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Slow-Cooked Pot Roast with Carrots, Potatoes, Mushrooms, and Gravy

This classic slow-cooked pot roast delivers deep, comforting flavors and fall-apart tenderness. Chuck roast is seared until beautifully browned, then oven-braised low and slow with carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, and mushrooms. As the roast cooks, the vegetables soften and release their natural sweetness while the broth transforms into a rich homemade gravy. This is true comfort food — hearty, warming, and perfect for Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, or cold-weather meals. The leftovers taste even better the next day.

Servings: 6–8 servings
Total Time: 235 min
Pan: Large Dutch oven (5–7 quart)

Ingredients

Pot Roast
  • 3–4 lb beef chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 large carrots, cut into large chunks
  • 4 medium potatoes, quartered
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, halved
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
Gravy Thickening
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Slow-cooked pot roast with vegetables and gravy.

Instructions

  1. Season and sear the roast Pat the 3–4 lb chuck roast dry and season all sides with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the roast 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned.
  2. Add aromatics Add 1 sliced onion and 3–4 minced garlic cloves around the roast. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add vegetables Add 4 chopped carrots, 4 quartered potatoes, 3 chopped celery stalks, and 8 ounces halved mushrooms around the roast.
  4. Add liquids and herbs Pour in 2 cups beef broth, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce. Add 2 thyme sprigs (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme) and 1 bay leaf.
  5. Oven braise Cover the Dutch oven with a tight lid and bake at 300°F for 3 hours. Halfway through, gently turn the roast for even cooking.
  6. Remove roast and vegetables After cooking, transfer the roast and vegetables to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems.
  7. Make the gravy In the same pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter and whisk in 2 tablespoons flour to form a smooth roux. Cook 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2–3 cups of the hot pan juices until smooth and thickened. Season gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Serve Slice or shred the pot roast and serve with the carrots, potatoes, celery, and mushrooms. Spoon the homemade gravy generously over the top.

Notes

  • For richer flavor, add a splash of red wine with the broth.
  • If you prefer thicker gravy, add an additional 1 tablespoon flour to the roux.
  • Pot roast improves with time — leftovers are excellent the next day.

Tags

pot roast dinner comfort food oven braised one-pot meal beef