This is the Easiest And Best Pot Roast Recipe with tender fall apart beef and fresh roasted vegetables! Slow braised beef roast with potatoes, onions, and carrots make a delicious and comforting meal the whole family will love.
This really is one of the best pot roast recipes ever and is adapted from an old Food & Wine magazine of mine (February 1991 issue date). Literally, this has been the only pot roast recipe I have used since then and there’s a reason why. IT’S THE EASIEST AND BEST!! LOL!
How to make the best pot roast recipe
I love this recipe because it’s a one pot meal and consistently produces a fantastic tasting roast. It’s hands down the BEST recipe for a beef roast in oven around! It’s also truly easy as pie to make. No liquid at all goes in the pot and only salt and pepper for the seasoning.
You can also cook it a day ahead of time too. The next day just remove the congealed fat and puree the onions with the remaining liquid to make a gravy. Slice the roast and put it in the gravy to reheat or use the leftovers to make a roast beef hash.
Slow cooked for the most tender beef roast
Chuck roast is a shoulder cut and is a tough piece of meat that benefits greatly from a slow and low cooking method. Braising is the best way to break down the roast’s collagen and connective tissue and turns it into fall apart beefy goodness.
On the table and ready to eat with the homemade french bread I made last week. I always make made two loaves of bread, so I can freeze one and enjoy it later with a good roast like this one!
Enjoy making the easiest and best pot roast recipe ever and make sure to save a little leftovers to make some roast beef hash for breakfast the next day!
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 large yellow onion , peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 large potatoes , unpeeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 5-6 large carrots , unpeeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
- salt and pepper , to taste
Take the beef roast out of refrigerator and bring to room temperature, about 30 minutes, before cooking.
Preheat oven to 325F/163C degrees. Heat oil in a large, heavy dutch oven pot over medium high heat until hot. Place meat in pot and cook, without turning, until bottom is well browned. Using tongs, turn meat and brown on all sides.
- Push meat to the side of pan, add the onion, and lightly brown. Stir in the bay leaf and set the meat on top of the onion mixture.
Scatter the potatoes and carrots around the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Cover the pot with a lid or foil and roast in oven for 30 minutes at 325F/163C degrees.
Reduce temperature to 300F degrees and cook another 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Serve immediately.
Recipe Video
- To make a quick gravy: Purée the onions and cooking liquid together
- Leftovers are even better the next day! Cook this roast a day ahead and heat up right before eating for an easy meal or make this beef hash
- No liquid is needed in the recipe, as the roast produces it's own while it's cooking
- Adapted from a recipe in February 1991 Food & Wine magazine
Hi!
This sounds great and oh so easy. In fact, I just put it in the oven. But can you tell me how long I should cook a 2 pounder?
Thanks,
Judy
Hi Judy! Thanks and I apologize I’m just now able to respond to your comment. I would think about 1 hour of cooking time at 325F degrees (instead of 1 1/2 hours).
Is there a way just the same but to cook it on the stove
I’ve never tried this recipe on the stove-top before Ria, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work. You’ll have to add liquid to cook it on the stovetop. Make it exactly the same way, but add around 3 cups of beef broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Hi Ria. Just checking to see if you tried it on the stovetop? If so, how was it & did you just simmer for 2 hours, after browning?
Do I need to add any liquid?
No liquid is needed in the recipe Sheri. Hope you enjoy! I just made it last night for dinner and turning leftovers into beef hash for tonight.
Omg
The BEST ever!
Can not describe to you how impressed we were with this recipe – l didn’t want all those liquid ideas.
Used my blue oval Rachael Ray heavy cast iron baker & roast was Amazing
Thank u soooo much
You are welcome Marilyn and it’s the only pot roast recipe I’ve used since 1991, when I first saw it in a F&W magazine. So happy you all enjoyed it!
Back around ’91 I was a HUGE Food and Wine (and Epicurious) fan. I believe I had this recipe then but lost it over the years. It is FANTASTIC! I only had onions so that’s all I used but what a great flavor! Note: I DO “dry age” my beef in the fridge for a few days before cooking to concentrate the beefy flavor. This 3 pound chuck I had on a rack over a pan in the bottom back of the fridge for 5 days.
BUT! Twenty thumbs up for this recipe.
LOVE that you were a 91 F & W fan too Lisa!!!! Dry aged is a great idea on the beef too. I do it with steaks, but going to try it with chuck roast next time. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and leave a 20 thumbs up review!!
Hi! Would it take longer to cook in a crock pot?? I don’t have a deep pot to cook it in
Hi Savannah! Yes, it will take much longer in a crock pot (8-10 hours at high or 5-6 hours on low). If you still want to oven bake it and you have a deep enough baking dish to hold the roast, just tightly cover the top with foil and bake as directed. Hope you enjoy it!