The Best Pot Roast Made 3 Ways

Fork-tender, melt-in-your-mouth pot roast with delicate potatoes and sweet carrots in a perfectly seasoned broth. This recipe is super simple but will make you feel like you’ve spent all day cooking. Nothing completes a Sunday pot roast like a fresh chopped salad and some homemade rolls. These perfect soft and buttery rolls or copycat Texas Roadhouse rolls should do the trick!

Melt in Your Mouth Pot Roast

Not only is this melt in your mouth pot roast a quintessential Sunday meal, it’s also perfect for company or a special occasion! It’s just so easy. Prep it, throw it all together and at the end of the day you have a perfect sit-down dinner hearty enough to satisfy any appetite. Generously seasoned meat, coupled with onions and vegetables surrounded by a savory broth is just so heavenly. One of the best things about this roast is that it’s almost better the next day. It’s perfect for leftovers or to use for sandwiches, tacos or other hearty roast meals. It’s one of those dishes that you make once and can usually use at least twice. Perfect a hectic work week, and the whole family loves it! Win win! Pair it with these Instant Pot mashed potatoes for a quick and easy dinner the family will go crazy over.

Pot Roast Ingredients

I’ve given you three ways to cook the roast but the ingredients are all the same. It’s one of those hearty meals that brings everyone together around the table for good conversation and great memories. Exact measurements can be found below in the recipe card.

Olive Oil: You can use canola oil, but I like the extra bit of flavor the olive oil adds.Chuck Roast: You’ll need a 3-4 pound roast. If your roast is much bigger, you’ll need to adjust the seasonings to accommodate so you have enough flavor.Salt and Pepper: This is for generously seasoning the roast before searing.Carrots: Use large carrots you have to cut yourself, they have so much more flavor than baby carrots.Potatoes: The best potatoes for putting in a roast are yellow, golden or Yukon potatoes.Onion: Yellow or white onions are flavorful but mellow enough to add flavor but not overpower.Beef Broth: Make your own or buy prepackaged beef broth.Red Wine: The alcohol will cook off and you’re left with flavor and tenderness. You can also substitute this with apple juice, cranberry juice or more beef broth.Worcestershire Sauce: Boosts and intensifies the meaty flavor.Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic for the best taste.Onion and Garlic Powder: Adds the best savory flavor!Salt and Pepper: This is to add to the sauce.

How to Make the Most Tender Roast

The wonderful thing about this pot roast recipe is that you can make it three different ways and end up with the same result any way you make it. The way of putting it together is the same for all three methods. So whether you use a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or the oven, it will always be fall-apart tender.

It’s All About the Beef: For that super tender pot roast it starts with the cut of meat. You want a cut that has lots of marbling. Which means it’s got lots of striations of fat running through it. This produces that amazing texture. Chuck roast is the ideal cut, but Brisket is another heavily marbled meat. Bottom or top round roasts are leaner and won’t be as tender.Sear: Don’t skip this essential step. Searing the meat at a high temperature brings out the most flavor in the meat by caramelizing the natural sugars and brings out the savory flavor of the beef with it’s rich brown crust. It will also seal in those amazing juices. Make sure your pan is HOT. If your pan isn’t hot enough you will steam the meat which can actually make it tough.Simplify: You can make the morning prep faster for yourself by prepping the veggies the night before. Place in a sealed container or bag in the fridge till morning.Size: The size of meat and vegetables matter. If your roast is too large for your pan, pot or cooker you can cut it down to fit. Sear the cut pieces individually before adding them. Cut all the veggies to roughly the same size for even cooking. Chunk your onions don’t finely chop them. I find they give off more flavor and don’t turn to mush.Low and Slow: To achieve the perfect tenderness it is always best to cook your roasts long and low. It will yield the best flavor and texture.

In the Refrigerator: Cool the roast and vegetables and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.In the Freezer: Freeze the pot roast in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan on the stove in it’s sauce or microwave.

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All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.