An oven pot roast provides a fall-apart tender and beefy one-pot meal with celery, carrots, and potatoes smothered in a delectable gravy. Always ideal for Sunday dinner with the whole family or easy weeknight meal prep.
Nothing beats a good beefy recipe for comfort food and beautiful memories shared with loved ones. And a classic pot roast is one of those recipes that everyone can agree on.
African roasts are almost always heavy on the tomatoes and have some kind of groundnut sauce. So when I moved to the States and we started experimenting with American food, I was surprised (in a good way). Variety is the spice of life, right?
Which Roasts Work Best
Braising a roast in a pot turns cheaper tough cuts of meat into a melt-in-your-mouth tender meal. Tough cuts that are heavily marbled with plenty of connective tissue provide the best for slow cooking because the low heat and moisture melt them into juicy, tender beef.
Those cuts include chuck (the best), brisket (slices better for sandwiches), and bottom round and rump roast (leaner, but can become dry). Honestly, a leg of lamb also works great.
How to Make a Pot Roast in the Oven
- Season and sear the roast.
- Sauté the vegetables, deglaze the pan, add the liquids, place the roast on top, and braise for 3-5 hours (depending on the size of the roast).
Recipe Notes
- You can leave the flour out or use cornstarch and replace the Worcestershire sauce with a gluten-free tamari sauce if you need a gluten-free version.
- Count on around an hour per pound of meat. A 4-pound roast will take a good 4 hours to braise at 275℉ (135℃).
- Making bone broth has become the latest rage. Not a bad thing, though. I like to make bone broth concentrate, then use a tablespoon of the concentrate instead of something with MSG in it.
- Let the roast rest at least 10 minutes before slicing it so it can firm up and hold in its juices.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
Making this the day before lets the flavors develop even more. You can reheat it in the oven for a fast dinner.
It will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days or the freezer for 3-4 months. The potatoes get a weird texture when frozen, so if that bothers you, freeze the meat and gravy separately. We love leftovers in sandwiches and stews.
Pot Roast Sides
While this is a one-pot meal, you can absolutely add dinner rolls to sop up the amazing gravy. A Greek salad and spicy green beans lighten things up. Finish up with an apple cobbler and vanilla ice cream for dessert.
More Tasty Beef Recipes
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was first published in March 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, delicious photos, and a video.