Name: Stovetop Pot Roast
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 4 h 30 min
Total time: 4 h 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2-3 pound chuck roast; salt and pepper; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 medium yellow onion; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1/3 cup red cooking wine; 3 cups beef broth *see note; 1 cup baby carrots or 2-3 sliced whole carrots; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; sprig each fresh thyme, rosemary, and oregano OR 1/2 teaspoon each if dried; 4 large russet potatoes

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Easy Stovetop Pot Roast is a savory comfort food recipe all made in one Dutch oven or large pot, no oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot required.

Beef roast is simmered low and slow on the stovetop with vegetables and a delectable pan sauce until it is fall apart tender. Serve with 10 minute drop biscuits, garlic cheddar biscuits, or crispy Texas toast for dipping. Believe me, it’s worth the wait!

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Pot roast is a classic American recipe where a large cut of normally tough meat such as a chuck roast is seared, then slow simmered for hours with a liquid until is is tender. The slow cooking breaks down the connective tissue in the tough meat making it so tender you can shred it with a fork.

While many people make slow cooker pot roast or use their oven, you can make it on the stovetop as well!

Best cuts of meat for pot roast

Chuck roast – this cut comes from the shoulder of the cow and is one of the more common cuts to use for pot roast

Brisket – comes from the chest of the cattle

Beef round – also described by location, top or bottom round, this cut of meat comes from the back of the leg

Ingredients

chuck roast (or alternative listed above)
salt and pepper
olive oil
onion
garlic
carrots
red wine (optional, see notes below)
beef broth
tomato paste
potatoes
rosemary
thyme
oregano
parsley for serving (optional)

Step by step

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil.
Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Use tongs to place your roast in the pot and sear 3-4 minutes per side, rotating to sear all sides of the roast.
Move the roast to a plate and tent with foil. Add onion to the Dutch oven and cook until soft, stirring often, about seven minutes.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze and release all that delicious flavor!
Add beef broth, carrots, tomato paste, and herbs. Stir to mix.
Return roast to the Dutch oven along with any juices from the plate. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 3 1/2 hours.
At the 3 1/2 hour mark cut potatoes into bite size pieces and add to the roast. Increase heat to bring to a rolling simmer. Cover and cook 25 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
Remove herb stems, shred meat, and serve garnished with parsley if desired. If you want more gravy make a batch of our pot roast gravy before serving

Variations and substitutions

if you prefer to omit the alcohol simply use beef broth to the deglazing step
you may add whole small potatoes to the roast at the beginning of the cooking time if you leave them uncut, otherwise add them only for the last 25 minutes
add diced celery when you cook the onion if desired
you can also add more vegetables to the liquid to create more of a stew: peas, green beans, and corn all work well
for a tangier version, try our Mississippi pot roast recipe

Serving suggestions

You can serve this pot roast on its own or with mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles. Want more ideas? Learn all the best options of what to serve with pot roast.

If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!