Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Classic Pot Roast
A deeply browned roast with tender carrots makes a generous dinner to share. The slow-cooked beef pulls apart into the savory broth, ready for a little extra sauce over each helping.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 210 min
- Total
- 240 min
- Original yield
- Serves 8
- Ingredients
- 14 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Dinner · Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Baking · Baked & roasted · Roasting
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 16–30 minutes · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Season and pause
Season the roast all over and leave uncovered for the stated hour before beginning the sear and oven cooking.
2. Brown every side
Sear in hot but nonsmoking oil until golden on all sides, then remove the roast before softening onion and garlic.
3. Reduce wine before broth
After cooking tomato paste, add wine and scrape the pot bottom, letting about a quarter evaporate before the stock goes in.
Get to know the ingredients
Chuck roast
The recipe uses a five-pound chuck roast, with tenderness judged by how easily it pulls apart with two forks after oven cooking.
Large carrot pieces
Peel and cut carrots into two-inch pieces before adding them with the roast to the seasoned beef stock for covered baking.
Thyme choice
Fresh thyme sprigs or the listed teaspoon of dried thyme are both allowed, added with stock, parsley and bay leaves.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 8. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 7 steps completeMake room for Classic Pot Roast
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Shred with the broth
Remove and shred the cooked beef, then return to the broth if desired or serve with a thickened version of the sauce.
A little more help as you go
More time for tough beef
If the roast still seems tough at the end, the directions allow another thirty minutes in the oven before checking again.
Keep sauce components warm
For thickening, remove the meat and vegetables and keep warm while you finish the simmering sauce with the chosen thickener.
A few questions you might have
How do I thicken with cornstarch?
Whisk two tablespoons each of cornstarch and water, stir into the simmering cooking liquid and simmer a few minutes until thickened.
Is flour an alternative thickener?
You can use a paste of two tablespoons each melted butter and flour, added gradually to the simmering liquid until thick enough.
What temperature range should I check for tender beef?
Check for an internal reading of 200 to 210°F and beef that pulls apart easily.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Freeze airtight for up to three months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove.
How long can I refrigerate the roast?
Keep cooked roast-dinner leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Any more cooking tips?
How Long to Cook Pot Roast in the Oven: Bake until the internal temperature on an instant-read thermometer reaches 200-210˚F. For a 3 lb roast, bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours For a 4 lb roast, bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours For a 5-6 lb roast, bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours How to Thicken the Sauce: Once the roast is done, remove the meat and vegetables from the pot, keeping them warm, then use one of the following 2 methods to thicken the sauce: Option 1: Cornstarch & Water – Whisk 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Bring the liquid in the pot to a simmer, stir in cornstarch slurry and simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Option 2: Flour and butter – Melt 2 Tbsp butter and mash in 2 Tbsp flour to make a paste then add it to the simmering liquid a little at a time to reach your desired sauce thickness. Storage – Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then reheat on the stovetop.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: natashaskitchen.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
