This braised pot roast is a 10/10. It’s made with a nice hunk of chuck roast, all your favorite root veggies, and a delicious gravy to top it off.Our braised pot roast is first seared on all sides and then cooked in broth in a Dutch Oven until fall-apart tender!
team fit foodie’s take on the midwestern classic – pot roast!
If there is roast in the name, we’ve made it and we love it! Pot roast is a midwestern delicacy and we’re here for it!
We first published this recipe in 2022 and I went back into the Fit Foodie archives recently and made this again (2025) and man was it delish! I think what makes it is 1. the spice mix and 2. the method of braising!
- Our homemade pot roast seasoning is just so good. It’s garlic and onion forward with a little brown sugar and other smokey ingredients. It coats the entire roast and gets nice and crispy after browning.
- Braising: we braised our beef pot roast in broth in the oven because it’s gets soooo tender and cooks the veggies at the same time. Just make sure that before braising you sear your meat on all sides to give it a nice head start to cooking!
A chuck roast is any cut of meat from the steer’s chuck (a.k.a. shoulder). Unlike a chuck roast, a pot roast isn’t a specific cut of meat. Instead, it’s a method of preparing a cut of meat by slowly braising it in liquid (e.g., stock or wine) until juicy and tender.
Pot roasts are commonly made with chuck and are easy to cook in an instant pot, slow cooker, or Dutch oven. The result? A rich, juicy roast that is fall-apart tender!
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
To start, mix your pot roast seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Then sprinkle the seasoning over the chuck roast, massaging it into the meat with your hands until completely coated. Let the roast sit in the seasoning for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat Oven and Sear Meat
Preheat the oven to 300°F and heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Next, add olive oil. When fragrant, add the roast to the oil and sear on all sides for 3-4 minutes. Once your meat is golden brown, remove it from the Dutch oven and set aside.
Pour in the red wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom with a spatula to deglaze the Dutch oven.
Next, add the onion to the wine, season with salt, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the carrots, celery, and potatoes. Stir everything together, and then let the veggies cook for 4-5 minutes.
Create Broth and Roast
In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Then pour the liquid over the veggies. Next, place your fresh herbs on top of the veggies to roast.
Cover your Dutch oven and bake for 3-4 hours until the roast falls apart with a fork. After two hours, flip the roast so that each side has a chance to roast in the braising liquid.
Try it!
Thermoworks Thermapen
We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.
Once your pot roast is finished baking, remove the meat and veggies from the Dutch oven and set aside. Carefully discard the herb stems, add the cornstarch to the pot, and whisk it into the braising liquid. Add your roast and veggies back into the pot with the gravy to get ready to shred and serve!
Shred Pot Roast and Enjoy!
Now that your veggies are cooked, your gravy is made, and your meat is tender, it’s time to shred your meat!
Use two forks to shred the pot roast into large chunks. We like to drizzle a bit of flavorful gravy over the shredded beef to keep things nice and juicy.
ENJOY your classic pot roast recipe!
Store your pot roast in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days or up to 3 months in an air-tight container in the freezer.
Place your leftover pot roast and veggies in an oven-safe dish, and cover. Reheat at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until completely warm.
To reheat on the stovetop, place your leftover pot roast and veggies in a heated pan with olive oil, and sauté on medium heat until warm.
Great Jones
The Dutchess
This is hands-down our favorite Dutch oven. It’s a 6.75 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven that’s super high-quality and gorgeous.
Dutch Oven Pot Roast FAQs
Your pot roast will b able to fall apart when it is at an internal temperature of 190-195°F. At this temperature, the tough connective tissues begin to break down for meat that’ll be melt-in-your-mouth tender.
We find that boneless chuck roast is the best beef cut for pot roasts. However, shoulder steak, chuck shoulder, chuck seven-bone, beef chuck arm, and brisket work just as well!
Although searing your meat is optional, choosing not to sear can result in a pot roast that tastes flat and boring. Conversely, having a good sear will create a better texture and enhance the overall dimensions of your roast.
Yes. You’ll know when your pot roast is overcooked when the meat is dry. To prevent this, ensure you have enough braising liquid in the pot and end the cooking time when your meat hits an internal temperature of 190-195°F.
For smaller roasts under 3 pounds, check for doneness after two hours. For larger roasts, check after three hours.
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Mix all of the ingredients for the pot roast seasoning in a small bowl. Remove the chuck roast from the packaging and sprinkle the seasoning over the pot roast. Massage the seasoning into the roast with your hands. Be sure the whole roast is coated. Let the roast sit in the seasoning for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
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Heat a large Dutch oven with a lid over medium/high heat. Add the olive oil to the Dutch oven. When the olive oil is fragrant, add the roast and sear it for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove the roast from the Dutch oven.
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Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom with a spatula. Add the onion to the wine and season with salt. Let the onion saute for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the garlic, and cook for another 1 minute.
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Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes to the Dutch oven and stir all the ingredients together. Let the vegetables cook for 4-5 minutes.
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Whisk together the beef broth, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl and then pour the liquid over the vegetables. Place the fresh herbs and roast on top of the vegetables.
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Cover the Dutch oven and bake for 3-4 hours or until the roast falls apart with a fork. Flip the roast after 2 hours so each side can roast in the cooking liquid. Continue to cook until your pot roast is fall-off-the-bone tender. Time will vary depending on the size of your roast and your oven.
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Remove the roast from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Enjoy immediately after discarding the herb stems.
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Remove the roast and vegetables from the Dutch oven and set aside. Discard the herb stems and add 2-3 teaspoons of cornstarch to the pot. Whisk the cornstarch into the cooking liquid. If the liquid is still hot, the cooking liquid should thicken within a few minutes. If the cooking liquid is not hot, bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stovetop and then add the cornstarch.
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Add the roast and vegetables back into the pot with the gravy and enjoy.
- We used 2.5-lb. chuck roast and ⅓ cup of pot roast seasoning. Use as much seasoning as needed to coat the whole roast. You can store the rest of the seasoning in an airtight container for later.
- How long the roast is in the oven will vary by the oven and by the size of the roast, but be patient! If your meat is still tough, continue cooking until tender.
Calories: 488 kcal, Carbohydrates: 39 g, Protein: 32 g, Fat: 22 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 11 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
