This Southern Style Pot Roast is a classic comfort food that is easy to make. Savory, hearty, and filling, this is the best pot roast recipe the whole family will love.
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This is my all time favorite pot roast recipe. And that is a hard statement to make because between this recipe, my Smoked Chuck Roast my Pot Roast with Balsamic and Dijon, it's just so hard to choose which one I love more so I just end up rotating between these beef chuck roast recipes.
This oven baked chuck roast recipe is savory and full of flavor, and it's a Paula Deen original! I found this one back in 2008, tried it, and literally fell head over heels in love. The taste is just out of this world! This is the best pot roast recipe!
My family loves this tender, melt in your mouth beef dinner. It's a BIG winner in our house and just like a Mississippi pot roast, you will often see this on our table on Sunday evenings.
Cooking Methods
There are many ways to cook a roast and there is no right or wrong way. It's all about preference. For this recipe, I'm going to focus on how to make pot roast in the oven. But you can also make pot roast in a slow cooker. And as long as you sear the meat first, you can make this in the crock pot.
🥩 Best Cuts of Meat
The best meat for pot roast is a boneless chuck roast. Even though it's a tougher cut of meat, the marbling contributes to the juiciness and when it's slow cooked, it becomes incredibly tender. The grade of chuck matters and so does where you buy it. I always recommend buying from a local butcher due to the meat typically being a higher quality. Costco and Sam's Club also have good quality cuts, but buying at a local grocery store is always an option, as well.
Some people use beef brisket which is also excellent choice. Brisket has an abundant amount of fat which works well when slow cooking in this recipe. You can also use a flat cut, beef brisket flat half, or a beef brisket point half.
You can also use a bottom round roast. It comes from the rear part of the cow and is a bit leaner than brisket or chuck. This cut can also be called rump roast or London broil.
House Seasoning
This pot roast seasoning is essential to this slow roast beef. And the the ingredients are so simple! It's a combination of 1 cup of salt, ¼ cup of black pepper, and ¼ cup of garlic powder.
To prepare this roast seasoning, simply mix these 3 ingredients together in a container with an airtight lid and shake well. You'll only use about 1 Tablespoon on the meat and you can save the rest for future use.
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
Making this beef chuck roast is easy! You'll need a 3-5 pound boneless chuck roast covered in the house seasoning. From there, you're pan sear the meat in olive oil.
Then you'll combine the rest of the ingredients with a little bit of water, pour it over the meat, and then let it slow cook until it's falling apart. The process for how to make a tender roast beef in the oven is simple!
📋 Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
First, season the meat with 1 Tablespoon of the House Seasoning. Expert Tip: Use your hands to ensure the rub is spread out evenly on all sides. You want to massage the meat with the seasoning.
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Once that's done and after you wash your hands, you can start making the pot roast gravy. This gravy consists of cream of mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, a beef bouillon cube or beef granules, water, and a splash of red wine. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Set the bowl aside.
Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Sear the meat for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Expert Tip: Don't skip this step as this is what provides so much flavor.
From there, remove the seared meat from the skillet and place in a dutch oven, 13x9 pyrex dish, or a deep roasting pan. Using the same skillet, add a little more olive oil and when hot, saute the sliced onion and garlic.
Once the onions and garlic start to slightly caramelize, remove them from the skillet and place on top of the meat in the pyrex dish. Expert Tip: Make sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove all the browning left over from the searing and saute process. That's where a lot of flavor is!
Take the gravy that was set aside and pour it on top of the chuck roast topped with sauteed onions and garlic. Then, add the bay leaves to the dish.
After the oven has preheated to 325°F, cover the dish with aluminum foil and cook the pot roast in oven for 2 hours. Expert Tip: Place the aluminum foil with the shiny side down to help trap in the heat.
🥕 Adding Vegetables
If you like carrots, potatoes, celery, or any other vegetables cooked with your pot roast, you'll want to add them in this step. The 2 hour mark is the perfect time to add in any raw vegetables you want to include. I love adding in multi-colored carrots and potatoes. Expert Tip: Leave the peelings on your vegetables so you can get extra nutritional value!
Add the aluminum foil back to the dish and continue to cook for another 1-2 hours. You'll know it's done when you can stick a fork in the meat and with a slight turn, the meat easily separates. If there is any pull at all, the roast needs to cook longer.
Once done, remove the foil. Slice and drizzle on some of the gravy it was cooked with, and serve with the potatoes and carrots. Get ready to enjoy the best oven baked chuck roast recipe you've ever tasted in your life!
💭 Expert Tips and FAQs
- Boneless chuck roast is the most common meat used to make pot roast. I always buy my meat from my local butcher. You can buy it at your local grocery, but the tenderness and quality of the cut is so much more profound when you buy it from the butcher.
- This recipe can be made gluten free if you use a gluten free cream of mushroom soup and bouillon granules. Pacifico Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup is gluten free and delicious. I've also had great luck with these gluten free beef granules. Worcestershire is gluten free.
- I typically don't stick to a time when making this recipe. I do the fork test around hour 4. To do the fork test, place a fork in the center of the meat and turn. If the meat is falling apart, your roast is done.
- If you choose to add carrots and potatoes to your roast, leave the peelings on. The peelings house a ton of nutrients.
- Leftover pot roast is excellent the next day on sandwiches. Or, use the leftover meat for a lunch bowl! Add some cooked rice and steamed vegetables with a little bit of gravy and you've got yourself an amazing lunch or dinner!
🥘 Perfect Pairings
There are so many great side dishes to serve with this roast, like my Roasted Parmesan Green Beans. These are the perfect southern side dish to go with this southern comfort classic. And if you like cabbage, you'll love my fun little twist on this version of Steamed Cabbage and Okra. And you just can't go wrong with Slow Cooker Pinto Beans. Whip up a batch of cornbread and you will have yourself the most amazing dinner!
Southern Style pot Roast
Ingredients
House Seasoning
- 1 cup salt
- ¼ cup black pepper
- ¼ cup garlic powder
Pot Roast
- 3-4 lb chuck roast, boneless
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 ¾ ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- ¼ cup red wine
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon beef granules or 1 cube of beef bouillon
- ¾ cup water
- 8-10 new potatoes
- 3 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
Instructions
For The House Seasoning
- In a medium size bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
- You'll only need 1 Tablespoon of this house seasoning for this recipe. Store the remaining seasoning in an airtight container.
For The Pot Roast
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Rub 1 Tablespoon of the house seasoning on the front and back of the meat until well coated.Expert Tip: Use your hands to ensure the rub is spread out evenly on all sides. You want to massage the meat with the seasoning.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Brown the meat, searing it on both sides until slightly golden on each side. When done, place the roast in a roaster pan, dutch oven, or a 13x9 casserole dish.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet with the remaining juices from the roast. When hot, saute the onions and garlic for 3-4 minutes, or until just caramelized. Expert Tip: Make sure to scrape the bottom of the skillet to remove all the browning left over from the searing and saute process. That's where a lot of flavor is!
- Place the sauteed onions and garlic on top of the seared chuck roast.
- Next, combine the cream of mushroom soup, wine, Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon, and water into a bowl. Pour the gravy mixture over the roast.
- Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 2 hours.
- If you like carrots, potatoes, celery, or any other vegetables cooked with your pot roast, you'll want to add them at the 2 hour mark. Chop up the vegetables and place them in the pan.
- Place the aluminum foil back on the dish and continue to cook for another 1-2 hours. You'll know it's done when you can stick a fork in the roast and with a slight turn, the meat easily separates. If there is any pull at all, the roast needs to cook longer.
- Top with the gravy it was cooked in and enjoy!
Notes
- Boneless chuck roast is the most common meat used to make pot roast. I always buy my meat from my local butcher. You can buy it at your local grocery, but the tenderness and quality of the cut is so much more profound when you buy it from the butcher.
- This recipe can be made gluten free if you use a gluten free cream of mushroom soup and bouillon granules. Pacifico Cream of Mushroom Condensed Soup is gluten free and delicious. I've also had great luck with these gluten free beef granules. Worcestershire is gluten free.
- Expert Tip: Leave the peelings on your vegetables so you can get extra nutritional value!
- I typically don't stick to a time when making this recipe. I do the fork test around hour 4. To do the fork test, place a fork in the center of the meat and turn. If the meat is falling apart, your roast is done.
- If you choose to add carrots and potatoes, leave the peelings on. The peelings house a ton of nutrients.
- Leftover pot roast is excellent the next day on sandwiches. Or, use the leftover meat for a lunch bowl! Add some cooked rice and steamed vegetables with a little bit of gravy and you've got yourself an amazing lunch or dinner!
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Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in April 2014, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in July 2021.
Tracey
This was fantastic! I substituted cream of chicken because I didn't have cream of mushroom. (Blended it to puree chicken chunks.) Sauteed my veggies in olive oil with garlic before putting them over the roast. Didn't have red wine nor beef cube/boullion. Used Lipton Beefy Onion mix with 3/4 broth--no water. Cooked 4 hours. Used your "twist the fork" test, and it was perfect. Thanks!
Amanda Mason
Glad it turned out so well for you!!
guy ritzman
I made this recipe yesterday. Like others, I'm not a fan of using canned soup but it works in this recipe and is much quicker than building your own sauce. I used the spg blend as directed in the recipe. My only deviation from the recipe was substituting beef stock for the water. Just a thing of mine but whenever possible I will substitute flavor for a dilutant.
Amanda Mason
How did you like it/how did it turn out for you?
guy ritzman
I really liked it and, as I said, it comes together quickly. I wouldn't change much other than what I previously said. Thanks again. I might try a few more of your southern recipes.
Amanda Mason
Thank you and please do!! I can't wait to hear what you try and how it turns out!!
Guy Ritzman
I actually made an almost identical recipe last week and it was amazing. The only notable difference was that the recipe I used didn't incorporate the house seasoning. I will try that the next time I make this.
Amanda Mason
Nice! So glad you liked it! But I will tell you....the house seasoning is a game changer taste wise!
Linda Collins
i hate cooking and not a cook, i basically need a recipe for some southern dish. i never tried this before, i first seared the roast in butter instead of olive oil, its just me i dont like olive oil taste, also, i ran out of worchester sauce, so i added a lil steak sauce, half cup beef broth, and thicken with lil flour when it was simmering for gravy. i did not have the bay leaves as well. im like i hope this turn out right, but it did, the whole dish turned out great. next time i will make sure i have that worchester sauce and bay leaves. im so thankful for your recipe. where can i find more of your southern dish?
Amanda Mason
I am DELIGHTED my recipe turned out so great for you, even with the modifications! Let me know how things go when you remake it in the future using all the ingredients it calls for.
Mike
I followed this recipe to the letter (except I forgot to add the bay leaves - DOH!) And it still turned out fantastic! Best pot roast recipe out there.
Amanda Mason
I LOVE hearing this! So glad it was such a hit for you and you loved it so much!!!!
Breona Gibson
Hi how much cream of mushroom soap?
Amanda Mason
1 can.
Lynda
Hi, I'm making this right now and noticed in one of the comments, tomato paste is mentioned. I don't see tomato paste in the ingredients?
Amanda Mason
Hi! This recipe does not call for tomato paste. You should be all set. Someone may have altered the recipe on their own but my recipe doesn't call for tomato paste.
Lynda
Thank you!! It was delicious 😋 and soooo easy. I did make a roux with flour and butter to make a thick gravy. My family loved it.
Amanda Mason
Oh good! So great to hear this!!! If you want to try the 1 Tablespoon tomato paste in the gravy mixture next time, do so. Would love to hear your thoughts but so glad you all loved the recipe!!
Amanda Mason
I know what happened. I edited this recipe since before that comment was added. I used to call for 1 Tablespoon of tomato paste for the gravy but after remaking this recipe several times, it's not needed. If you opt to add it - totally fine but I really couldn't tell a difference so I removed that ingredient.
DrT
We have always avoided similar recipes due to the use of condensed cream-of-mushroom soup (ugh!). That's pretty disgusting stuff. However, I finally gave it a try using this recipe in a slow cooker and my lord is it good. Upon completion there is no canned soup taste and the gravy is delicious over mashed potatoes. I'd initially anticipated possibly throwing it away but instead it was a huge hit - with no leftovers. Amanda, you're the best.
Amanda Mason
Ah Dr.T I am so glad to hear this! Yeah, if it's uses sparingly with a larger based recipe, it doesn't taste bad at all and is not as horrible for you as some may think. Eating 1 Tablespoon of cream of mushroom soup mixed with roast, carrots, potatoes, and veggies....there are so many worse things out there!!
Karen
I made this for my husband's birthday and we all loved it!!! The meat was so moist, flavorful and tender. I will definitely be making it again! I was also wondering if this can be done in the Instant Pot and if so how. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Amanda Mason
Hi Karen! So glad everyone loved it so much! Yes! To make this in the IP, sear it in the IP like I do on the stovetop and then hit the meat setting on the IPPP and release the pressure when done. Should be simple!
Beck & Bulow
Turned out amazing – made it for my girlfriend. She was in love.
Amanda Mason
Glad she liked it!