Tender Slow-Cooked Beef Pot Roast

A beef pot roast is the kind of dinner that takes care of itself. You spend twenty minutes in the morning getting everything into the pot, and by evening the whole house smells like a cozy restaurant. The beef comes out so tender it falls apart with a fork, and the vegetables soak up all that rich flavor.

Ingredients

For the roast:

3 to 3.5 pound beef chuck roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For the vegetables and broth:

1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1.5 pounds baby potatoes, halved (or 3 medium russet potatoes, quartered)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (optional, for thicker gravy)

Raw ingredients for beef pot roast: chuck roast, carrots, potatoes, onion and herbs

Steps

1. Season the beef generously

Take the chuck roast out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking so it is not ice cold. Pat it dry with paper towels, because a dry surface browns much better. Rub the salt, pepper, and garlic powder all over every side of the meat. Do not be shy with the seasoning. This is a big piece of beef and it needs plenty.

2. Sear the roast on all sides

Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Lay the roast in and let it sear without moving it for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until it has a deep brown crust. Sear the edges too, using tongs to hold it up. That brown crust is where so much flavor comes from, so give it the full time even if you are tempted to rush.

Beef chuck roast searing with a golden brown crust in a Dutch oven

3. Build the cooking liquid

Take the roast out and set it on a plate. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion wedges to the pot. Cook them for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, and stir until the tomato paste dissolves completely.

4. Add everything back to the pot

Return the seared roast to the pot and nestle it into the liquid. Tuck the bay leaves and thyme around it. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the meat. If it looks low, add a splash more broth or water. Put the lid on the pot. If you are using a slow cooker instead, transfer everything to the slow cooker at this point.

5. Cook low and slow

For the oven method, cook at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 3.5 to 4 hours. For the slow cooker, cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4.5 to 5 hours. You will know it is done when the meat shreds easily when you press it with a fork. Do not rush this part. Tough cuts like chuck need the long gentle cooking time to turn tender.

6. Add the vegetables

About 1.5 hours before the roast is done (or 2.5 hours on slow cooker low), add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Push them down into the liquid around the meat. Put the lid back on and keep cooking. Adding them later keeps the vegetables from turning to mush during the long cook. They should be fork-tender but still hold their shape when done.

7. Make the gravy

Take the roast and vegetables out of the pot and cover them loosely with foil to keep warm. Skim any excess fat off the surface of the cooking liquid with a spoon. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. If you like a thicker gravy, whisk in the cornstarch mixture a little at a time until it reaches the thickness you want. Let it simmer for 2 minutes, then taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Fish out the bay leaves.

8. Serve it up

Slice the roast against the grain, or shred it into big chunks if it is fall-apart tender. Arrange the meat and vegetables on a platter or in shallow bowls, and spoon that rich gravy generously over everything. This is wonderful with a simple green salad or some crusty bread for soaking up the extra gravy.

Tips

Chuck roast is the best cut for this recipe because it has the fat and connective tissue that melt into tenderness during slow cooking. Leftover pot roast keeps in the fridge for 4 days and tastes even better the next day, and it also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Conclusion

I hope this pot roast brings the same cozy feeling to your table that it brings to mine. It is simple, hearty, and the kind of meal that makes an ordinary evening feel special. Make it once and I think it will become one of your cold-weather favorites.