Pot Roast: the comforting, hearty recipe your family will love with 

There's nothing quite like a homemade pot roast to warm you from the inside out. This wholesome dish is made with chuck roast cooked to perfect tenderness in a heavenly mixture of broth, red wine, fresh herbs, and aromatic veggies like onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.

It's a fabulous yet simple meal that takes little effort to make and is perfect for feeding a family. Serve your homemade pot roast with a salad, and plenty of crusty bread or dinner rolls. You will definitely want to mop up every last drop of gravy on your plate!

What is the Best Cut of Beef for a Pot Roast?

Inexpensive tough cuts like chuck roast, rump roast, and round roast are perfect for this recipe. Meat with a high amount of marbling is essential for making a great-tasting pot roast. They'll cook low and slow in the oven, which makes them melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Tips for the Best Pot Roast

Fresh chopped herbs will give your pot roast a brighter flavor, but you can swap them out for dried herbs if you don't have fresh ones available. Just double the amount of dried herbs you use.

Add extra herbs like sage, tarragon, or herbs de Provence for extra flavor.

Other vegetables you can add to your pot roast include turnips, parsnips, and green beans.

For a more savory pot roast, add a splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce to the pot.

Use waxy potatoes like red potatoes, new potatoes, or pearl potatoes for this recipe. Floury types fall apart when slow-cooked.

Dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, or Sangiovese all work for this recipe. Use an inexpensive bottle.

If you don't want to use wine, you can substitute it for extra broth, grape or pomegranate juice, or non-alcoholic wine.

Don't forget to deglaze the pan with a little broth. The brown bits at the bottom of the pan are chock-full of flavor.

What to Serve with Pot Roast

While pot roast is great as a one-pot meal, it's a dish that always welcomes tasty, light sides. Serve your pot roast with a side of a light green salad, mashed cauliflower, roasted carrots, steamed broccoli, rice, or cauliflower rice.

Homemade dinner rolls or crusty bread would be a great side dish with this roast so you can mop up all that delicious gravy.

How to Store Homemade Pot Roast

Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze your pot roast for up to 3 months. Just be sure to leave some room at the top of the container.

How to make Pot Roast

Step 1

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 300F. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper.

Preheat your oven to 300F. Generously season the beef with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Step 2

Heat the oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the meat on each side for about 4 minutes. Put the onions around the beef.

Heat the oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the meat on each side for about 4 minutes. Put the onions around the beef.

Step 3

Step 3

In a bowl, pour the broth and wine into the Dutch oven.

In a bowl, pour the broth and wine into the Dutch oven.

Step 4

Step 4

Add garlic.

Add garlic.

Step 5

Step 5

Stir in rosemary, and thyme.

Stir in rosemary, and thyme.

Step 6

Step 6

Pour the wine mixture into the Dutch pot.

Pour the wine mixture into the Dutch pot.

Step 7

Step 7

Add the bay leaves.

Add the bay leaves.

Step 8

Step 8

Bring the liquids to a boil then reduce to turn off the heat, place the lid on the pot, and put it in the oven. Cook the pot roast in the oven for 2 hours.

Bring the liquids to a boil then reduce to turn off the heat, place the lid on the pot, and put it in the oven. Cook the pot roast in the oven for 2 hours.

Step 9

Step 9

After 2 hours, take the pot out and add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.

After 2 hours, take the pot out and add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.

Step 10

Step 10

Cook for another 2 hours until the beef and potatoes are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the roast and vegetables to a plate to rest. To make gravy, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Bring the cooking juices in the Dutch oven to a boil, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the mixture has thickened.

Cook for another 2 hours until the beef and potatoes are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the roast and vegetables to a plate to rest. To make gravy, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Bring the cooking juices in the Dutch oven to a boil, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the mixture has thickened.

Step 11

Step 11

Slice and plate the pot roast. Serve with vegetables and gravy. Enjoy!

Slice and plate the pot roast. Serve with vegetables and gravy. Enjoy!