Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (2024)

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Grandma’s Pot Roast Recipe tastes just like Grandma used to make! Tender, slow cooked beef with a thick and hearty gravy makes for a perfect Sunday dinner!

We love serving big Sunday dinners like this pot roast recipe and having leftovers for the week! Also check out our Dry Rub Pulled Pork that feeds a crowd and this popular !

Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (1)

An Easy and Comforting Pot Roast Recipe

Sunday dinner is one of the things that I really look forward to at the end of the week. And I’ll tell you, it’s more because of the idea of Sunday dinner that I remember, not the Sunday dinners we normally have these days.

It’s a shame that our schedules now are so busy, the kids included, but I know it’s really not an excuse. It’s one hour, one day a week that we should try and make time for.

So we do try. And it’s not always Grandma’s Pot Roast Recipe that we serve but it’s something. As long as we’re all together at the table eating a meal I call that a win. Although I have to tell you, this pot roast recipe is really so easy to make it’ll take a lot less time to get on the table than you think.

Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (2)

What Cut Of Beef Do You Use To Make Pot Roast?

Chuck roast is the best cut of meat for pot roast in my opinion, you can use a bottom roast, but it won’t be as tender. The reason why chuck roast is the best is because it’s marbled with a good amount of fat that melts away as it cooks leaving the meat tender and juicy, just like a pot roast should be.

A bottom roast will still make for a good pot roast, and will definitely be more sliceable so if that’s what you have – or maybe it was on sale at the store – there’s no reason not to use it.

Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (3)

How Do You Make This Classic Pot Roast Recipe?

Grandmas’ Pot Roast Recipe is made in a dutch oven, cooked low and slow in the oven. This is a more traditional way to make pot roast since back in the day there weren’t such a thing as slow cookers or crock pots!

Not to say that we don’t love a good slow cooker pot roast recipe – because we sure do. Our Slow Cooker Italian Beef is one example of how you cook pot roast low and slow and there’s many more.

Start by searing the beef in a dutch oven, this is the same pot you will be braising the pot roast in. Searing the chuck roast really well is an important step to making a really flavorful pot roast so take the time and do it right!

Next add the vegetables, beef broth, wine and a few seasonings then get it in the oven. That’s it – that’s the prep time, the rest of the time is just cooking in the oven while you go about your day. When the pot roast comes out it will smell and look amazing, just like this…

Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (4)

One of the main things I love about this recipe is that the meat is still easily sliceable. Sometimes when you cook a pot roast it’s so tender that it just breaks apart into pieces, not a bad thing either, but sometimes you want a slice of beef.

French Bistro Beef Stew is a good example of a pot roast that you can break into tender pieces. That recipe cooks at a slightly higher temperature for about the same time, but the higher temperature breaks down the meat a bit more so the end result is a more fall apart type of pot roast.

After the beef comes out of the oven, remove the roast from the pot and place it onto a board. Take the vegetables out of the pot, place them in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Now it’s time to make the gravy thick and delicious!

Bring the beef broth to a boil and add cornstarch mixed with water to thicken it up. Bring the broth back to a boil so that the gravy thickens, test for seasonings and then remove from the heat.

Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (5)

Slice the pot roast and add it to a serving platter, surrounded by the potatoes and carrots. Pour the gravy over the beef (and vegetables if desired) and serve extra gravy on the side.

This pot roast recipe is one of our favorite Sunday dinners ever! It has definitely become a family favorite recipe for us, and I hope it does for your family too!

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Looking For More Sunday Dinner Recipes?

  • Simple Roast Turkey Recipe
  • Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
  • Classic Beef Lasagna
  • BBQ Ribs For A Crowd
  • Slow Cooker Pasta fa*gioli
  • Brown Gravy Meatloaf

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Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (7)

Grandma’s Pot Roast Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 3 reviews
  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Servings 1x

Print Recipe

This tender beef pot roast recipe is perfect for Sunday dinners and leftovers for the week!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 45 pound chuck roast
  • Kosher salt and pepper for seasoning the roast
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cups sliced onions
  • 10 ounces mushrooms
  • 2 cups baby carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 3/4 pound baby potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
  • 45 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Add the olive oil to a dutch oven over medium heat. you want a thin layer of oil at the bottom, so add as much as you need to coat the bottom of your dutch oven.
  3. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper, and then coat with the flour shaking off any excess.
  4. Once the oil is hot, add the roast to the pot and sear the meat on all sides until brown. Remove the roast from the pot and set on a board.
  5. Add the mushrooms to the same pot and brown for 5 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Next add the onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic and rosemary along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and pepper to taste. Cook the vegetables for another 5-8 minutes.
  6. Stir the tomato paste into the vegetables and then deglaze the pot with the wine. Cook out the wine for 1 minute, then add the roast back to the pot (with any juices from the plate).
  7. Pour in beef broth, making sure the broth only comes about 1/2 up the roast. You might need more or less, depending on the size of your dutch oven.
  8. Add bay leaf, cover and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
  9. Remove the pot roast to a board and cover with foil. Scoop out the potatoes and carrots, add to a bowl and cover with foil. Bring the liquid in the pot to a boil, then add the cornstarch mixture and whisk until thickened.
  10. Let the gravy simmer for 5 minutes, then taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. Slice the pot roast and add to a serving platter along with the potatoes and carrots. Pour some of the gravy on top of the pot roast and serve with extra gravy on the side.
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

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  • Crock Pot Applesauce Pork Roast

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Grandma's Pot Roast Recipe | Mantitlement (2024)

FAQs

Does pot roast get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Yes, pot roast absolutely becomes more tender the longer it cooks.

What can I add to pot roast for more flavor? ›

I opt for basil, thyme, paprika, dried bay leaves, and black pepper. These add a lovely, almost Italian-inspired flavor to this pot roast recipe. Veggies. Including onions, garlic, carrots, and potatoes (all of which are also in my beef stew!).

Should a pot roast be covered with liquid while cooking? ›

The pot roast should not be fully covered in liquid because we don't want it to boil.

What not to do to pot roast? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Pot Roast
  1. Using the wrong roast.
  2. Not browning the roast.
  3. Deglazing with just broth.
  4. Cooking the vegetables too long.
  5. Not thickening the gravy.
Mar 29, 2017

Why is my roast still tough after 8 hours? ›

There are several reasons why this could have happened even after so much cooking. First, your choice of a rump roast could be a factor since cuts from the hind quarter are very muscular and, since muscles are the most resistant to breaking, this cut is quite stubborn when it comes to becoming tender.

Should I flip my pot roast over? ›

Should I Flip My Roast In The Slow Cooker?: There is no need to flip meat in a crock pot. In fact, I don't recommend trying it because it will be more hassle than it's worth. While it can be tempting to flip a roast in the name of even cooking, the crock pot takes care of that for you.

Do potatoes go on top or bottom of roast? ›

Put potatoes, carrots and onion on bottom of crockpot. Place the roast on top, fat side up. Pour in water or beef broth. Sprinkle chives, parsley, pepper and Onion Soup mix over the meat.

What should I season my roast with? ›

A basic roast beef rub can include a combination of the following ingredients:
  1. Salt.
  2. Pepper (freshly cracked is best)
  3. Garlic powder or minced garlic.
  4. Onion powder.
  5. Dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
  6. Olive oil or melted butter for basting.

Is it better to cook a roast at 325 or 350? ›

When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.

Do you put vegetables on top or bottom of roast? ›

So then next morning, I put in meat first then put my veggies around it and and put 1/2 cup of water that I boiled 1 beef cube in from the microwave. I used less water because the roast will make plenty of juice on its own.

What is the best liquid for pot roast? ›

Wine and broth: Use a cup or so of beef broth or stock and add a slurp or two of a dry wine. Cream of Mushroom soup: We called it cream of crap soup. Mix soup with a can of broth or water and pour over the roast and veggies. Onion Soup Mix: Mix an envelope of this with water or broth and pour it in.

When should I add vegetables to crock pot roast? ›

For example, if your family isn't fond of carrots, replace them with parsnips or chunks of rutabaga. Or add more potatoes to the pot. For extra color, add some frozen green beans or mixed vegetables about 30 to 45 minutes before the pot roast is ready.

What makes pot roast taste good? ›

  1. Three ways: develop flavor on the surface of the roast, aromatics and good stock.
  2. Start by searing the roast on all sides until deep brown in color. ...
  3. Aromatics, like carrots, onions, celery, tomatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, wine, et al, add complexity to the flavor of a pot roast.
Apr 27, 2022

Is it better to cook a pot roast in the oven or on the stove? ›

If you use a high-BTU range, you may want to cook the roast in the oven instead. Cook several hours until fork tender and serve: Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or longer, until meat is tender. After 3 1/2 hours, the meat will release a lot of liquid, which comes from slow cooking at a very low temperature.

Can you put too much broth in a pot roast? ›

Too much liquid in the roast slows the cooking process because the excess liquid needs to reach the right temperature before it can cook the meat. Excess liquid also dilutes the flavors of pot roast — you want the seasonings and aromatics to integrate primarily with the meat, not the cooking liquid.

How long does it take for a pot roast to get tender? ›

Place in oven, be sure to turn the meat over every 30 minutes or so. Cook until fork tender, 2 1/2- 3 1/2 hours (meat needs to remain above 200 degrees F. for 30 minutes).

How do I make sure my pot roast is tender? ›

Whether you cook your pot roast using a stovetop, oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker method, you'll always get the most tender and flavorful results if you use low temperatures over a long period of time. That's what it takes to melt down the tough connective tissue in the meat until you can cut it with a fork.

Does roast beef get tougher the longer you cook it? ›

Does cooking beef longer make it more tender, or will it dry out? Yes. Cooking it longer can make it tender.

Is it better to cook roast longer? ›

Cook the Pot Roast at Low Temperature for a Long While (But Not Too Long) It's important to find that "sweet spot" for temperature and time, the one where the collagen is exposed to enough heat for long enough for it to melt into something silky and delicious – but not too long, which will cause the collagen to melt ...

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