Tender and juicy, this Dutch oven pot roast transforms an affordable cut of meat into a delicious comfort food dinner. The beef slowly bakes with potatoes and carrots for an easy one pot meal. Your whole family will love this classic Sunday supper!
If you’re looking for more Dutch oven favorites, try our Dutch Oven Beef Stew or Dutch Oven Pork Roast (with Gravy). You’ll find even more hearty one-pot meals in our Cast Iron and Dutch Oven Recipes collection.
Photography by BEA MORENO.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
- Use a heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Cast iron retains heat evenly and the sealed lid traps moisture for the juiciest roast. Aluminum foil doesn’t create the same effect. If you’re in the market for a new Dutch oven, check out this helpful roundup of the best Dutch ovens you can buy.
- Choose a boneless chuck roast (3-4 lbs). Chuck has great marbling that becomes tender when braised low and slow. You can use bone-in chuck if available (adds flavor), brisket, or round roast, but cooking times may vary.
- If your roast is tough, it’s undercooked. Put it back in the oven to continue braising. Tougher or larger cuts need more time for the fibers to break down.
- Don’t overcook. Braising too long (especially at higher temps or in slow cookers) can dry out the meat. Check for doneness starting around 2.5 hours and pull it when fork-tender.
- Sear the roast for maximum flavor. Browning creates a caramelized crust that adds rich, deep flavor to the finished dish. Don’t skip this step.
Just made this today and it was phenomenal. I’ve made pot roasts before but always used a slow cooker, and they always came out dry, even though I used the Low setting…Definitely making again.
– John
How to Make Dutch Oven Pot Roast
The oven does most of the work for this easy one-pot meal!
Step 1: Sear the Roast
Dredge the beef in seasoned flour and brown it in oil and butter in a large Dutch oven on the stove top.
Dredging the meat in the flour before browning adds body to the finished sauce. Searing locks in juices and creates caramelized bits (fond) that add incredible depth to your gravy.
Remove the meat to a plate.
** Pro Tip: Pat the roast completely dry before dredging. Moisture prevents proper browning.
Step 2: Deglaze the Pot and Sauté the Vegetables
Pour one cup of the beef broth into the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. These browned bits add great flavor to the liquid in the pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot, cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes.
** Quick Note: Those browned bits on the bottom aren’t burnt; they’re flavor gold. Scrape them all up.
Step 3: Add Liquids and Aromatics
Once the onions are translucent, place the roast on top of the vegetables, add the remaining broth, red wine, fresh herbs, and bay leaves. The red wine adds depth of flavor, but you can sub with additional beef broth when necessary.
** Pro Tip: A splash of Worcestershire or balsamic vinegar adds complexity.
Wine vs. Broth
- What red wine does: Adds depth, richness, and subtle acidity that balances the beef’s richness. Dry red wines (like Cabernet, Merlot, or Pinot Noir) work best.
- When to use broth instead: If you prefer to skip alcohol or don’t have wine on hand, use an equal amount of beef broth or stock. The roast will still be delicious; just slightly less complex in flavor.
- Pro Tip: If using wine, let it simmer for 2-3 minutes before covering to cook off the raw alcohol taste.
Step 4: Braise Low and Slow at 275°F
Season liberally with salt and pepper, cover the Dutch oven, and bake in a 275°F oven for 2 hours. We use 275°F instead of the more common 325-350°F. This lower temp takes a bit longer but ensures the meat stays incredibly moist and tender without drying out.
** Quick Note: Higher temps (325-350°F) work too and cut cooking time by 30-45 minutes, but watch closely to avoid drying.
** Pro Tip: If the top of the roast looks dry, baste it once or twice during cooking.
Plan for about 3-3.5 hours total for a 3 lb. roast.
Step 5: Add Potatoes
While the beef is in the oven, peel and dice the potatoes. We wait to stir the potatoes into the pot towards the end of the cooking time (after the first 2 hours) so that they don’t get too mushy.
** Pro Tip: Yukon golds don’t need peeling and hold their shape well.
** Quick Note: If the liquid reduces too much during cooking, add ½ cup more broth.
Delicious! Love that this recipe calls for putting the potatoes in toward the end – they were the perfect texture!
– Monica
Step 6: Check for Doneness
Cover the pot again and return it to the oven to continue baking for an additional 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the roast is done. The roast is done when it pulls apart easily with a fork and registers 195-205°F internally. It should feel tender, not tough or rubbery. That’s the point where it practically melts in your mouth!
** Quick Note: The meat is done when the fibers separate easily, the meat has a slight shred when pulled, and the color is a deep brown throughout (not pink or gray).
** Time-per-pound guidance: Approximately 1 hour per pound at 275°F, but use visual and texture cues as your best guide.
Making Gravy from Pan Drippings
- After removing the roast and vegetables, strain the liquid from the pot.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Gradually whisk in 1-1.5 cups of the strained drippings until smooth.
- Simmer 1-2 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- Quick Note: If the gravy is too thin, simmer longer. If too thick, add more drippings or broth.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the beef, potatoes, and vegetables with a homemade gravy and rice or egg noodles, if you’d like. On the side, try Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, cathead biscuits, Southern cornbread, Southern-style green beans, or coleslaw. Then, add a chocolate bundt cake using cake mix for dessert!
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Prep Ahead and Reheat: If you prepare the roast a day ahead, cover and refrigerate it overnight. The next day, skim off any solidified fat and reheat it gently in a warm oven or over low heat on the stovetop.
- Store leftover pot roast in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Wrapped tightly, you can freeze the leftovers. Freeze the sliced beef in its gravy for best results. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop or in a 300°F oven. I don’t recommend freezing the cooked vegetables or potatoes; however. They tend to have a mushy and watery texture when thawed.
- How to Use Leftovers: Make pot roast sandwiches on crusty bread, a beef and vegetable skillet hash, tacos, or nachos with the leftover shredded beef.
This recipe was delicious. I have made pot roast a variety of ways, but this recipe had a lot of flavor and my family really enjoyed it!!! This will be on my winter rotation for sure!!!
– Mary
Recipe Variations
- Omit the potatoes in your pot, and instead serve the finished dish over a plate of sour cream mashed potatoes instead.
- Most grocery stores sell boneless chuck roasts that weigh about 3 pounds. Those are perfect for this recipe! I have also used a 4-lb. bone-in chuck roast from a local farm, which requires about the same cooking time as a 3-lb. boneless roast. The bone adds a lot of rich flavor to the juices in the pot, but the bone-in chuck roasts are harder to find in stores. If you use larger boneless roasts (such as 4-5 lbs.), you’ll need to increase the cooking time by about 1 hour.
- This recipe is optimized for Dutch oven braising. For slow cooker or pressure cooker methods, try slow cooker pot roast with Coke instead.”
- Swap or add other root vegetables like parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes along with (or instead of) the carrots and potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does pot roast take in a Dutch oven?
Plan for about 1 hour per pound at 275°F. A 3-lb roast takes approximately 3-3.5 hours total. The roast is done when it’s fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
What temperature is best for Dutch oven pot roast?
This recipe uses 275°F for the moistest, most tender results. You can use 325-350°F to save 30-45 minutes, but watch closely to avoid drying out the meat.
Do I have to sear the roast first?
Searing isn’t mandatory, but it’s highly recommended. Browning the meat creates a flavorful crust and develops fond (browned bits) that enrich your gravy and the entire dish.
Why is my pot roast tough and chewy?
It’s undercooked. Return it to the oven and continue braising until it’s fork-tender. Tougher cuts or larger roasts need more time for the connective tissue to break down.
Can I make this ahead?
Absolutely. Prepare the roast up to 1 day ahead, refrigerate overnight, skim off solidified fat, and reheat gently before serving.
Related Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Dutch Oven Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (3 lb.) boneless chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 large ribs celery, cut into ½-inch crescents
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups beef broth, divided
- ½ cup red wine (or additional beef broth)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or ¼ teaspoon dried)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Mix the flour with a generous amount of salt and pepper on a sheet of waxed paper. Pat the roast dry; dredge it in the flour mixture on all sides. Heat butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Brown the meat to give it nice color (about 5 minutes per side). Transfer the meat to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 cup of the beef broth, scraping with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan (loosening all of the browned bits from the bottom).
- Add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent (about 10 minutes). Place the roast on top of the vegetables.
- Add the remaining two cups of beef broth, red wine, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and bake in the 275°F oven for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, add the potatoes to the pot, mixing them into the liquid. Cover and return to the oven for another 45 minutes – 1 hour, or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is fall-apart tender.
Notes
- Use a heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid for even heat and moisture retention.
- Pat the roast dry before searing for better browning.
- Scrape up all the browned bits when deglazing (they add tons of flavor).
- This recipe uses 275°F for extra-moist meat. Higher temps (325-350°F) work but reduce cooking time by 30-45 minutes.
- Plan for about 1 hour per pound. Check for doneness starting at 2.5 hours.
- The roast is done when fork-tender and pulls apart easily (internal temp: 195-205°F).
- Red wine adds depth; substitute with additional beef broth if preferred.
- Don’t add potatoes at the start; they’ll get mushy. Add them during the last 45-60 minutes.
- If liquid reduces too much, add more broth. If the roast looks dry on top, baste it once or twice.
- Leftover beef freezes well in its gravy for up to 2 months. Don’t freeze cooked potatoes/vegetables.
- See the post above if you’d like to make a gravy with the pot drippings.
Nutrition
Originally published in August, 2020, this post was updated in December, 2025.
What a perfect recipe for these snowy winter days! This prep took me a little longer than stated because I had a lot of peeling and cutting to do. But, it was well worth it as once it went in the oven it worked it’s magic. I didn’t have any wine in the house (I rarely do) so I used the Balsamic Vinegar with the beef stock. This was a delicious and delightful dinner in one pot which I love!
I cooked it in a Dutch Oven in the oven as instructed. I considered a crock pot but my cut of beef was too large for it. I have a great leftover meal waiting for me. Thank you!
I’m so glad that it worked well for you, Laura. The leftovers are the best!
Too much liquid (only needs 1 cup) and too long of cooking time. A 3 pound boneless grass-fed chuck roast only needs 2.5 hours at 275F. Also, put your potatoes in at the beginning in large chunks.
Please explain what 3 medium russet potatoes means. You discuss Yukon Gold potatoes. I submit that specifying ingredients to the 1/4 tsp level is super accurate. But you need to specify large ingredients by weight too. For a pot roast I use equal meat and potato weight. Can’t you just weigh stuff. I’m sure you have a kitchen scale or two… ?
Hi Dave,
The exact weight of the potatoes doesn’t have to be super accurate, which is why we generalize. A medium potato is roughly 5-10 ounces. So, anywhere from 15 to 30 ounces will work. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I think you need to be more specific about the amount of salt and pepper I made this for a small get together last night and it ended up being virtually flavorless. It needed way more salt and pepper. I wish you’d said like needs 1 teaspoon or tablespoon of salt because I thought I used a lot but it definitely wasn’t enough. Can you please fix the recipe with that info
We’re sorry your roast didn’t have much flavor, but appreciate your feedback, Kristin!
Made this tonight! It was fantastic! Disnt have red wine so i used few splashes of Worcestershire ! And a tblsp of tomato paste for depth! Def added more salt at end. Served over buttered and salted egg noodles! Def more liquid than needed however i used the liquid to flavor egg noodles!!
It was Perfect! Husband LOVED it. Was a great fAll day dinner ❤️
Thank you for the feedback, Nicole! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and were able to make it work for you.
Delicious and recipe was easy to follow. Added mushrooms and left out potatoes. Serving over homemade egg noodles. Will definitely keep and make again.
Wonderful! Thanks for letting me know, Charla!
275 or 375?
Cook at 275.
We hope you enjoy!
Phenomenal! Incredible recipe, only thing I changed was using some homemade venison bone broth instead of beef broth. Tis the season. Thank you, Ill be saving this one
Thank you, Michael! Sounds like the perfect fall meal!
Blair this is our go to pot roast recipe Thank you We love it ❤️
Thank you, Maggie! This made our day.
Blaire this is a great recipe. I substitute red wine vinegar for the red wine and it is magic! I also add a bit of Worcestershire and a dash of Valentino’s hot sauce to add a bit of pop to it. As to the potato’s, I like to parboil them and then slightly roast them in the oven prior to putting them in the roast. That gives them a bit of substance to the outside and they are buttery inside.
Just a few tweaks to add our own signature to your wonderful dish.
Thank you for the feedback, Nick! We’re so glad you’re able to adjust the recipe to your liking.
Didn’t like the red wine or the fact you have to do a gravy
We’re sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe but appreciate your feedback, June. We hope you enjoy our other dishes!
I could not make it through this recipe due to all of the ads.
We’re sorry to hear this but appreciate the feedback, Rob. We do our best to keep the ads to a minimum but don’t always have control over their placement. You can always click the “jump to recipe” button to bypass some of them!
Husband, amateur, but I follow direction fairly well. I’ve cooked this once before. roast wasn’t quite tender enough, I should have cooked it a little longer. It was very good. I usually give my daughter the other half, but I had to keep and eat that half myself. My wife also liked it, and gave me high marks.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, William, if not quite tender enough. Thank you for trying it out and taking the time to leave feedback! We hope you continue to enjoy other recipes on the site.
I have made this dozens of times over the years and always refer back to this recipe. This has consistently been a huge hit with everyone – including my picky little ones. This goes great with a crusty bread to dunk in the juices.
Sometimes I throw in an entire bag of baby carrots or swap out the russet potatoes for red or gold and it comes out fantastic every time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That’s so kind of you to take the time to let me know, Brittney. Thank you! So glad that your family enjoys it!
Excellent and easy to make!!
Thank you, Lynn!
This is the go to recipe I use when I want a great pot roast. Thank you for this recipe! I will wait until I have time to make a roast like this and refuse to use the crockpot. Such a good recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Dee!