetables and have everything ready at once. That’s still true today, especially if you use an Instant Pot or slow cooker. You can still use the oven to braise a perfect pot roast if you don’t own any pressure cookers or slow cookers. However, you’ll need a covered roasting pan or large Dutch oven with a lid to ensure that moisture stays trapped during most of the cooking process.
Preparation Essentials
Most people prefer their pot roast on the simple side so the beef itself shines through. You do want to add enough salt, which is generally 1 teaspoon per pound of meat. That’s 1 tablespoon for an average 3 lb pot roast. Black pepper is a must-have seasoning as well, along with flavorful braising liquids like beef broth, soy sauce, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce. There’s no need for a rub or seasoning mix in most cases because of the wet cooking method.
Marinating a pot roast isn’t necessary, but it will add flavor and help salt in particular penetrate deeper into the meat. Skip adding salt to the surface and use the 1 teaspoon per pound rule in your marinade instead. This helps the marinade double as a brine, trapping moisture and leading to a softer texture. Watch out for using too many high sodium ingredients in the roasting pan if you choose this route. Consider swapping soy sauce for low-sodium beef broth to ensure the roast is flavorful but not salty.
Cooking Methods Detailed
There are three main methods for cooking beef pot roast: the Instant Pot (or other pressure cooker), a Crock Pot, or the oven.
Oven Method: Step-by-step guide
You’ll need a roasting pan with a lid, Dutch oven, or other covered oven-safe dish that can fit the entire pot roast. Let the oven come to temperature before adding the roast so there’s no delay. Use a temperature between 325 and 350 degrees F so the meat doesn’t cook too quickly or dry out. Keep the roast covered for the first 2 hours of cooking time, then let it cook uncovered once it’s within 10 degrees of the target temperature of 145 degrees F.
Slow Cooker Method: Set it and forget it
For tender pot roast that falls apart at the touch of a fork, use the slow cooker or Crock Pot. Add plenty of liquid, covering at least 3/4ths of the meat throughout the cooking time. Letting the liquid level run too low will lead to unsafe and uneven cooking. You’ll want to sear the roast in a large pan or Dutch oven before adding it to the slow cooker. Cooking times range from 6 to 8 hours on average if you use the medium to high heat setting.
Instant Pot Method: Quick and efficient
The pressure cooking method is the fastest option for getting pot roast on the table without hours of waiting. You even sear the meat right in the Instant Pot on the saute setting with some oil. Then toss in your seasonings and vegetables, covering them with beef broth and other flavorful liquids. Pressure-cooking the roast for 60 to 80 minutes for 3 to 4 lbs of meat results in a tender texture. Use the natural release setting to let the roast rest as the temperature goes down.
Pot Roast Vegetables
Onions, carrots, potatoes, and even Brussel sprouts are all classic options to go with your beef pot roast. These vegetables can handle the long cooking time without completely breaking down into the broth. For more creative vegetable variations, consider parsnips, baby turnips, whole cloves of garlic, shallots, large pieces of celery, chunks of rutabaga, plum tomatoes, and whole mushrooms. Don’t forget to toss a sprig or two of fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary on top to really amp up the flavor.
Mastering the Cooking Process
Browning or searing the pot roast before braising it is the key to flavor and color at the end of the roast. If you put a raw roast in and forget to sear, it’ll come out much paler and lacking some of the flavors you’d get. It’s hard to sear a pot roast at the end of the cooking period with this recipe because the meat becomes so tender it simply falls apart. However, you can remove the half-cooked pot roast and sear it at any stage before it’s done to add some amount of browning if you remember in time.
Deglazing the roasting pan is the secret to making au jus or gravy that’s miles away from anything you get out of a packet. You simply heat the Dutch oven or roasting pan in the oven and then pour in your deglazing liquid. Beer, wine, beef broth, and even water all work great for deglazing and serving as the base of your gravy.
Braising the meat, the term for covered roasting with liquid, is the key to tenderness. The roast becomes soft and flavorful but doesn’t dry out or toughen up in the process. You can remove the cover at the end of cooking to add some browning and a firmer crust without losing the softness.
Making the Perfect Gravy
Gravy is great whether you thicken it with cornstarch or flour. For a brown gravy that is smoother and slightly thinner, use cornstarch. Flour gravy is thicker and tends to have a lighter color and flavor.
Beef Pot Roast Recipe
- 1 3-lb beef pot roast
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 4 red potatoes, quartered
- 4 carrots, chopped into 2-inch sections
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper
- 4 cups of beef broth
- ¼ cup of red wine, soy sauce, or other flavorful liquid
1. Let the beef pot roast come up to room temperature, in the meantime, set the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. While waiting for the oven to preheat, season the beef roast with the salt and pepper.
3. Sear the meat in the Dutch oven or another large pan with the olive oil. Sear all of the sides until there’s an even amount of browning.
4. Once the oven is preheated, cover the pot roast and vegetables with beef broth and other liquids. Add the lid, then roast the meat for 2 hours. Check the temperature and cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes. Remove the pot roast when it reaches 145 degrees F in the center.
5. Once the beef roast is finished cooking let it rest, covered, for 20 minutes before serving.
Conclusion
It’s an easy recipe to try at home, even if brisket or other roasts are intimidating. Whip up a beef pot roast that would make your favorite older family members proud with this method.
Beef Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 1 3lb beef pot roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 4 red potatoes, quartered
- 4 carrots, chopped into 2-inch sections
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup red wine, soy sauce, or other flavorful liquid
Instructions
- Let the beef pot roast come up to room temperature, in the meantime, set the oven to 350 degrees F.
- While waiting for the oven to preheat, season the beef roast with the salt and pepper.
- Sear the meat in the Dutch oven or another large pan with the olive oil. Sear all of the sides until there’s an even amount of browning.
- Once the oven is preheated, cover the pot roast and vegetables with beef broth and other liquids. Add the lid, then roast the meat for 2 hours. Check the temperature and cook uncovered for the last 30 minutes. Remove the pot roast when it reaches 145 degrees F in the center.
- Once the beef roast is finished cooking let it rest, covered, for 20 minutes before serving.