What Is A Dutch Oven Pot Roast
A “pot roast” is a braised beef dish that’s made by searing a big, tough cut of beef and then slowly cooking the beef in a covered dish called a Dutch oven. In America, this dish is often called a “Yankee Pot Roast,” and is served with carrots and potatoes or other vegetables. Slowly roasting a tough cut tenderizes the meat, resulting in succulent beef and rich liquid that’s perfect for gravy.
This particular Dutch oven pot roast recipe works so well because you wait to add the potatoes to the pot during the final 45 minutes so that they don’t get overcooked and mushy. The vegetables, beef, and herbs flavor the rich juices that are further enhanced by a touch of red wine.
What Is The Best Cut Of Meat For Pot Roast
If youve ever wondered why your baked pot roast isnt emerging buttery tender, it is likely you arent using the best cut of beef. There are many different cuts that can be used from bottom round, to rump roast, to shoulder roast to chuck roast, but for the best baked pot roast, use the boneless chuck roast.
Boneless Chuck roast has a melt-in-your mouth texture and succulent, beefy flavor due to its rich marbling and is considered the Mercedes of roasts. The marbling creates a self-basting effect as it breaks down and drips over the meat, resulting in tender beef every time!
A few notes about the crockpot chuck roast:
- This recipe calls for 3-5 pounds of chuck roast because the seasonings and liquid are very forgiving so dont worry too much about the weight.
- Use boneless beef chuck roast that is thick cut and not rolled and tied with a string.
- I purchase my chuck roast at Costco, use one roast for this oven pot roast recipe and freeze the other. That way you get to enjoy pot roast NOW and have it stocked and ready for the future for an other roast OR Some of my other favorite beef chuck recipes such as Beef Barbacoa, French Dip Sandwiches, Italian Beef Sandwiches, Ropa Vieja,Beef and Barley Soup and Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
What Is Chuck Roast
Before we get into how long to cook chuck roast in oven, lets first discuss what chuck roast is. Chuck roast is a type of beef that comes from the shoulder area of the cow. This particular cut of meat can be tough if not cooked properly, but it is flavorful and tender when cooked correctly.
Chuck roast is a great option for winter cooking because it is hearty and filling. When cooked in the oven, chuck roast produces a delicious, juicy dish that is perfect for a cold winter night. So, how long should you cook chuck roast in oven?
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How To Know When The Chuck Roast Is Properly Baked
Two ways can be used to determine whether or not your roast is adequately baked. The first is using a meat thermometer. If the internal temperature of the meat on your thermometer reads 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the roast is done. If you dont have a meat thermometer, you can use a fork to test the tenderness of your chuck roast. A well-shredded chuck roast signals that its time to relax and enjoy the dinner.
Roast In An Oven Bag:

If youre looking for an even easier method, you can cook your chuck roast in an oven bag. This cooking method is ideal for those who want to set it and forget it.
Simply add the chuck roast to an oven-safe bag, along with any desired seasonings or vegetables. Then, set the cooking time and temperature according to your recipe instructions.
Depending on the size of your chuck roast, it will typically take 8-10 hours to cook properly in an oven bag. Once its finished cooking, the meat should be fork-tender and full of flavor.
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What Makes The Best Pot Roast
Pot roasts typically use the tougher cuts of beefa chuck roast or shoulder roastwhich have the most flavor. Slow cooking at low heat is what melts the tough connective tissue between the muscle fibers, leaving you with tender meat that pulls apart with your fork.
For pot roasts, and other slow cooked tough meats, fat is your friend! Not only does fat deliver flavor, it helps keep the meat from drying out in the long slow cooking. So look for cuts that are well marbled with fat.
Another tip? Let the roast sit for one to two hours outside of the refrigerator so that it comes closer to room temperature before cooking. Otherwise, it will take a lot longer to cook at the low heat called for in this recipe.
Pot Roast With Onion Soup Mix Recipe
Many old fashioned pot roast recipes with onion soup mix and cream of mushroom soup call for using a package of dry onion soup mix.
In our home, we try to use natural whole food ingredients and avoid many fillers found in processed foods.
So, with a few essential pantry ingredients, I will share my favorite way to make this recipe from scratch.
Add a few cans of organic cream of mushroom soup, and this recipe will make its own gravy from those pan juices and drippings!
This is sure to be a favorite comforting meal with a tender pot roast with so much flavor.
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Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches With Chuck Roast Recipe
Ingredients:
1 chuck roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
8-10 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Instructions:
1) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2) In a large roasting pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add roast to the pan, and cook on all sides until browned.
3) Whisk together red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, thyme, rosemary, and pepper. Pour over roast in the pan.
4) Cover the pan with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for 3-4 hours, until the roast is very tender. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
5) Thinly slice the roast and place on toasted rolls. Serve with Au Jus for dipping. Enjoy!
Pot Roast In The Dutch Oven
By far, this oven-roast pot roast recipe is one of my family’s favorites. It’s a gorgeous pot roast that packs so much flavor into every bite. And, it’s fall-apart tender: you can shred it using a fork!
This is why this is the absolute best pot roast recipe:
- It’s so easy. This simple pot roast recipe is so simple to prep. Just a few easy steps, and then you set it and forget it until it’s ready to enjoy. It is truly one of those recipes you can’t possibly mess up.
- It’s budget-friendly. We use a budget-friendly cut of beef and common ingredients.
- It’s truly delicious. My Dutch Oven roast is fall-apart tender and unbelievably flavorful.
This is one of my most popular recipes! Our readers love it too!
I usually dont like roast, but I thought my husband would enjoy this. It was SO GOOD. 10/10, will make again.
Katie onPinterest
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How To Reheat Oven Baked Chuck Roast
When you have leftovers, it is guaranteed that you will want to warm them the next day. This oven-baked chuck roast recipe is easy to reheat when using an oven or microwave.
The flavorful gravy will have thickened after being refrigerated, but once warmed, it will thin.
- Oven: To fully warm the chuck roast without drying it out, slice the roast and place it in a baking dish. Then, pour the leftover gravy over the meat, adding extra beef broth if needed. Place roast uncovered in a 250-degree oven. Roast for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat registers 120 degrees.
- Microwave: Transfer chuck roast to a microwave safe dish. Add some gravy over the top and cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals until warm.
Easy Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Not into gravy? You can serve this recipe with a hearty and easy cream of mushroom soup instead. Its creamy and mild, perfectly complementing the savory roast.
Its done in less than an hour so you can make it while waiting for the roast too! This is definitely a quicker, easier, and tastier way from the canned mushroom soup.
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Instructions For This Chuck Roast Recipe
Follow the recipe steps and you will be on your way to the best melt-in-your-mouth oven baked chuck roast. This beef chuck roast is the perfect comfort food for a Sunday dinner your whole family will love. You will be thrilled to use the leftovers in another delicious meal during the week.
How To Season Your Oven Pot Roast

In addition to the perfect cut of beef, I have perfected the seasonings of the beef broth bath so this roast drinks up all the spices so every forkful is bursting with flavor. And a seasoned roast means an out-of-this-world seasoned gravy begging to douse your already intoxicating roast, easy slow cooker potatoes and carrots.
We season our pot roast by adding 6 whole peeled garlic cloves into the crevices of the roast . This way the taste of roasted garlic literally cooks directly into the chuck roast. Next, we whisk together beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dry minced onions, beef bouillon powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a bay leaf. The seasonings are virtually my own recipe for a Lipton Onion Soup Packet but adapted to no overpower our oven chuck roast.
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How Do You Defrost A Frozen Roast Quickly
- When defrosting beef in cold water, keep the package on the meat at all times.
- Make sure the container is airtight, or place it inside a bag that wont let any liquid through.
- To expedite the defrosting process, the beef should be submerged in cold water and the water should be changed every 30 minutes.
- It could take less than an hour for smaller packages of beef to thaw, but a roast that weighs three to four pounds might take two to three hours.
How Do I Speprarate The Grease To Make Gravy
Every baked pot roast needs luscious, rich gravy and this gravy is especially fantastic because the braising juices from the pot roast we use are so flavorful.
To make our easy gravy, we first want to skim off the fat because nothing kills a roast like fatty gravy that separates as you pour and eat. The easiest way to do this is by pouring the braising liquid into a fat separator with a spout like this one. If you dont have a fat separator, no fear, you can still separate the fat with a freezer bag!
To separate fat with a freezer bag:
- Add the braising liquid to the freezer bag.
- Allow the fat to separate to the top.
- Seal the bag and hold over a 2+ cup measuring cup so that one bottom corner tip is facing down into the measuring cup like a spout.
- Make a small cut in this corner with scissors. The bottom liquid will flow through the cut into the bag without the fat and into the large measuring cup.
- Stop when you reach 2 cups or the fat. Eazy peazy!
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Do You Have To Brown A Chuck Roast Before Baking
Technically, you do not have to sear roast before baking but I HIGHLY recommend it. If you dont sear your roast beforehand, you will miss out on the complex caramelized flavor that comes from the deeply golden crust. You cant fake this rich flavor any other way. Searing the chuck roasts first also helps protect it from drying out during the long cooking process by sealing in the juices. Once you sear your meat, you will never cook it any other way!
Can I Cook Roast From Frozen
- When you leave a roast in its frozen state throughout the cooking process, you disrupt multiple different phases in a bad way.
- The first factor is the total amount of time spent cooking.
- If the frozen roast is placed in any type of cooking device, the total amount of time necessary to properly cook the meat will increase since the meat must first thaw before it can be cooked all the way through.
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Tips From The Pillsbury Kitchens
- tip 1 Pot roast is traditionally prepared with an inexpensive, slightly tougher cut of meat. The slow braising tenderizes the meat for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
- tip 2 If some of your potatoes are larger, cut into quarters. Just make sure all your potato pieces are about the same size so theyll cook evenly.
- tip 3 Dried herbs and spices are more concentrated in flavor and work better than fresh for slow-cooking recipes.
- tip 4 Chopped fresh parsley, sprinkled atop roast beef with vegetables, makes a lovely garnish.
How Long Does A Frozen Roast Take To Cook
- In general, the recommended cooking time for roast beef that has been frozen is approximately fifty percent longer than the recommended cooking time for roast beef that has not been frozen.
- Therefore, to achieve a roast beef that is medium-rare, you should cook it for around 30-35 minutes per pound, but to achieve a roast beef that is medium, you should cook it for approximately 40-45 minutes per pound.
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Finishing The Roast In The Oven
What To Serve With Chuck Roast

There are many different ways to serve chuck roast.
If youre looking for a traditional meal, you can serve it with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and gravy.
For a more modern twist, you can try serving chuck roast with roasted potatoes, sauteed greens, and a side of fruit.
Chuck roast can also be served as sandwiches, tacos, or even wraps. The possibilities are endless!
No matter how you choose to serve it, chuck roast is a delicious and versatile dish that is sure to please everyone at the table.
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What Type Of Carrots Are Best Pot Roast Recipe
My favorite type of carrots for this oven pot roast recipe are medium, thicker carrots. You want to choose thicker carrots so they cook up tender but not mushy. Try and choose carrots that are relatively the same size so they cook evenly.
CAN I USE BABY CARROTS?
Baby-cut carrots that come in the bag would be my last choice for this baked roast recipe. I dont think they have nearly as much flavor when cooked or as an appealing texture. But if theyre your thing, go for it, just make sure you use thick baby carrots and not thin ones.