The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (2024)

by Stephanie Pass

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I love a one pot meal I can put it in the oven and forget about for a few hours, and this — the BEST Pot Roast recipe — is perfect for that. It comes out amazing every single time.

The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (1)

I grew up with my mom making a roast that my dad’s mom made, and it tasted horrible. It was like shoe leather. My dad is afraid of any meat that isn’t well done, so she would cook it to death and then slice it really thin, just like pieces of leather. The only way you could stomach it, was with a giant helping of gravy. I always dreaded dinner when I saw her working on it.

Then, I grew up, had a family, and created my own version of pot roast and this one gets raving reviews. When my family walks in the house after a long day and can smell what’s wafting from the kitchen, their mouths start watering. They immediately ask when the roast will be done. There are rarely any leftovers when I make this meal.

Table of Contents

Tips for a great Pot Roast

To start with, you need the proper cut of meat. I always make the best pot roast recipe with a chuck roast. It has fat marbled in that makes it tender. This recipe is also very versatile. You can cook it in the slow cooker in about 8 hours or make it in the oven in about 4 hours.

Sometimes I leave out the potatoes and make mashed potatoes and sometimes I just cut up big potatoes into chunks. But, my family loves the fingerling potatoes the best. I also like to add chunks of zucchini when I have it on hand. It tastes amazing roasting in those roast juices.

The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (2)

For the soup mix, I have found the Lipton Mushroom Onion soup mix makes the best version of my pot roast. But, many times I have used the Beefy Onion soup mix and just the regular Onion soup mix. Both are good, but the mushroom one just adds a little extra yum factor.

The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (3)

I have made this meal a hundred times as it’s a family favorite, and there’s a few things I’ve learned to make it amazing.

  1. Mix the soup mix with just 2 cups of water. It might not look like a lot of water, but if you use more than that, it makes the cooking process take longer. By using just 2 cups, it makes the meat and veggies fall-apart tender, and the soup mix thickens up a bit.
  2. If you have the time, this tastes way better in the oven. It tastes pretty darn good in the crock pot, but the oven method gives it something extra.
  3. Feel free to change it up and add some additional veggies. I love to throw whole cloves of roasted garlic in the mix when I have some on hand.

The BEST Pot Roast Recipe

The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (4)

The BEST Pot Roast recipe

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb chuck roast
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 pkg Mushroom Onion soup mix
  • 1 lb baby carrots
  • 1 1/2 lb fingerling potatoes

Instructions

In the Oven:

  1. Preheat oven to 275 F degrees.
  2. In dutch oven, add the roast to the middle of the pot.
  3. Put the baby carrots and fingerling potatoes around the roast as much as possible.
  4. Combine warm water and mushroom soup mix.
  5. Pour the soup mix over everything.
  6. Bake for 4 hours, until roast is tender and pulls apart easily.

Slow Cooker:

  1. Add the roast to the middle of the pot.
  2. Put the baby carrots and fingerling potatoes around the roast as much as possible.
  3. Combine warm water and mushroom soup mix.
  4. Pour the soup mix over everything.
  5. Cook on High for 6-8 hours, until roast is tender and will pull apart.

Did you make this recipe?

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16 comments

Victoria BurkeJune 14, 2013 - 3:39 pm

This is making me wish I made pot roast for dinner tonight instead of tacos.

Reply

Laura LaneJune 14, 2013 - 4:05 pm

Good gravy this looks so delicious! I think we just might need to make a pot roast this weekend!

I pinned it!

Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

Reply

MarilynJune 14, 2013 - 6:16 pm

MMMM…I have a roast in the freezer. I put mine in a crock pot for about 6 hours and it also comes out very tender. With 100 degree temperatures here in eastern Colorado, I will not turn on the oven. The air conditioner hasn’t been put in yet!! Love my carrots and potatoes in the roast broth.??

Reply

MariaJune 14, 2013 - 8:25 pm

This looks wonderful!!!! Nothing like a delicious “melt in your mouth” pot roast!!! One of my favorite comfort foods!

Reply

JillJune 16, 2013 - 3:28 pm

Yummy! That sure does look good!
Just stopped by to let you know that I featured your t-shirt yarn trivets on my round tuit post this week!
Round Tuit 158
Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success

Reply

Cindy JamiesonJune 18, 2013 - 6:06 am

That looks SO good! Thank you so much for sharing at Simple Supper Tuesday. It’s so great to see new faces, sharing wonderful food!

Reply

Fawn WeaverJune 18, 2013 - 11:32 am

Oh yum!! That looks delish!

Reply

anyonita greenJune 18, 2013 - 3:47 pm

It’s good to see I’m not the only one who loves loads of carrots! 🙂 Every time I make pot roast my husband asks if I’m secretly feeding rabbits with all the carrots I throw in! lol. This looks stunning! 🙂 I followed you here from the Marvelous Mondays link party. Also, I’d like to invite you to come link up with me at my link party! I’d love it if you could stop by & link up some of your recipes! Here’s the link: http://anyonitanibbles.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/tasty-tuesdays-15-9-recipes-youll-love.html

Reply

Kim HoodJune 18, 2013 - 5:02 pm

This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I look forward to this pot roast melting in my mouth. 🙂
His blessings,
Kim @ Curtain Queen

Reply

BeBetsyJune 18, 2013 - 5:28 pm

It’s just like our mom use to make and we loved it!

So glad you linked up with us at the BeBetsy BRAG ABOUT IT Link and Hop.

We’d love it if you would link back to BeBetsy at the bottom of your post. xo http://bebetsy.com

Have a great week~
Sharon and Denise!

Reply

Virginia Megin GallagherJune 19, 2013 - 7:46 am

Stephanie,
This looks sooo good! I love the tip with the cornstarch ~ I’ve never tried that (genius!) Thank you so much for Linking Up at Brag About It @VMG206 this week. We are so happy to have you join us!
~ Megin of VMG206
Please Link Up at my NEW party!! Open NOW (Sat thru Fri) @ DIY Showcase Link Party

Reply

Kristin KingJune 22, 2013 - 7:47 am

Oh yum, this looks so good! I know what you mean about the potatoes…I always wondered why every pot roast recipes calls for potatoes in with the roast! I would much rather have them on the side like you! Definitely going to try this recipe.

Thanks for linking up with us at Tasty Tuesdays!
Kristin @ http://www.DizzyBusyandHungry.com

Reply

Diane | An Extraordinary DayJune 22, 2013 - 9:28 pm

I’m a huge fan of pot roast and yours looks delicious!!
Thanks for sharing at Monday Funday Link Party!
Hope your week is extraordinary!

Reply

JessJune 23, 2013 - 6:05 pm

This is awesome! I love one dish dinners like this – all I add is some biscuits and we are set. 🙂 My family is addicted to carrots, so I will definitely need the 1.5lbs – maybe 2. 😉 Pinning this right now!

I co-hosted Tasty Tuesdays this past week and wanted to thank you for linking up! Hope to see you again this week. 🙂

Reply

shelbyApril 25, 2014 - 3:59 pm

We love pot roast. Grumpy’s brother loves it to and his first request he ever made of me was to make him one. 🙂

Reply

rachidiAugust 4, 2018 - 8:30 am

This looks wonderful!!!! Nothing like a delicious “melt in your mouth” pot roast!!! One of my favorite comfort foods!

Reply

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The BEST Pot Roast Recipe | The TipToe Fairy (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pot roast more flavorful? ›

A little tomato paste, generous amount carrots to sweeten, garlic, onions, thyme, and rosemary to add flavor the roast. I love root vegetables like add parsnips, or white turnips and may add them for complex unique taste. Roast slowly on low heat in oven for a few hours until tender.

What makes pot roast better? ›

The best meat for pot roast is a beef cut with abundant connective tissue, like chuck roast, beef brisket or bottom round roast. This connective tissue called collagen is what makes pot roast melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Does pot roast get more tender the longer it cooks? ›

Yes, pot roast absolutely becomes more tender the longer it cooks. Roasts are generally made from tougher cuts of meat, such as chuck or brisket, which contain a lot of collagen, connective tissue, and fat. These tougher tissues require a long cooking time to break down and for the collagen to converts into gelatin.

How do you keep a pot roast from getting tough? ›

A surefire way to make a tender, juicy pot roast is through braising; that is, cooking the meat in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pot at low temperature. Stove top roast recipes can be customized with your choice of herbs, vegetables, potatoes, and liquid braising mixtures.

Should I brown my roast before putting it in the CrockPot? ›

1. Browning Is Better. Slow cooker recipes don't always instruct you to brown meat before adding it to the pot, but there are some advantages to doing so. If you sear meat to a crusty brown with a little oil in a hot skillet, the meat develops more complex flavors and improves the dish.

Should you season pot roast before cooking? ›

Season the roast for at least 40 minutes and up to overnight before cooking. If you have the time, you should always strive to get your roast seasoned the night before roasting to let the flavor really sink in.

When should I add potatoes to pot roast? ›

Cover and cook for 3 hours, or until the roast is very tender. Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot when there's about an hour of cooking time left, turning the roast over when you do. To serve, spoon any excess fat off the surface and slice or shred the beef to serve with the veggies, drizzled with sauce.

Should pot roast be submerged in liquid? ›

Ultimately, it depends on your preferences and the flavor profile you're aiming to build in your roast, so have fun with it, and don't be afraid to be bold. Just remember there is no need to fully submerge your roast in liquid -- a little goes a long way to making a moist and fork-tender pot roast.

How do you keep a pot roast moist and tender? ›

Whether you cook your pot roast using a stovetop, oven, slow cooker, or pressure cooker method, you'll always get the most tender and flavorful results if you use low temperatures over a long period of time. That's what it takes to melt down the tough connective tissue in the meat until you can cut it with a fork.

Is pot roast better in oven or crock pot? ›

It's delicious both ways. If you want to give your crock-pot a whirl, here's a slow cooker pot roast recipe for you. But pot roast is plenty easy to make in the oven! You do all the browning and roasting all in the same pot and it requires less time than in a slow cooker roast.

Should I flip my pot roast over? ›

Should I Flip My Roast In The Slow Cooker?: There is no need to flip meat in a crock pot. In fact, I don't recommend trying it because it will be more hassle than it's worth. While it can be tempting to flip a roast in the name of even cooking, the crock pot takes care of that for you.

Why is my roast still tough after 8 hours? ›

There are several reasons why this could have happened even after so much cooking. First, your choice of a rump roast could be a factor since cuts from the hind quarter are very muscular and, since muscles are the most resistant to breaking, this cut is quite stubborn when it comes to becoming tender.

What is a good tenderizer for roast? ›

Marinate the meat.

Acidic ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and even yogurt have a low pH that can assist in tenderizing your beef.

Why are my potatoes still hard in the crockpot? ›

Insufficient Liquid: If there wasn't enough liquid in the crockpot, it could have caused uneven cooking. Potatoes need to be fully submerged in liquid to cook evenly. Old Potatoes: Very old or stored potatoes can become starchy and may not soften as well during cooking. It's best to use fresh, firm potatoes.

Can you overcook pot roast in a slow cooker? ›

Is it possible to overcook a roast or other dishes in a crock pot on low heat for several hours? - Quora. Yes, it is possible to overcook a roast or other dishes in a crockpot, even when using the low heat setting for an extended period.

How do you make a pot roast less bland? ›

Instead of deglazing the pan with broth or water after browning the meat, use an acidic liquid to bring out the richness of the beef and give the meal a more complex taste. If you do use broth to deglaze the pan, or add a little for some additional cooking liquid, use a low-sodium option and salt the meal to taste.

What to season your roast with? ›

A basic roast beef rub can include a combination of the following ingredients:
  1. Salt.
  2. Pepper (freshly cracked is best)
  3. Garlic powder or minced garlic.
  4. Onion powder.
  5. Dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, and oregano.
  6. Olive oil or melted butter for basting.

How do you spice up a roast? ›

Add some more zing to your favorite cut with a paste rub, by combining your dry rub with a small amount of liquid. You can use water, oil, or a more flavorful ingredient such as lemon juice, tomatoes, soy sauce or apple cider. Apply rub to the beef's surface just before roasting.

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