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 it cooks in the oven? ›

Yes, pot roast absolutely becomes more tender the longer it cooks. Roasts are generally made from tougher cuts of meat, such as chuck or brisket, which contain a lot of collagen, connective tissue, and fat. These tougher tissues require a long cooking time to break down and for the collagen to converts into gelatin.

How to make my pot roast more flavorful? ›

A little tomato paste, generous amount carrots to sweeten, garlic, onions, thyme, and rosemary to add flavor the roast. I love root vegetables like add parsnips, or white turnips and may add them for complex unique taste. Roast slowly on low heat in oven for a few hours until tender.

What makes pot roast better? ›

The best meat for pot roast is a beef cut with abundant connective tissue, like chuck roast, beef brisket or bottom round roast. This connective tissue called collagen is what makes pot roast melt-in-your-mouth tender.

What thickens a pot roast? ›

Some of the most common methods include: Flour: Mix flour with a little cold water to form a paste, and then slowly stir it into the stew or pot roast. Be sure to cook the stew or pot roast for an additional 5-10 minutes after adding the flour mixture to allow it to thicken.

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.

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.

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

Should you cover a pot roast when baking? ›

Pre heat oven to 375F degrees. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over roast, place fat side up in dutch oven or roaster; bake uncovered for 1 hour at 375f degrees. Reduce heat to 325f degrees, sprinkle roast with desired seasoning; add 1/2 cup water or broth to roaster, cover and bake for 1 hour.

What is the best onion to use in a pot roast? ›

Though you can use white onions, sweet onions, or red onions, we recommend using yellow ones because of their unique flavor profile. Yellow onions are a widely used onion type in the US and is great with meat dishes such as pot roast, roasted chicken, lamb rack, stew, and more.

Should pot roast be submerged in liquid? ›

Ultimately, it depends on your preferences and the flavor profile you're aiming to build in your roast, so have fun with it, and don't be afraid to be bold. Just remember there is no need to fully submerge your roast in liquid -- a little goes a long way to making a moist and fork-tender pot roast.

Why do you put flour on a pot roast? ›

Coat your roast in flour and seer every side in butter. This locks in the moisture and helps keep your roast tender. Place your roast into the crockpot fat side up. This allows the fat juices to flavor the meat and helps tenderize it.

Is stock or broth better for pot roast? ›

In general it's better to use stock but for pot roast a considerable amount of the liquid is going to be released from the meat and vegetables so the amount of liquid and flavor from the broth would be modest. I usually use a beef bullion cube or two and no added liquid for pot roast.

How much broth should be in pot roast? ›

Ingredients
  1. Deselect All.
  2. Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  3. One 3- to 5-pound chuck roast.
  4. 2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil.
  5. 2 whole onions, peeled and halved.
  6. 6 to 8 whole carrots, unpeeled, cut into 2-inch pieces.
  7. 1 cup red wine, optional.
  8. 3 cups beef broth.

Why did my pot roast turn out tough? ›

With lots of connective tissue (also known as collagen), these cuts can be tough if undercooked or hurried along in the cooking process. However, with slow-cooker pot roast, pressure cooker pot roast, or low-and-slow braised pot roast, the collagen breaks up for tender, succulent meat.

Do you put pot roast fat side up or down? ›

5. Place roast fat side up / bone side down on the rack. Placing your roast fat side up lets the fat melt and flow down, moistening the meat as it cooks. There are debates on whether the fat would be enough to baste the lean meat as it melts down, but it makes the surface crispier.

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.

Why is my pot roast tough in the oven? ›

With lots of connective tissue (also known as collagen), these cuts can be tough if undercooked or hurried along in the cooking process. However, with slow-cooker pot roast, pressure cooker pot roast, or low-and-slow braised pot roast, the collagen breaks up for tender, succulent meat.

How long does it take to cook a roast at 250 degrees? ›

As a general rule of thumb, a beef roast will take about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes to cook at 250°F, per pound of meat. Here's a rough estimate of cooking time based on size: A 3-pound roast will take about 5 to 6 hours. A 4-pound roast will take about 6 to 8 hours.

Why is my pot roast still tough after 6 hours? ›

Here are some possible explanations:
  • Lean Cut of Meat: The cut of meat you used may have been too lean. ...
  • Insufficient Cooking Time: Six hours may not have been enough time to fully tenderize the meat. ...
  • Low Crock Pot Temperature: The temperature of your crock pot may have been too low.
Jan 19, 2024

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