Mom’s Perfect Pot Roast

Mom’s Perfect Pot Roast

When I think of pot roast, I have two memories:

First, as a kid, I kind of dreaded “pot roast” Sunday because sometimes (not always) the pot roast was so tough and dry. It was those tough & dry occasions that made me dislike roast altogether. 

Second, it always seemed so complicated. Pre-browning, seasoning, flour, peeling veggies, grease splatter on the stovetop and a looming smell of roast in my hair as I sit in the pew at church. 

Then I became a mom and found myself needing the benefits a pot roast meal offers, like ::

  • a one pot meal
  • a stick it in the oven and walk away meal
  • a hearty, satisfying meal

So, I decided to give pot roast another try. After many dry pot roasts and plenty of church pew moments where I caught the aroma of pot roast in my hair – I finally figured out the trick to a tender, flavorful roast without feeling like a walking pot roast.

So here are my tricks :

Start off with a 3-4 pound chuck roast. Chuck roast is the perfect cut for a pot roast meal because as it cooks, it becomes quite tender. Probably the reason I remember tough dry pot roasts growing up is because mom bought whatever cut of roast was on sale. A rump roast is notoriously dry and tough. I never buy that cut – no matter how good the sale is. I just wait for the chuck roast to go on sale and stock up.

Next, roughly chop the celery, carrots and onion. You can add potatoes, tomatoes, peppers etc too if you’d like. I prefer to chop the veggies into smaller pieces  to intensify flavors.

Place meat and veggies in a large 7-9 qt pot and then add the liquid ::

  • 24-32 oz beef broth (depending on the size of the roast)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 8 oz sweet red or white wine (I used moscato)
  • 2 T worcestershire sauce
  • 1/3 c of your favorite BBQ sauce
  • 10 oz spicy tomato juice (or spicy V8)
  • 8 oz water
  • 1 T dijion mustard
  • 3 T cornstarch
  • salt & pepper 

Combine all liquids, sauces and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and then pour over the roast and veggies.

Cover the dutch oven and place in a 225° oven and cook for 6-8 hours. Once cooking time is complete, taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.

The cornstarch slightly thickens the cooking liquid and acts as a thickened au jus type of gravy for the roast and most of the veggies melt away, creating a richly flavored roast and gravy.

Mom's Perfect Pot Roast
Serves 8
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
6 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
6 hr
421 calories
12 g
179 g
12 g
59 g
4 g
454 g
963 g
6 g
0 g
7 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
454g
Servings
8
Amount Per Serving
Calories 421
Calories from Fat 106
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 12g
18%
Saturated Fat 4g
21%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 179mg
60%
Sodium 963mg
40%
Total Carbohydrates 12g
4%
Dietary Fiber 1g
6%
Sugars 6g
Protein 59g
Vitamin A
94%
Vitamin C
17%
Calcium
5%
Iron
40%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 3-4 lb chuck roast
  2. 3-4 celery stalks, chopped
  3. 3-4 carrots (I used rainbow carrots), chopped
  4. 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
  5. 24-32 oz beef broth (depending on the size of the roast)
  6. 2 bay leaves
  7. 8 oz sweet red or white wine (I used moscato)
  8. 2 T worcestershire sauce
  9. 1/3 c of your favorite BBQ sauce
  10. 10 oz spicy tomato juice (or spicy V8)
  11. 8 oz water
  12. 1 T dijion mustard
  13. 3 T cornstarch
  14. salt & pepper
Instructions
  1. Start off with a 3-4 pound chuck roast. Chuck roast is the perfect cut for a pot roast meal because as it cooks, it becomes quite tender.
  2. Next, roughly chop the celery, carrots and onion. I prefer to chop veggies into smaller to intensify flavors while cooking.
  3. Place meat and veggies in a large 7-9 qt pot. Combine all liquids, sauces and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and then pour over the roast and veggies. Cover the dutch oven and place in a 225° oven for between 6-8 hours, until ready to serve. Once cooking time is complete, taste and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
  4. Serves 8
Notes
  1. *You can add potatoes, tomatoes, peppers etc too if you'd like.
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calories
421
fat
12g
protein
59g
carbs
12g
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Food for a Year: https://foodforayear.com/