Mom's Pot Roast with gravy is perfect for Sunday Dinner's with the family. After all, who can resist chuck roast with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy.
What better way to spend time with your family than over a savory and comforting meal like a tender Pot Roast recipe.
Try these other recipes that are fit for large crowds like my Tender Cabbage Rolls recipe, Sicilian Baked Lolli or Cavatelli, Three Meat Cannelloni or my recipe for Beef Involtini.
Jump to:
- Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
- How Long Does it Take to Cook a Pot Roast?
- Ingredients
- Sides for Pot Roast
- How to Cook Mom's Pot Roast on the Stove Top
- Instructions on How to Cook Tender Pot Roast in the oven
- How to Make Gravy for Pot Roast
- Storage
- Top Tips
- Substitutions and Variations for Pot Roast Recipes
- Equipment Needed to Make Pot Roast
- Side Dishes
- Recipe Details
- Top Tips
- PIN it for later
- Food Safety
- Comments
This mom's pot roast recipe will convert your beef chuck roast into a tender piece of meat in just a few hours with simple ingredients.
Whether you cook this beef roast slowly in the oven or on the stovetop either way will yield good results.
Here's Why You'll Love this Recipe
- comforting meal that's flavorful and satisfying
- roasts are perfect meals for large family gatherings where you get to eat good food an enjoy each other's company
- versatile ingredient options allow you to customize this recipe and make it your own by adding different vegetables, herbs and spices
- easy preparation means you can get this roast prepped and in the oven in 15 minutes
- leftovers make the perfect take to work lunch
In Canada a chuck roast is a is also referred to as a beef blade or beef shoulder roast.
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How Long Does it Take to Cook a Pot Roast?
Blade roasts are tough pieces of meat that when cooked properly turn into a flavorful roast beef.
Chuck Roast is a fibrous piece of beef that needs to cook for hours in order to melt away the tissue and turn into a juicy beef roast that falls apart. Typically Chuck Roasts cook for 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of the roast.
Ingredients
This old fashioned pot roast recipe calls for some simple ingredients, like:
- Ground Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Red Wine or Wine Vinegar
- Beef Broth
- Herbs
See recipe card for details.
Sides for Pot Roast
- roasted brussel sprouts
- mashed potatoes
- roasted potatoes, or smashed potatoes
- polpette di riso or balls of rice
- fried cauiflower italian style
- black olive and rosemary focaccia
- potato and tomato salad like mom used to make
How to Cook Mom's Pot Roast on the Stove Top
Season your roast beef with salt and pepper.
Sear all the sides of the roast in a large pot, with oil and garlic.
Remove the roast from the pot and transfer to a plate. De-glaze the pot with red wine or vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency.
Cut your vegetables
Add the herbs to the pot and let cook until fragrant. Add the onions, carrots and the post roast back into the pot.
Add beef broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and let the roast simmer until tender. Rotate the roast every half hour to ensure that both sides cook evenly.
Once cooked, remove from oven and place on a cutting board, let stand for 10 minutes. Then slice.
Instructions on How to Cook Tender Pot Roast in the oven
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Season your roast beef with salt and pepper.
- Sear all the sides of the roast in a large pot.
- Remove the roast from the pot and transfer over to a dutch oven.
De-glaze the pot with red wine or vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency. - Add the herbs to the pot and let cook until fragrant. Add the onions, carrots and cook until tender.
- Transfer the carrots, onion and herb mixture to the dutch oven and and pour them over the roast.
- Add the beef broth to the dutch oven and place it in the oven to cook covered.
- Roast for 3 to 4 hours or until tender. Rotate the roast every half hour to ensure that the top and bottom of the roast cook evenly.
- Once cooked, remove from oven and place on a cutting board, let rest for 10 minutes. Then slice or pull apart into chunks of roast beef.
How to Make Gravy for Pot Roast
Nobody wants to eat dry Roast Beef. Roast beef with gravy is always a better option than roast beef alone.
You can use the juices that the roast beef cooked in to make the gravy.
If you have time, you can place about one to two cups of the pot roast juices into the freezer and let it cool until the fat rises to the top. You can then skim the fat off easily leaving a broth that is less fatty.
Take the juice that's left and stir in about 1 to 2 tablespoons of potato starch or the starch of your choice, then heat it up to a boil on the stove top until it thickens.
If you don't want to use the roast juices or for some reason you don't have any, you can also use beef bouillon or beef stock. Make the bouillon as per the instructions and add the starch, then bring to a boil to thicken the gravy.
Storage
Any leftover roast should be sliced and then stored in an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
You can also store leftovers in the freezer in a freezer and microwave safe container for about 1 month. Thaw it out in the refrigerator 24 hours before you are ready to eat it, warm it up an dig in!
Top Tips
If you don't want to use the roast juices or for some reason you don't have any, you can also use beef bouillon or beef stock. Make the bouillon as per the instructions and add the starch, then bring to a boil to thicken the gravy.
Skimming fat can be challenging. Here are two techniques I learned.
Option 1, collect 1 to 2 cups of roast juices and place in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Remove from freezer and skim off the fat, then warm up the liquid and prepare your gravy as usual.
Option 2, place ice in a small ladle and move the ladle over the surface of the roast liquid. It should harden and collect on the bottom of the ladle which you can discard in the green bin.
Substitutions and Variations for Pot Roast Recipes
Normally, Red Wine is used to make old fashioned pot roast, but if you don't drink alcohol or it's restricted from compatible products your are able to consume, you might want to try one of these the make it alcohol free, Paleo Roast Beef or Whole30 Roast Beef:
- Replace Red Wine with More Beef Broth.
- Substitute Red Wine for for Red Wine Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar (just use slightly less).
- Use Apple Juice instead of Red Wine
Equipment Needed to Make Pot Roast
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. For this recipe you will need a large pot or a medium sized dutch oven with a lid.
A good knife and a cutting board will also come and handy. You won't need a thermometer because this type of beef roast needs to be cooked for hours until tender. By the time it is ready, it will be well done.
Side Dishes
Recipe Details
Mom's Tender Pot Roast Recipe
https://easyhomemaderecipes.caIngredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast or blade roast
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- ¾ cups red wine
- 1 medium onion
- 3 medium carrots
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 sprigs thyme
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch for gravy - optional
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions:
- Season your roast beef with salt and pepper. Sear all the sides of the roast in a large pot, with oil and garlic.3 lbs beef chuck roast, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 clove garlic
- Remove the roast from the pot and transfer to a plate.
- De-glaze the pot with red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency.¾ cups red wine
- Add the herbs to the pot and let cook until fragrant. Add the onions, carrots and the post roast back into the pot.3 medium carrots, 2 sprigs rosemary, 1 sprigs thyme, 1 medium onion
- Add beef broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and let the roast simmer on low heat for 3 to 4 hours or until tender.3 cups beef broth
- Rotate the roast every half hour to ensure that both sides cook evenly.
- Once cooked, remove from stovetop and place on a cutting board, let stand for 10 minutes. Then slice.
Oven Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 F. Season your roast with salt and pepper and sear in a pan with olive oil and garlic.
- Remove the roast from the pot and transfer to a dutch oven.
- De-glaze the pot with red wine or vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot until the liquid reduces to a syrup consistency.
- Add the herbs to the pot and let cook until fragrant. Add the onions, carrots and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the carrots and herb mixture to the dutch oven and pour over the roast. Add beef broth to the dutch oven.
- Transfer the dutch oven to the oven and cover. Cook for 2 hours or until tender.
- Rotate the roast every half hour to ensure that both sides cook evenly. Uncover for last 15 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from oven and place on a cutting board, let stand for 10 minutes. Then slice.
Making the Gravy for Pot Roast
- Collect one to two cups of the pot roast juices and skim to remove the fatty liquid. Make a slurry of 1 tsp of corn starch and 3 tsp of water and add to the liquid. Then heat it up to a boil on the stove top until it thickens, stirring constantly.
Notes
Top Tips
If you don't want to use the roast juices or for some reason you don't have any, you can also use beef bouillon or beef stock. Make the bouillon as per the instructions and add the starch, then bring to a boil to thicken the gravy. Skimming fat can be challenging. Here are two techniques I learned. Option 1, collect 1 to 2 cups of roast juices and place in the freezer for about 45 minutes. Remove from freezer and skim off the fat, then warm up the liquid and prepare your gravy as usual. Option 2, place ice in a small ladle and move the ladle over the surface of the roast liquid. It should harden and collect on the bottom of the ladle which you can discard in the green bin.Nutrition
PIN it for later
Food Safety
Note that the storage guidelines provided on this page and site are estimates from personal experiences. We are all adults and as an adult you are responsible to ensure that the food you eat is safe to eat. Since, I'm not a food safety expert, you are responsible to review your local guidelines on food storage prior to storing any food left-overs.
Remember to:
- Not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For Canadian Guidelines check the Government of Canada Food Safety Guidelines or see more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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