This Easy Stovetop Pot Roast is a true comfort food classic. A tender, fall-apart chuck roast is slow-cooked with carrots, potatoes, and a rich, savory sauce all in one pot. It's Sunday dinner worthy with very little hands-on effort.
What's great about this recipe
- No need for separate side dishes. The vegetables cook right alongside the meat. Just add a piece of crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Fall-apart tender results every time using an affordable cut of beef.
- It's mostly hands-off. Brown the roast, set it to simmer, and let it do its thing for 3 hours.
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Ingredients you'll need
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- Chuck Pot Roast - The star of this recipe. A 3 to 3½ pound boneless chuck roast becomes incredibly tender and flavorful when slow-cooked.
- Seasoning - Salt and black pepper to season the roast.
- Oil - Olive oil for browning the meat and building flavor (substitute your favorite oil with a moderate to high smoke point).
- Aromatics - Onion, celery, and garlic create a base for the sauce.
- Tomato Paste - Adds rich depth to the sauce.
- Herbs - Dried thyme, rosemary, and oregano bring classic pot roast flavor.
- Red Wine - Helps deglaze the pan and adds wonderful flavor (substitute with extra beef broth if preferred).
- Beef Broth - Forms the cooking liquid that turns into a delicious sauce.
- Produce - Carrots and small red potatoes. Small red potatoes cook perfectly whole and hold their shape with the long cooking time.
You will also need: A large, heavy pot with a lid (such as a 7-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven).
📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make stovetop pot roast
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper. Add the roast to the hot oil and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned.
Turn and brown the other side for another 5-6 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, remove the roast and set it on a pan or plate. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
Do not wipe or wash the pot. Place it back over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add the red wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated, about 1-2 minutes.
Return the roast and any collected juices to the pot. Pour in enough beef broth to come halfway up the side of the roast. Arrange the carrots and small red potatoes around the meat. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and cook for approximately 3 hours, or until the roast is fall-apart tender.
cook's note
Keep the liquid at a simmer, adjust the heat as needed. Check on the roast every ½ hour or so, especially after raising or lowering the heat to make sure the liquid is simmering how we want it.
Serve the pot roast with the carrots and potatoes and enjoy!
Recipe tips and notes
- Let the meat sit out of the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the ingredients, provided that it's cool in your kitchen.
- Choose small red potatoes and keep them whole. Cutting them causes them to break down during the long cook time.
- Don't skip browning the roast. It adds a lot of flavor to the final dish.
- If you don't cook with wine, substitute with beef broth.
Frequently asked questions
Boneless chuck roast is the most popular and reliable choice. It becomes incredibly tender after slow cooking. Other good options include 7-bone roast or brisket.
The secret is browning the roast well before braising it, then cooking it low and slow. Searing the meat creates deep flavor, while the long, gentle simmer breaks down the connective tissue, turning a tough cut into fall-apart tender perfection.
The roast is ready when it falls apart easily when pulled with a fork or when a fork can be inserted and twisted with very little resistance.
Storing instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe bags or airtight containers. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet with a splash of broth or water until steaming hot.
Food safety: Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F). Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you enjoyed this easy stovetop pot roast, try one of our other low and slow cooked favorites. These braised short ribs are incredibly tender and flavorful. Our oven roasted pork butt is a popular choice that's perfect for holidays and gatherings. You also can't go wrong with our Cuban roast pork or the comforting pork pot roast.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Stovetop Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 - 3½ pound Chuck Pot Roast Boneless
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Onion finely diced
- 1 Celery Rib Diced
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Dried Rosemary
- ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ cup Red Wine
- 2-3 cups Beef Broth
- 2-3 Carrots cut into ½ inch rounds (about 1 - 1½ cups)
- 1 pound Small Red Potatoes
Instructions
- Trim any large pieces of fat from around the roast.
- Let the meat sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, provided that it's cool in your kitchen.
- Season the roast with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
- When the oil is hot, add the chuck pot roast. Cook the meat for 5-6 minutes, or until browned.
- Turn the roast and cook for another 5-6 minutes until it's browned on both sides.
- Take the pot off the heat. Remove the roast from the pot and place on a pan or a large platter. Keep the meat warm by loosely covering it with aluminum foil and/or place it in the microwave or oven.
- Do not wash the pot. Place it back over medium heat. Add the onions and the celery to the pot. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Next, add the garlic, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary and oregano to the pot. Stir the ingredients well to combine and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add the red wine to the pot and stir while gently scrapping any bits off the bottom of the pot. Continue cooking until most of the wine has cooked out, about 1-2 minutes.
- Return the roast to the pot, along with any juices collected.
- Add enough beef broth to cover the pot roast by half. The broth should be halfway up the thickest part of the roast.
- Arrange the potatoes and the carrots around the roast.
- Allow the beef broth to come to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
- Cook the pot roast for approximately 3 hours or until it falls apart when a fork is inserted and twisted. Keep the liquid at a simmer. If it's boiling too vigorously, lower the heat a bit. If it's not simmering, raise it.
- Check on the roast every ½ hour or so, especially after raising or lowering the heat to make sure the liquid is simmering how we want it.
- Serve the pot roast with the carrots and potatoes.
Notes
- For the potatoes, try to choose small red potatoes and avoid cutting them in half or quarters. With the long cooking time the whole potatoes will hold their shape, but if they are cut they will fall apart.
- If you don't drink wine or don't have any on hand, use beef broth instead and follow the same instructions.
- Make sure to use a pot that's large enough to fit the roast and arrange the carrots and potatoes around it.
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
Veronica
Thank you for giving me the confidence to make the pot roast in my cast iron pan! I didn't have any large pots and wanted an easy prep meal. It is delicious! Falls apart like you said! Definitely will make again soon; it's so easy! I may have seared on too high a heat, because the kitchen was filled with smoke after. I seared both sides on high for 4 minutes with lots of butter and splashed bone broth whenever it would start smoking too much. I used black pepper, coarse salt, honey, and minced onion as seasoning. I'm not sure how long I cooked it for, It was somewhere between 3 to 4 hours. I let the roast rest for about 30 minutes before searing. I put in medium sized gold potatoes and half water half bone broth before simmering. I had an issue with drying out my roast with other cooking methods, so I'm happy I finally found one where it stays moist.
Linda
The Stovetop Pot Roast was the ultimate comfort food for a snowy winter day and so easy! I found your site when searching for a recipe and very happy that I did. Thank you, Elizabeth!
Elizabeth
Thank you Linda, it is my pleasure! Happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Beverly
I have tried fixing roast for years with no luck never tender enough this was absolutely DELICIOUS DELICIOUS!! Thank you so much!
Elizabeth
Hi Beverly, I'm so happy to hear that! Glad you enjoyed it.
Greg
I have made this dish over ten times and as much as I try I can't improve it.
One thing I do differently is I add the vegetables after simmering the meat for about two hours. Two more hours of cooking and it is done! AND it is AWESOME!
Elizabeth
Hi Greg, That is great to hear! Glad you enjoy it.