Classic Sunday Pot Roast is an easy-to-make comfort food that is hearty, filling, and can easily feed the whole family. This recipe will work for a classic oven braise as well as in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.
When it comes to a Sunday dinner in America, there’s nothing quite as classic as pot roast. Of course, the day of the week doesn’t really matter, pot roast is a delicious dinner any day of the week. This meal is full of nostalgia and has been a favorite option for a large family dinner or special occasion dinner.
Despite its reputation as a classic American Sunday dinner, pot roast originated in Europe, with roots in peasant cooking. It is made by slow-cooking a tough cut of beef, typically in a liquid such as broth or wine, until it becomes tender and flavorful. The origins of pot roast can be traced back to medieval times, when peasants would cook tough cuts of meat in a pot with vegetables and liquid to make a hearty and filling meal. Over time, the dish evolved and became a popular and comforting meal in many European countries, and eventually made its way to America, where it remains a beloved comfort food.
Best Cuts of Beef For Pot Roast
When it comes to pot roast, using the right cut of beef is key to achieving a tender and flavorful dish. Some of the best cuts of beef for pot roast include chuck roast, round roast, and brisket. These cuts of beef have the right balance of fat and connective tissue, which break down during the slow cooking process, resulting in a tender and flavorful dish.
Chuck roast, also known as chuck shoulder roast, comes from the shoulder area of the cow and is a well-marbled cut of meat with plenty of fat and connective tissue. This makes it perfect for slow cooking methods like pot roast, as the fat and connective tissue break down during cooking, resulting in a tender and juicy dish.
Round roast, also known as rump roast, is another good option for pot roast. It comes from the hindquarters of the cow and is a leaner cut of meat compared to chuck roast. While it may not be as tender as chuck roast, it is still a good choice for pot roast as the slow cooking method helps to break down the connective tissue and make the meat tender.
Brisket is another great cut of beef for pot roast. It comes from the breast or lower chest of the cow and is known for its rich flavor and tenderness. Brisket is a tougher cut of meat, but the slow cooking method of pot roast helps to break down the connective tissue and make the meat tender and juicy.
- Chuck Roast – tender, falls apart when finished and easily shredded
- Round Roast (bottom round, top round) – lean and easy to slice
- Beef Brisket – fattier option that gets super tender, but can still be sliced for serving
Vegetable Options
When making pot roast, there are many different vegetables that you can use to add flavor and nutrition to the dish. Some popular options include carrots, onions, potatoes, and celery. Carrots add a sweet and earthy flavor to the dish, and can be sliced and added to the pot along with the beef. Onions add depth and richness to the flavor of the pot roast, and can be sliced and added to the pot along with the beef. Potatoes add a starchy and satisfying element to the dish, and can be quartered and added to the pot along with the beef. Celery adds a refreshing and slightly bitter flavor to the dish, and can be sliced and added to the pot along with the beef. Other vegetables that can be used in pot roast include turnips, parsnips, and mushrooms.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Season the roast with salt and pepper as directed in step 2 of the recipe. Searing in oil in a skillet is an optional step. Searing your beef roast helps the fat render and seal in the moisture so it’s worth the extra time and dishes. But we also recognize that one of the benefits of using a slow cooker is a short prep time so that you can throw everything in. Place the seared or un-seared meat directly into a slow cooker. Add in all remaining ingredients and cook on low 8 hours.
Pro Tip: It’s better to cook pot roast on the low setting rather than the high setting. Your meat will be tender and delicious every time.
Follow this recipe as directed, but instead of searing and baking the roast in a large pot, you’ll do all of this in your pressure cooker. Sear the roast as directed in step 2 using the sear setting on your electric pressure cooker. Cook the garlic, and deglaze the pan with liquids, and add in vegetables. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, followed by a 15 minute natural release. Then, switch the release valve to the venting position. Remove lid once steam has stopped coming out.
Pro Tip: the natural release portion of electric pressure cooking is an important step. We have found that if you release the pressure immediately after cooking, your beef may toughen up. Letting the pressure cooker sit for 15 minutes during the natural release stage produces a more tender result.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Pot roast is best served fresh. You may store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in an oven preheated to 350 degrees until warmed through.
If you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other classic Sunday dinner recipes:
Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.
Super simple recipe and tastes absolutely perfect. Thanks for not making me go through 10 extra steps to achieve the deliciousness.
Made this tonight and it was delicious. Easy recipe without complicated ingredients that turned out perfectly. My new go-to pot roast recipe.
I am making this for the second time tonight. This recipe is AWESOME and easy! Tonight, I didn’t have red wine on hand so I just subbed in extra broth… my house smells incredible and my family is so psyched for dinner! Thank you for this fantastic meal!
i saw this looking for a recipe for chuck pot roast and what a hit with 3 men and 3 women! its wonderful! I didnt have white wine or beef broth and i needed to get it in the oven so i used a Chardonnay (red wine) and chicken broth! would you believe it was delightful! Everyone wanted the recipe and we’ll be having it again next weekend for 3 people so we can have some leftovers
so we can have some leftovers!!!
I made this last weekend for 7 people and everyone of us absolutely loved it! I used a chuck pot roast, known to have the best flavor and wow, it was delightful. I made it in a hurry and I had to substitute two ingredients. For white wine I had to use Chardonnay, a red wine and also I had to use chicken broth for the beef broth. I’ll admit i was a little nervous but it was sooo good and everyone wanted the recipe. It’s on the menu for next Sunday for three of us so we can have some leftovers. Really a meal fit for King!
You might be confused. But Chardonnay is a white wine and the recipe calls for red wine. But, hey, it turned out well so here’s to substitutions.
We love pot roasts in this house, and stews and casseroles – especially now that the weather is starting to cool down. I love when the meat is so tender it simply falls apart – and this looks absolutely perfect, Thanks for sharing.
This is the best pot roast recipe ever!! I slow cooked it in the crockpot for 8 hours. It’s so savoury, melt in your mouth roast beef. I also used the broth to make a gravy. It was a hit for everyone, both kids had seconds. This recipe is being added to the cookbook! Thank you!
Another gravy lover 😊 #thankful. May I ask how you prepared your gravy? #alwayslearning
The first pot roast I ever made that was melt in your mouth delicious!! The only thing I edited was the Rosemary. I can’t wait to make it again!!!
Delicious, easy to follow recipe.
I cooked yesterday and my family LOVED it. The only thing I did was doubled the garlic.
Accidentally hit thumbs down ….sorry thumbs up all dayI always double the garlic in most recipes
Very good. I will make this again. I used a 3.6 pound eye round roast. It’s the only thing I could find because shelves have been stripped bare because of the corona virus. I roasted it in the oven. In a cast iron pot. I used one white onion and one Vidalia onion. I also used beef stock, not beef broth. I added sliced portabella mushrooms. And I used a red wine that I like to drink, not “cooking wine.” (I used Bola Valpolicella.) I roasted it with the lid on for the full 3 hours. I then turned the oven off and let it remain in the oven for 30 minutes longer. I also used regular sized carrots cut in large pieces. They have much more flavor. I also browned the roast on all sides.
Thank you for posting this! Using the same cut of meat also due to what’s going on in the world, and it’s in the oven. Happy to hear it worked out!
sounds exactly like my recipe.
Its Sunday somewhere because I’m prepping this Tuesday roast as soon as I can. Will probably use brisket as it runs in abundance here in good ol west texas.
El Paso Strong
Great recipe! Very simple, I like that ❤