Baked pot roast is a braised beef dish made with a large, tough cut of beef like boneless chuck roast, chuck steak, shoulder steak, chuck shoulder pot roast, chuck seven-bone pot roast, beef chuck arm, rump roast, or bottom round.

These less expensive cuts of beef are seared (cooked quickly at a high temperature to retain juices in later cooking), then slow-cooked in the oven with liquid, often beef broth, and can be cooked with some tomato paste or red wine along with herbs and vegetables. 

Cooking these cuts on low heat and slowly breaks down the collagen which turns into gelatin tenderizing the meat so it’s fall-apart tender and bursting with flavor. The tender beef further releases its juices into the broth, which combines with flour to create a delicious gravy.

A Dutch oven is perfect for beef roast like this because of how heavy it is, which helps it retain and distribute heat evenly—ideal for searing meat at high heat and maintaining low-and-slow temperatures for a long time. This is my favorite one on Amazon. It sells for $46. 

If you want to use an Instant Pot instead of a roasting pan to make this comfort food, I suggest this one on Amazon for $50.

Baked Pot Roast Recipe

Baked Pot Roast Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs. boneless chuck beef
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 onion halved and sliced
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsps. olive oil 
• 2 Tbsps. corn starch
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 medium potatoes (red, yellow, or white), cut into large chunks
• 1 pound baby carrots or 6 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
  1 tsp. xanthan gum (optional) Xanthan gum is a popular food additive that’s commonly added to foods as a thickener or stabilizer.

Baked Pot Roast Directions

1. Start off by preheating the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. In a hot skillet, pour the olive oil and unsalted butter in order to sear the beef.

3. Add the beef to the hot skillet, making sure it is extremely hot.

4. Braise the beef for about five minutes per side until both sides have a golden brown color.

5. Once seared, place the beef in a large baking dish.

6. Add dry seasoning to the top of the beef.

7. Add minced garlic and chopped onions.

8. In another bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little bit of the beef broth, stirring it until you have a smooth mixture of pan juices.

9. Pour the mix on top of the beef.

10. Pour the remaining beef broth and Worcestershire Sauce into the baking dish.

11. Tightly cover it with aluminum foil and bake for one hour.

12. Remove from the oven, uncover, and surround roast with potatoes and carrots you prepped on a cutting board.

13. Return it to the oven in the pan for two to three hours or until the meat is fork-tender at the ideal internal temperature. 

14. Serve and enjoy!

Cooking Tip: To make the gravy thicker, add xanthan gum to the gravy. Allow it to heat up and thicken. Then, adjust the seasonings as needed. Finally, serve it over the pot roast.

What Goes Well With This Oven Pot Roast?

This pot roast goes well with so many sides. Aside from the carrots and potatoes that you made for this dish, you can serve the roast with mashed cauliflower, roasted broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, or any other roasted veggies you like.

You can also add a simple green salad, some fruit, and some fresh bread. However, I especially recommend serving this pot roast with tasty garlic mashed potatoes. So, while you’re at the grocery store, here are some other simple ingredients you might want to add to your list to make this easy recipe.

Bonus Recipe: Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 Tablespoon butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Oil (to taste)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes Directions

1. First, wash and peel the potatoes. 

2. Second, cut them into medium-sized pieces then transfer them to a pan, cover it with water, and a bit of salt.

3. Bring it to a boil over high heat. When it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium heat and give it about 20 minutes of cooking time, or until the potatoes are very soft (stick a fork in them to check their softness).

4. While the potatoes are cooking, peel and finely chop the garlic cloves. 

5. In a frying pan, add a dash of olive oil and minced garlic. Then saute them for one minute and set them aside.

6. Turn off the heat that was cooking the potatoes and drain the water. 

7. Put the milk in a small pot and heat it over low heat (no need to boil it). This is one of the secrets to prevent the mashed potatoes from lumping. The milk must be at the same temperature as the potatoes.

8. Add the butter and hot milk to the mashed potatoes. Season them with salt, add the sauteed garlic, and mix well. 

9. Bring the pan to a lower temperature and stir vigorously until the mashed potatoes start to bubble. 10. Serve hot and enjoy!

Cooking Tip: For an extra creamy puree, cut 3 1/2 Tbsp. of chilled butter into small cubes and whisk with the hot purée in the large pot. 

What’s the family favorite over pot roast recipe in your house? Maybe you have a classic recipe of tender dutch oven pot roast with the best cut of beef served with red potatoes and bay leaves. Find me on Instagram at @ChristinaAllDay and let me know your beef tips for a classic pot roast.