The secret to the best Dutch Oven Pot Roast is a flavorful seasoning blend and an easy stovetop to oven method. This meltingly tender pot roast with carrots, potatoes, and a silky gravy is the ultimate Sunday supper!
This recipe is adaped from my Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe which has been a big reader favorite for years.
There are many methods you can use to cook a tender pot roast with vegetables, but this low and slow Dutch oven pot roast recipe may be my favorite. It has lazy Sunday written all over it. There’s just something about the seriously amazing aroma of pot roast wafting through the house on a cold, rainy day that can’t be beat.
Dutch Oven Pot Roast is the one, the only, the original one pot meal.
If time is an issue, my Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe might be your best bet. But, when you have the time, this classic recipe will not disappoint. It’s absolute perfection on a plate.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Chuck roast: A boneless beef chuck roast is the best cut of beef for pot roast. I’ve had a great result with the very well marbled traditional chuck (pictured above) and a more lean chuck cross rib roast. If using a cross rib roast, it may need more time in the oven to become tender enough to shred.
- Vegetables: Diced onion, minced garlic, carrots, and baby potatoes. The packaged baby potatoes that come in a medley of colors are delicious and add such nice color contrast.
- Tomato paste: To richen the cooking liquid that will be thickened to make gravy.
- Red wine: A medium to full-bodied red wine, like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot.
- Broth: Low-sodium beef broth.
- Worcestershire sauce: Check label to be sure it’s gluten free, if needed.
- Pot roast seasoning mix: This is where the magic happens! A bend of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried crushed rosemary, dried thyme, granulated garlic (or garlic powder), onion powder, and paprika. Dried spices pack far more punch than fresh herbs in recipes that cook a long time like this one.
- For the gravy: Water and cornstarch. Thickening the gravy with a cornstarch slurry instead of flour also makes this gravy naturally gluten free (see Worcestershire sauce notes above).
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
- Trim and blot dry: Use a sharp knife to trim as much of the fat as possible from around the edges of the roast. It’s fine if some fat remains but trim as much as you can to ensure that your gravy will not be overly greasy. Blot the beef dry with paper towels.
- Season: Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub over all sides of the beef and use your hands to press the seasoning into the meat.
- Sear: In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, add the beef and cook until nicely seared on both sides. Transfer the seared beef to a plate.
- Onions and garlic: Reduce the heat a little, add the onions and garlic to the pot, and sauté until tender.
- Add the tomato paste: Stir the tomato paste into the onions and garlic until well incorporated.
- Finish the cooking sauce: Add the red wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Return roast to the pot: Nestle the seared roast down into the sauce and increase the heat as needed to bring the liquid to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid and immediately and transfer the pot to a preheated 325 degree F oven and cook for 2 hours.
- Add the veggies: After the initial cooking time, remove the cover and scatter the carrots and potatoes around the roast. Cover the pot and return it to the oven for an additional 1 ½ hours or until the pot roast comes apart easily when pulled with two forks and the veggies are fork tender.
Use kitchen tongs to transfer the roast to a serving dish and use two forks to separate it into chunks or shred it, as desired. Scatter the carrots and potatoes around the pot roast and tent it with aluminum foil to keep it warm while you make the gravy.
The Best Pot Roast Gravy
Where there is pot roast, there must be gravy! This method has served me well and results in perfectly smooth, luscious gravy every time.
- Place the pot with the cooking liquid over medium heat and add ½ cup water.
- In a small bowl whisk together equal amounts cornstarch. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the cooking liquid and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the gravy has thickened, stirring occasionally.
FAQ and Valerie’s Tips
If you’re pot roast is still too touch to easily pull apart with two forks, it needs to cook longer. Just replace the lid and allow it to continue to cook until tender.
You’ll need a 5.5 quart Dutch oven to cook a 3 ½ to 4 pound pot roast. If you are cooking a larger roast or want to increase the amount of vegetables, I recommend using a 7.25 quart Dutch oven. If you own a Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch oven, they use a numbering system to indicate size. A #26 is a 5.5 quart Dutch oven and a #28 is a 7.25 quart Dutch oven. Look for the number stamped on the bottom of the pot or lid.
Yes! Follow the recipe as directed but transfer the seared roast and remaining ingredients to a 6-quart slow cooker. Layer the carrots and potatoes on top of the roast, cover, and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. See the recipe card below for more details.
Absolutely. My Instant Pot Pot Roast recipe has all the details you need to cook this recipe in a pressure cooker.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Leftovers: Transfer leftover pot roast and the vegetables to one airtight container and the gravy to a separate container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat the pot roast and vegetables in the microwave, just until heated through. The gravy can be warmed in them microwave or on the stove. The heat will thin it out but you may need to add a little additional broth or water to thin it to the desired consistency.
More Classic Meals You’ll Love
- Classic Stovetop Beef Stew
- Homemade Salisbury Steak
- Tender Eye of Round Roast Beef with Gravy
- Roast Chicken and Vegetables
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
- Check out my entire collection of classic recipes for more ideas!
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Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Ingredients
For the Pot Roast
- 3 ½ to 4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup medium to full-bodied red wine, like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, check label for gluten free, if needed
- 4 to 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 pound whole baby potatoes, I used a medly of 3 colors
For the Pot Roast Seasoning Mix
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried crushed rosemary
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
For the Gravy
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water, for the cornstarch slurry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
For the Pot Roast
- Use a sharp knife to trim as much of the fat as possible from around the edges of the roast. It’s fine if some fat remains but trim as much as you can to ensure that your gravy will not be overly greasy. Blot the beef dry with paper towels.
- Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the rub over all sides of the beef and use your hands to press the seasoning into the meat.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat Add the beef and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until nicely seared. Transfer the seared beef to a plate and reduce the heat to MEDIUM-LOW. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir the tomato paste into the onions and garlic until well incorporated. Add the red wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and Worcestershire sauce.
- Nestle the seared roast down into the sauce and increase the heat as needed to bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot and immediately and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 hours.
Add the Veggies
- After the initial cooking time, remove the cover and scatter the carrots and potatoes around the roast. Cover the pot and return it to the oven for an additional 1 ½ hours or until the pot roast comes apart easily when pulled with two forks and the veggies are fork tender.
- Use kitchen tongs to transfer the roast to a serving dish and use two forks to separate it into chunks or shred it, as desired. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the carrots and potatoes to the dish with the beef (reserve the cooking liquid). Tent with foil to keep warm and let it rest while you make the gravy.
For the Gravy
- Place the pot with the cooking liquid over MEDIUM heat and add ½ cup water.
- In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons cold water and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk the mixture into the cooking liquid and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the gravy has thickened, stirring occasionally.
- Serve the pot roast with the potatoes, carrots, and plenty of gravy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
More Beef Recipes
Love this recipe and looking forward to making it for my sister and BIL anniversary lunch but given I don’t drink, and cannot find a split anywhere, will it turn out okay without the wine?
You can replace the wine with an equal amount of beef broth. It won’t have quite the same depth of flavor but it will still be delicious!
This came out amazing!!! the aroma is to die for, this is definitely going to be a favorite 😊
Don’t you just love how it makes your kitchen smell? So appetizing! Thanks so much for your comment and rating. 🙂