tender pot roast simmered in a rich gravy full of flavor is a perfect weekday or weekend dinner. slow cooker, instant pot, and oven methods included!

Fall apart, tender Pot Roast slow cooked and smothered in a delicious gravy with potatoes and carrots. A warm and hearty dinner recipe… this beef roast is a perfect complete meal you can prepare with minimum effort.

pot roast

When it comes to a Sunday dinner, nothing beats a classic as pot roast! Slow-cooked dinners that can be cooked in a slow cooker, instant pot, or in the oven.  A complete meal with veggies cooked right along with your meat.

what is pot roast?

Pot roast is a big, tough beef cut (usually a cheap cut perfect for slow cooking), seared, covered, and cooked slowly with herbs and veggies in a flavorful broth until fall-apart tender.

A good pot roast can be made with any cut of beef roast: chuck roast, round roast, or briskets. The beef is seasoned and seared then added to your slow cooker or  Instant pot with a braising liquid—for this recipe you’re going to use beef broth and balsamic vinegar which helps tenderize the meat and add a deeper flavor.

There are three main steps to the most perfect Pot Roast, whichever option you choose:

• SEAR your roast first: the flavor you get when searing your meat first is incredible. The fat is rendered while juices are sealed. This step is well worth the extra time and dishes. While slow cooking, the meat will release amazing flavor into your gravy.
• ADD veggies.
• SLOW COOK using whichever method you like!

The amazing bonus is the rich gravy that get cooked right in the pot to drizzle all over your beef roast!

SLOW COOKER POT ROAST

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 pounds (2 kg) chuck roast or blade roast, boneless and trimmed of excess fat
• 2 yellow onions chopped
• 8 cloves garlic smashed with the back of a spoon (or 2 tablespoons minced garlic)
• 1 pound (500 grams) of baby potatoes, white or Yukon gold, (you may need to halve them if they are too large)
• 4 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 stalks of celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons crushed bouillon
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons plain flour (optional — for a thick gravy)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, to serve

Bakery Style Brownie

INSTRUCTIONS

SLOW COOKER:

• Heat oil in a large skillet or pan over high heat. Season roast with a good amount of salt and pepper. Sear on all sides until browned (about 5-6 minutes on each side). Transfer roast to the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Add the onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, balsamic, mustard, brown sugar, thyme, and bouillon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the stock together with the flour and pour into the slow cooker bowl (don’t worry about any lumps, they will cookout). 
• Cook on low setting for 8 hours, or until meat is tender and falling apart and the vegetables are soft.
• Taste test and add any extra balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, or pepper, if needed.
• Slice meat, garnish with parsley, and drizzle with gravy.

GRANDMA’S AMERICAN GOULASH

INSTANT POT:

• Season roast with a good amount of salt and pepper. Heat oil in the Instant Pot and set to ‘Saute’. When oil is hot, sear on all sides until browned (about 4-5 minutes on each side).
• Add the onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, balsamic, mustard, brown sugar, thyme, and bouillon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the stock together with the flour and pour into the slow cooker bowl (don’t worry about any lumps, they will cookout). Place lid on Instant pot with the steam valve closed.
• Change Instant Pot setting to ‘manual’ mode for 60 minutes on ‘high’ pressure.
• When time is up and the cooker beeps, turn off and allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the quick pressure lever to release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid and transfer the roast and veggies to a warm plate.

OVEN:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat oil in a dutch oven or heavy-based oven-proof pot over medium-high heat. Season roast all over with a good amount of salt and pepper. Sear until brown on all sides (about 4-5 minutes on each side).
• Transfer roast to a plate. Sauté onions until transparent, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the stock and balsamic vinegar to deglaze your pan, scraping up any browned bits. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 4 minutes (don’t worry about any lumps, they will cookout).
• Transfer roast back into the pot. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, mustard, brown sugar, thyme, and bouillon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid (or foil), and transfer to the oven. Roast for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender and falling apart. (Check roast after 1 1/2 hours. If the liquid has mostly been absorbed, stir in 1 cup of extra broth and continue cooking.)
• Transfer the roast, carrots, and potatoes to a warm plate. With a spoon, skim the fat off the surface of the cooking liquid. Cut the roast into thick slices, and serve with the vegetables. Pass the pan juices separately.

NUTRITION

Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 962mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4210IU | Vitamin C: 14.2mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4.7mg