Pot Roast with Beef Broth: You’ll Want To Eat It Every Day
Sneak Preview: This pot roast with beef broth is a well-seasoned chuck roast with carrots on the side. The pan sauce makes a base for delicious brown gravy. Easy to customize.
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My older sister’s pot roast is an unforgettable memory from my childhood. I often walked into her house after church and was greeted by the smell of this recipe cooking in the oven. M-m-
You can create the same “smell memories” in your house with this simple recipe.
Three Reasons Why You Will Appreciate This Recipe
- This Simple Pot Roast recipe is easy to throw together on a hurried morning or a lazy day when you can enjoy the house smelling wonderful for hours.
- Cook a chuck roast in the oven with baby carrots on the side for 3-4 hours. Or use your Crockpot or slow cooker and cook it all day. It will be equally delicious either way.
- It’s a basic recipe, so you can go crazy making it your own with your favorite spices or additions. See the “Variations” section below for inspiration.
Happy Cooks Speak Up
“Great recipe! First meal I ever made…and made it again for friends a few weeks ago–still fabulous! “–BONNIE
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef roast: I prefer a boneless chuck roast. A thick chuck steak is also good, especially if you’re not cooking for a crowd. Brisket and bottom round are some other good choices.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour. You can skip the flour if you like, but it does thicken the broth a bit.
- Vegetable oil: Use oil with a high smoke point, like avocado or canola oil.
- Yellow onions: Yellow or white onions are compatible with a pot roast.
- Beef broth or bouillon: You have options (I usually do the last one):
- Make beef broth from scratch.
- Open a can of beef broth.
- Add one beef bouillon cube to 1 cup of boiling water.
- Add one tablespoon of bouillon paste (such as Better than Bouillon) to one cup of hot water.
- Worcestershire sauce: This common sauce in American kitchens adds umami flavor. Dale’s steak sauce is another option. Your favorite steak sauce would probably serve the same purpose.
Variations
Because this recipe is so simple, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to customize it to your tastes. Maybe the list below will inspire your creative juices.
- Add garlic, either fresh cloves or garlic powder. Onion powder is another idea.
- Cut roast into small chunks to make beef tips and serve over rice.
- Substitute red wine or burgundy for some of the water. It adds so much flavor.
- Use milk instead of water in the gravy.
- Add thyme, a bay leaf, and/or rosemary.
- Add quartered mushrooms, fresh or canned.
How To Make a Simple Pot Roast
Make gravy: Add one tablespoon to ¼ cup of all-purpose flour. Mix until the lumps dissolve. Add the flour mixture to 1 cup of drippings. Cook on the stove over medium-high heat until the gravy thickens. Or, microwave on HIGH power for 4-5 minutes until gravy thickens. Whisk frequently to keep the gravy smooth.
FAQs
“A chuck roast is cut from the shoulder and neck region of the animal (cow) and may be labeled chuck roast, shoulder steak, boneless chuck roast, or chuck shoulder pot roast”. It’s the best cut of meat for this recipe.
You can, but I would add them later, or they will overcook. Add quartered potatoes to the pot 90 minutes before the roast is done.
Add whole carrots from the beginning. If using baby carrots, they can be added an hour before serving.
Try a beef pot pie, vegetable beef soup, or shepherd’s pie. The latter is especially good if you have leftover mashed potatoes.
Water. Add bouillon cubes or bouillon paste for more flavor. (See the substitution list above.)
Parting thoughts: This simple pot roast is comfort food of the highest order in our family. If you need a recipe, I hope you find this one simple but useful. If you want something fancier, may I suggest this family favorite: Deviled Swiss Chuck Steak Recipe.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
A Simple Pot Roast Recipe with Beef Broth
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Ingredients
- 1 2-4 pound (453 g) chuck roast
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon table or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (40 g) yellow onions chopped or 1 tablespoon dried, minced onions
- 1 cup (227 g) beef broth or use 1 tablespoon of bouillon paste or 1 cube added to 1 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Gravy
- ½-1 cup (114-227 g) water
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (59 g) water
- ½-1 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Baking the Roast
- Dredge 1 2-4 pound (453 g) chuck roast in ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour seasoned with 1 teaspoon table or sea salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper (You don’t have to dredge with flour, but please don’t forget the salt and pepper.)
- Heat 2 tablespoons (27 g) vegetable oil in a large pot and brown the roast on both sides at a high temperature.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup (40 g) yellow onions over the roast. Add 1 cup (227 g) beef broth, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and black pepper.
- Pour ½-1 cup (114-227 g) water around the edge of the pan so that the roast is almost covered. Put the lid on and cook at 300 °F (150˚C) for 3 hours. Check once or twice to make sure there is enough water. (The amount of water needed can vary greatly according to the type of pan you use. The heavier the pan and lid, the better)
- Optional: Add quartered, peeled potatoes and whole baby carrots the last hour.
- When the roast is fork-tender and falling apart, remove it from the pan and make gravy with the drippings. If the meat doesn’t fall apart, keep cooking.
Gravy:
- Add 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour to ¼ cup (59 g) water and whisk to dissolve lumps. Add to the drippings (if there aren’t many drippings, add water until you have at least a cup of broth) and whisk well. Cook on medium-low until thickened. Using milk instead of water will make a lighter-colored gravy with a slightly richer taste.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.