The Best Easy Pot Roast (Slow Cooker or Oven)
There’s nothing quite like a perfectly cooked pot roast to bring family together around the dinner table. This ultimate comfort food transforms an affordable, tougher cut of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth masterpiece.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Large skillet
- Slow cooker
Ingredients
- Groupe : Meat & Oil
- 3-4 pound chuck roast or bottom round roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Groupe : Vegetables
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3-4 carrots cut into chunks
- 3-4 potatoes quartered
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- Groupe : Liquids & Flavor
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Groupe : Herbs & Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional, for thickening gravy
Instructions
- Prep the meat: Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Sear the meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Prepare vegetables: While the meat is searing, cut vegetables into similar-sized chunks for even cooking.
- Create the flavor base (oven method only): Remove roast, sauté onions, celery, and garlic in the same pot for 2-3 minutes.
- Add liquids: Add beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- Combine ingredients: For slow cooker – transfer roast to slow cooker, add vegetables around sides, pour liquid mixture, add herbs. For oven – return roast to Dutch oven, arrange vegetables around it.
- Cook: Slow cooker – low 8-10 hours or high 4-6 hours. Oven – cover and cook at 325°F for 3-4 hours until fork-tender.
- Finish the sauce (optional): 30 min before serving, mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water and stir into cooking liquid.
- Rest and serve: Remove bay leaves. Let meat rest 15 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with vegetables and gravy.
Notes
Pot roast actually improves in flavor after a day in the refrigerator. For best results, don't skip the searing step. If the meat is tough, cook longer – the collagen needs more time to break down.