Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy
Now this is classic comfort food! Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy can be made in the crockpot or in the oven. It’ll turn out tender, every time.
Easy, comfort-food meals are a staple at my house, and this Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy recipe is one of them.
It’s one of those “throw-everything-together” recipes, whether you choose the crockpot method or oven method. (This Crockpot Beef Stew with Onion Soup Mix is another one of those throw-together recipes). There is just one extra step, though: browning the meat.
Browning the chuck roast first adds even more flavor to this amazingly simple dish. Think of it like toasting a piece of bread. The bread is good on its own, but it’s even better when toasted.
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Why you’ll love this Tender Pot Roast
- It’s hearty, comforting, and EASY! Brown the meat, then add everything else and let it cook.
- A crock pot or dutch oven is a sure-fire method to a very tender chuck roast. If you let it cook long enough, it will be melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- We’ll add the potatoes for the last hour of cooking time. No mushy potatoes here.
- You can make a quick brown gravy for the top—hello, comfort food!
Ingredients
Make sure to check the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and instructions!
- The recipe starts with a chuck roast, anywhere from 2–4 pounds.
- Carrots and yellow onion add color and flavor. I used baby carrots just to make it easier (no chopping). If you’re using regular carrots, just slice them into 2-inch long pieces.
- Potatoes (I used red potatoes) make this extra hearty—an all-in-one dinner.
- Dried thyme and dried rosemary flavor the dish. Substitute triple the amount of fresh herbs, if you’d rather use those.
- Red wine and beef stock create the rich sauce (which we’ll turn into gravy).
Old Fashioned Pot Roast: Crockpot instructions
Start by seasoning the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chuck roast and cook for 4–5 minutes, or until nicely browned.
Flip and cook for another 4–5 minutes or until browned on the other side.
While this step of searing the chuck roast is technically optional, it’s a great way to add a layer of flavor to the finished dish.
Transfer the roast to the crockpot, and add the onion, carrots, thyme, rosemary, red wine, and broth.
Cover and cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
Add the potatoes and continue cooking for 1 additional hour on high, or until the potatoes are tender.
The chuck roast should be fork tender, which means it falls apart relatively easily when you try to separate the meat with a fork.
Remove the roast and place it on a serving platter. Tent with foil to keep warm while you make the gravy, or serve right away.
Old Fashioned Pot Roast: Oven Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300°F.
If you have a dutch oven or another roasting pan that can go on the stovetop, brown the roast in that. If not, use a large skillet, then transfer the roast to a roasting pan or other oven-safe dish.
Add the onion, carrots, thyme, rosemary, red wine, and broth. Cover and cook for 3.5–4 hours. Add the potatoes for the last hour of cooking time.
An Easy gravy for Pot roast
Ladle out 1½ cups of liquid from the crockpot. I like using a gravy separator, or a glass measuring cup works, too.
Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top.
Pour the juices (but not the fat) into a small saucepan. A little fat is ok though! If you’re using a glass measuring cup, just spoon the fat out before pouring.
Bring the juices to a boil on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine the flour with ⅓ cup water in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine.
When the juices come to a boil, whisk in the flour mixture. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 2 minutes.
Serve the pot roast with the gravy right away. I like adding a little fresh parsley on top for a little color and freshness.
Why add potatoes later?
If potatoes are cooked for really long periods of time (such as 4 hours), they become mushy. To achieve perfectly cooked potatoes, add them one hour on high or two hours on low before the roast is done.
Side dish Ideas for Pot roast
This chuck roast is delicious on its own, or you can serve it with any of these side dishes to soak up the juices/gravy:
- a hunk of crusty bread
- Bisquick Cheddar Biscuits or Super Flaky Biscuits
- egg noodles
- brown or white rice
- mashed potatoes
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Pot Roast with Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 (3 lb) beef chuck roast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, cut into wedges
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 lb red potatoes (cut into 1.5 inch pieces if large)
- 3 tablespoons flour
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Place the chuck roast in the hot pan and cook until browned on one side, about 3–4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes, until browned on the other side.
- Transfer the roast to a crockpot or baking dish. Add the onion, carrots, thyme, rosemary, red wine, and broth. In the crockpot, cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. You can also cook it for 3 hours in the oven at 300°F.
- Add the potatoes and continue cooking for 1 hour on high in the crockpot, or 1 hour in the oven.
- Remove the roast from the crockpot or dutch oven and place on a serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.
- Use a ladle to remove 1½ cups of liquid from the crockpot or dutch oven, and place into a gravy separator or measuring cup. Allow to cool slightly, until the fat rises to the top.
- Pour the juices only (some fat is ok) into a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, put the flour in a small jar along with ⅓ cup water. Shake to combine.
- Pour the flour mixture into the boiling liquid. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Taste and season with additional salt as desired. Remove from the heat and serve over pot roast.
Video
Notes
- You don’t have to use baby carrots here. Slice regular carrots into 2-inch pieces and use those instead.
- A couple splashes of worcestershire sauce adds a little more umami flavor!
- Love garlic? This is a great recipe to add it to. Add a couple of cloves of minced garlic or a half-teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Yukon Gold potatoes can be used in place of the red potatoes.
- Don’t have red wine? Substitute more beef broth plus a splash of vinegar to mimic the acidity in wine.
- Fresh herbs are lovely here! Use double the amount of fresh rosemary or fresh thyme. You can add them, stem and all while it cooks. Then, pick out the stems when it’s finished cooking.
Love how easy it’s to make this, even better how tasty the recipe is😋
So glad that you enjoyed this!