Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Dutch oven pot roast with carrots and potatoes gets juicy and fork tender right from the oven. If you have time to skip the slow cooker, it’s worth it for a melt in your mouth meal you’ll be happy to serve again and again.
Jump to Recipe
If you’ve been around here any length of time, you know that I’m not a slow cooker person. I won’t rant–but just know that it doesn’t produce the kind of food we enjoy.
And it seems like the #1 food people want to make in a slow cooker is a pot roast. And a lot of pull it off. I’ve tried it but my meat comes out so dry at the end. Yes, it’s tender on some occasions but what’s the trade off? The meat has just been cooked to death.
Why choose a dutch oven over a slow cooker for pot roast
Dutch ovens are made from cast iron and retain and distribute heat really evenly. Plus the tight fitting lid allows moisture to stay inside for the most part and with a few tricks, makes the juiciest pot roast you’ve ever had.
Plan ahead for this dutch oven pot roast
This recipe probably won’t be something you make on a week night if you’re terribly busy–but save it for a weekend, or if you happen to have a snow day at home and you’ll be so glad you put it together.
This roast takes 3 or so hours to cook in your oven.
Add those carrots and potatoes in the last hour of cooking and they are so soft when you’re ready to eat that they beg for a light mash with a little butter and salt.
Perfection.
What cut of beef is best for pot roast?
I almost always choose a chuck roast. Its marbling means the fat slowly melts during cooking and helps ensure the meat stays tender.
Other cuts that can work include a rump or round roast. They just don’t have the same marbling and are a bit tougher than chuck roasts so they may need a slightly longer cook time. Just cook it until a fork inserted in the meat will twist easily.
What’s the difference between pot roast and roast beef?
The pot roast method is different from that used to cook more tender cuts of beef such as “roast beef” (often top round or top sirloin) or prime rib.
Although both methods involve cooking relatively large pieces of meat until tender, there is a distinction in how it’s done.
Pot roast is cooked covered for hours at a low temperature until the meat softens, not until it reaches a specific temperature.
Roast beef, on the other hand, is cooked uncovered until a meat thermometer inserted into the beef reads a specific temperature.
In other words, roast beef requires you to cook to a specific doneness while pot roast requires you to cook to a certain level of tenderness. Make sense?
Should pot roast be submerged in liquid?
When making a pot roast, the meat does not need to be completely submerged but you do want the cooking liquid to come at least ¾ of the way up the roast. Some choose to use beef broth while some choose to use water.
Either will do. Note that, if you do decide to use water, you will want to season a bit more heavily.
Regardless of your choice, you will end up with a delicious, rich beef broth at the end. I love saving mine and using it for soup and stews.
Tips for a top-notch dutch oven pot roast
- Use a heavy cast iron dutch oven with a lid. This one is my favorite, or a good quality oven-safe pot with a tight lid. Just covering your meat in aluminum foil won’t work.
- Sear your meat first over high heat to start the browning process. Browning meat equals flavor and we need that.
- Add carrots and potatoes to the pot during the last 45 minutes to an hour of cook time so they absorb the broth and get good and soft.
When adding beef broth, know this
You can just use water on your roast if you want to. It will make its own wonderful beef broth as it simmers, but beef broth can be used too.
Choose a broth without additives, MSG or flavorings and never, ever use bouillon cubes or powders. They are so salty you could ruin your roast with them.
>>This is not a rare roast beef recipe. Please take note.<<
I’ve gotten a bit of hate mail from some confused home cooks who make this and then yell that their roast is overcooked at the halfway point.
This is not oven roasted rare roast beef and at no point should you be taking its temperature.
This is a pot roast that’s braised–a technique that uses moisture and long cook times to break down tough cuts of meat like a chuck roast until it falls apart. If you want a rare roast beef, you want a recipe like this one.
Ingredients you can add for a pot roast flavor boost
A pot roast can handle a variety of different flavors. Try these options:
- Swap part of the beef broth for red wine. Never use cooking wines.
- Add herbs like thyme or rosemary. If you want to use these, put them in during the last hour of cooking or the heat destroys the essential oils and their flavor.
- Toss in whole garlic cloves for a hint of flavor.
- Baby or pearl onions are a simple addition. Buy a bag of the frozen ones and add them with the carrots and potatoes.
- Swap the root vegetables for parsnips, turnips or sweet potatoes.
How to store leftover pot roast
If you find yourself with leftovers, allow the pot roast to cool completely before sealing it in an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
When you are ready to enjoy, reheat the desired portion on the stovetop over medium heat or in the oven, covered, at 300 degrees F until heated through.
I recommend adding a dash of beef broth, in either case, to help keep things moist.
To freeze
You can also freeze leftover pot roast. After the meat has cooled completely, separate it from the veggies, shred it, transfer it to a ziplock bag or an airtight container, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I do not recommend freezing the veggies as they will not reheat well.
When you are ready to enjoy the pot roast, reheat it as you would from refrigerated. Just tack on a bit of extra time.
What to serve with pot roast made in a dutch oven
Rolls are a staple with this recipe. Try one of these versions:
- Classic 100 year old yeast rolls
- Small batch yeast rolls
- No yeast dinner rolls
- One hour rosemary hot mix rolls
We love a horseradish cream sauce with our roasts. This one is a favorite though sometimes my recipe is as simple as some mayonnaise and ground horseradish. 😉
Dutch Oven Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups beef broth
- 3 large russet potatoes peeled and sliced into 1-inch wedges
- 5 large carrots peeled and sliced into 1-inch thick pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Put your dutch oven on the stove and heat it over high heat about 5 minutes to sear the meat. (Please watch your pot and monitor the heat. Your pot may only need 3 minutes or 4. Y'all stop trying to burn your houses down because I said 5 minutes) Add the oil and season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides. Add it to the pan. It should sizzle immediately.
- Reduce the heat to medium high, and let the meat sear on one side 5 minutes, then flip. Add the onions and cook 5 minutes more.
- Add the beef broth to the pot--it should come about halfway up the side of the meat.
- Cover and bake an hour and a half, then check the liquid in the pot. Add a cup or so of extra water if needed.
- Reduce the heat to 350 and bake an additional hour, and then add the carrots and potatoes. Bake covered 45 minutes longer or until the meat is tender and the potatoes and carrots are soft.
Can a roaster that has a lid be used for this pot roast ?
Hi Teresa,
I’ve not tested this recipe in anything but a cast iron dutch oven so if you want to test it you can. I own a roaster and personally find them to be too thin and flimsy for the job. You’d have to check the liquid level around your roast more often just to make sure it doesn’t evaporate away with the longer cook time, but you are welcome to try it if you want to. –Rachel
Success! I made it for my 89 year old dad I am care giver for and he liked it better than the crockpot versions I have been feeding him. My success was more in not dropping the dutch oven on the glass top stove or glass oven door 🙂
Oh yes Lisa–it’s so much better than anything a slow cooker could ever produce. And you’re right about those dutch ovens getting heavy. They can really be beasts. I’m glad your stove survived. 😉 –Rachel
I have a caste Iron uncoated Dutch oven. Is there anything wrong with using a natural caste iron?
No Francesca there’s not. The only issue with traditional cast iron is remembering not to slow cook tomatoes or ingredients with tomatoes in it in them for more than 30 minutes. You should be just fine with this recipe as it’s written. –Rachel
Thank you so much for the recipe! Best pot roast ever! This comes from a true southerner born and raised!
Just made this pot roast for dinner. I followed the instructions to the letter and it came out perfect. Juicy and tender. Thank you.
I am planning a 5 lb. Chuck Roast tomorrow. How much extra cook time should I plan. I have all day, so I don’t care.
Hey Will, I’d say just until you can stick a fork in it and twist it easily– 3 1/2 to 4 hours probably but just check it every hour or so until it gets there. –Rachel
Because Dutch ovens do such a great job of retaining heat, using them on medium-high or high heat is actually too hot. The pot can scorch if it’s this hot and food can burn and actually stick to the surface. Cooking at medium heat is more than sufficient for the pot. Always cook on medium or low heat, even when frying or searing. Use high heat only when boiling a full pot of water, or reducing a stock or sauce.
Hey Greg, thanks for your thoughts.
So what temperature should you use for the oven for the Dutch oven pot? Is 375 considered high heat?
Sandy
Sandy I think Greg is referencing when you are using your dutch oven stove top. If you are cooking in your oven there will be food or other liquid in yours and it you can easily bake at any high temperature you choose. –Rachel
Thank you Rachel.
I love cooking with enamel covered cast iron. Greg is right you have to be really careful when cooking on top of the stove but once your pan has reached the right temp it seems to me your cast iron does all the rest of the cooking to perfection.The oven is wonderful for this.My pot roast was so yummy tender and so easy to prepare.Thank you for the recipe.I will be cooking many more.Veggie Beef soup is next.Thanl you.
…my son bought me a nice pressure cooker, but I am afraid of it. (after seeing my moms explode i’m very leery of it) . i’m trying your recipie tomorrow for sunday dinner.
Well if you are worried about the pressure cooker Therysa, don’t be. The new ones are great and when used correctly won’t give you any trouble like the old school ones (which usually only exploded if their pressure vents were clogged). I’m sure you’ll like it when you try it. I personally hate them though! LOL. The food they make is so gross. I know you’ll love the dutch oven much better and I hope your roast is great.–Rachel
Hands down one of the best dinners I have ever made. Will have this one on repeat!
Absolutely delicious! FINALLY, melt in your mouth pot roast! Appreciated the reviewers’ comments about using a fork to determine “doneness” .. the fork plunged into the meat should begin to shred the meat if it is done enough. Made some small adjustments which worked well … due to time constraints, did not turn down the oven after the 1.5 hour check; instead, at that check, added red wine, turned over the meat, and cooked for another hour. It was done at the second check (the additional hour in), where I removed the meat from the Dutch Oven, and added into the remaining sauce: mushrooms I’d sauteed in butter, olive oil, salt, and herbs de provence, and a few splashes of heavy cream. I simmered that combo over low heat while stirring then spooned it over the meat I’d served in bowls over elbow pasta. My husband and 11 year-old son loved it. Restaurant quality! Next time I’ll buy a larger chuck roast for leftovers!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lisa! Way to make it your own. –Rachel