How to Make a Pot Roast....=)

Seriously.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/2008_the_year_...
Best roast I've ever made in all my years of making roasts. It is now the only way I make roasts. Perfect everytime. Now I'm hungry...

I recently bought a slowcooker and a pot roast was the first thing I made! My hubby raved about it for about an hr after we finished eating so it was a good sign. ;) I just bought a Lipton Onion Soup Mix and followed the instructions on the back of the packet (they have a recipe for slowcooker pot roast). Easy!

I just buy the seasoning packet with the bag that you cook the roast and veggies in and it always comes out good. So easy to make and clean up

This is Mama Neely's Pot Roast, which is one of my favorites. If you like potatoes thrown in, add an extra 1/2 cup wine & 1/2 cup beef stock and some halved red potatoes when you add the carrots.

I also have come to find I really like using bottom round roasts for both potroast and for roast beef. Tender & flavorful (which is rare with lean cuts) and no big gobs of fat or gristle.

Ingredients
1 (3 to 4-pound) boneless bottom round roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, peeled and quartered
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
Freshly chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the vegetable oil and sear the roast on all sides. Add the onions, garlic and tomato paste and cook until slightly colored. Add the wine, stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven.

Roast for 1 1/2 hours and then add the carrots. Continue to cook for 1 more hour. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Slice and place on a serving platter. Skim the fat off the braising liquid and serve with the roast. Garnish with parsley.

I will also do it in the crockpot. I put the roast in frozen and cook on low to medium setting depending on your crockpot. I've found that the meat is juicier when frozen. I will also put onion soup mix in, along with a can of cream of mushroom soup. I use whatever roast is on sale. The best part is that you can do a lot of things with roast- add veggies for a classic roast dinner, add southwestern spices and put it in tacos, add sour cream and noodles for a stroganoff-type dinner or BBQ sauce and put it on rolls. So versatile!! Good luck with it!

You have lots of great recipes so I'll try to not repeat. I always use a chuck roast. For a variety, you can use a pork roast, boston butt, or even chicken.

I like mushrooms. I use two cans of cream of mushroom soup and one can of water plus 1/2 lb of fresh mushrooms sliced. I put 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour mixed in with the water to have the gravy made for me while the pot roast is cooking.

I dice a small onion and sprinkle it across the top of the meat and sprinkle garlic granules on top of that. Then I slice onions like others have said. I add celery diced, and whole carrots.

You can save electricity when using a crock pot, if you place a folded cloth towel on the lid, but not draped past the lid. With the towel, "low" cooks as warm as "high".

Good luck to you and yours.

I make my pot roast on top of the stove vs a crockpot. We don't care for crockpot meals and I LOVE to be in my kitchen cooking.

I use boneless arm roasts

First rinse, pat lightly with flour, the brown all sides in large pan (I use All Clad) in olive oil and a little butter.

When all sides are browned, I add water, almost to cover, Worchestershire, Lipton Beefy Onion Soup mix, onion, bay leaf and let it simmer all day, turning occasionally.

Toward the end of the day, about an hour before dinner, I add potatoes, carrots and onions. The roast is falling apart tender and very good.

This is the ONLY beef I will buy at the grocery. I buy all other meats at the meat market where the quality is higher.

This is a dish I make during the winter. Good luck.

I prefer a boneless chuck roast for pot roast. Most places label meats as either pot or oven roast. I first prepare my liquid and let it start warming as I prepare the roast. I use one 32oz container of beef stock (I use an all natural brand w/o added salt), 2-3 cloves of garlic lightly smashed, one onion quartered, splash of worchestire(sp?) sauce, splash of soy sauce, 1/4 cup red wine (or a few splashes of red wine vinegar). I then season my roast (salt, pepper, whatever dry spices you like) and sear it in a hot pan with little olive oil. Put it in the crock pot and Voila! dinner in 5-7 hrs depending on how slow you want to cook it. I then usually take the leftover broth and make soup. I have been told I make a great roast and the bonus for me is that it is basically all natural ingredients.

i put a little flour in the bottom of the oven bag , use lawry's seasoning salt, garlic power,black pepper and a little onion power or onion salt and both sides of the meat, then i put the meat in the bag and put a whole bag of baby carrots and cut some baby red potatoes up and throw those in the bag and i also cut up 1 1/2 to 2 onions and throw those in. oh and sometimes a put some fresh green beans in there too. i then season the veggies and put 1 package of french onion soup mix and pop the roast in the oven on about 375. i get different sized roasts so the cooking times vary but you will now when it's done.and then i make some cornbread!!! good eating. good luck.

just came back to check and some of these ladies put some really delcious sounding recipes on here i will definetly be trying some myself!!!!

For good pot roasts, the cuts make some difference in flavor and texture, rump roasts will be more lean, but more solid and drier when cooked. Roasts with marbling or even a bone in will come out more flavorful, and tender. Brown the meat first in hot skillet with a little oil, before putting in crockpot.
But in crockpot, I put carrots, onion, and Celery, (I ALWAYS use celery to flavor meats), potatoes, place the veggies on bottom, when cooked they come out darker, but well flavored, maybe a little over cooked. Meat on top, well salted and peppered. Sometimes a small bay leaf on top (always throw away the bay leaf at completion, it is not edible). Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water, as more fluids and juices accumulate with cooking. (read the crockpot instructions for liquid). Cook on low for about 5 or 6 hours, or more depending on larger amount. The meat can be partially cooked on high before adding the veggies if you want.
When cooking potatoes in the mix, at serving time mash slightly with fork, add some butter and some of the broth, may need a bit more salt and pepper, delicious.
Also works well in a cooking bag. Sometimes, I cook meat, celery, onions, then use some of the broth and water to cook the carrots and potatoes separately.
If I want leftovers, and especially in winter, For STEW, I start with the veggies cut into bite size pieces. To make stew use the leftovers and add a beef boullion cube, add green beans plus liquid and canned tomatoes, (depending on my leftovers, sometimes use mixed vegetables that include corn and peas) cut up bite size pieces of meat, cook until done, flavors well blended. serve with crackers.

Celery is a great flavor additive, for beef or chicken, if you don't want to eat it, use stalk or celery tops in the cooking, then at the end take out and throw away.
Enjoy being creative!

Easiest pot roast--always nice and tender...2 packages of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (or you can use 2 cans beef broth instead--one of my kids is allergic to milk, so we've adapted. It's also a little less fattening with the beef broth). The cream of mushroom makes a yummy thick gravy, the beef broth more of an au jus. Put the pot roast in the crock pot in the morning, cover with any veggies you want--I usually do carrots, potatoes and onions--cover with your soups. Turn on low and cook all day. It will be fall apart tender and delicious by dinner. I've even put the roast in the croc pot frozen (I buy meat in bulk when it's on sale and freeze it) and it turns out perfect every time. Good luck! This is one of my family's favorite dinners and is always good for guests.

I got my recipe for a fall-apart-once-your-fork-touches-it post roast from my mom, then I altered it a little bit. Here's what I do:

1 3lb. Chuck Roast (browned well on all sides in hot oil - this is important)

Mix together the following and pour half over the roast (I don't measure anything):

3c. or thereabouts of water
plenty of worcestershire sauce
beef bouillion granules
1pkg onion soup mix (this is a substitution for when I don't have fresh onions, when I do I slice them, separate the rings and add them with the veggies later)
one or two heaping spoonfuls of minced garlic
one regular spoonful of sea salt

So your pour half of that over the roast, then cover your roasting pan tightly with aluminum foil and cook in the oven at 375 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

In the meantime prepare your veggies. I always throw in carrots (cut on a bias at about 1 inch long), celery (prepared the same), small red potatos (cut into quarters with the peel still on) and the onion rings if I have them.

When the 2 to 2 1/2 hrs. are up then pull out of the oven, reduce oven heat to 325, add the veggies, pour the remaining sauce over, recover and cook for an additional 3 hours.

The initial high heat and then longer period at lower heat is the key to a really tender roast. Chuck is the cut I use and it's from the shoulder of the cow, so it's not known for being the most tender. However, I can make a chuck roast fall apart in the mouth with the above recipe.

Best of luck! Everyone loves a good roast!

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Oops, I forgot the basil. I always add basil to the sauce. And sorry for the spelling mistakes.. :)

The best roasts for crock pots are rump roasts and bottom round roasts. Chuck roasts tend to be a little greasier so they don't turn out as well in the crock pot. Here's what I do:
Before work (6 or 6:30 am), I peel my carrots, and quarter some potatoes and onions. Put these in the bottom of the crock pot. Season your meat and put it on top of the veggies. Fill the crock pot with water and salt and pepper the water. Remember, since you have potatoes in the crock pot, you'll need extra salt in the water. Cover and cook on high all day. When I do this we usually end up eating dinner at about 6pm. I know that sounds like alot of cooking, but it turns out great. The roast will be so tender.

Alot of people say you need to sear the roast before you cook it, but I've never done that and my roasts always turn out fine - tender and juicy. Plus, an entire dinner with very minimal mess.

I make my roast in my crock pot, I use a chuck roast but you should try a few different kinds and see what you like best. I put my roast in my crock pot, I put 1 onion cut up, 4 chopped cloves of garlic, 1 can of mushrooms, 1 bag of baby carrots, cut up potatoes, salt, pepper, little bit of season salt, garlic powder, I turn my crock pot on low and let it cook until the meat falls apart! I usually start it around 12 and its done in time for dinner but it will depend on your crock pot, also be careful with the potatoes, some crock pots cook at a higher temp and can make them mushy, if yours does that just put them in half way through cooking. You can do this same thing in the oven at 350 and put your potatoes in about 45 min before you want to eat, in the oven you may need to add a little water but you shouldnt in the crock pot.

I use my crock pot and I get tons of compliments on it. I put the roast in there then cut up veggies and add to the pot, I put alot of worchestershire sauce all over everything then I add McCormicks pot roast seasoning and fill the crock pot with water and cook on low for 8 hours. Simple, easy, and most of all yummy!!

I prefer an arm roast and cook mine on the stove top in a dutch oven. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of worchestershire sauce and some water to brown in. Brown both sides well, then add 1 to 2 cloves of garlic (pressed), enough water to cover roast, and a 14 oz can of stewed tomatoes. Reduce heat to simmer once the liquid boils. Total cooking time is about 3 hours. I add carrots 1 to 2 hours in (they should be covered with liquid, so it's OK to add more water) and add potatoes within the last 45 mins to 1 hour (again, it's OK to add more water if needed). I do not add salt or pepper because the worchestershire sauce takes care of that. I do not make gravy; we just use the broth from the roast like gravy. My husband loves it!

You have a lot of great answers. I'm just going to add a simple version I use for the crock pot when I'm running late to work & know the day will be busy! I generally use a chuck roast, but have used sirloin (not my favorite but is a better cut), Arm Roasts, Rump roasts (I buy my beef from a farmer, so I have all cuts). Anyways, I put the roast, frozen or thawed in the crockpot with +/- 2c. water, a few tablespoons flour, 1pkg ShopNSave brand Beef Stew Seasoning & 2 pkgs. Brown Gravy mix. I add green beans & carrots. Let simmer on high all day. I will sometimes add a small whole onion, peeled, but not chopped. Depends on my time. You can add potatoes during the last two hours, if you're home & have time. If you add them at the beginning they turn to mush, from my experience.

All of these recipes sound great and Pioneer Woman Rocks! But here is my quick crock pot recipe:

Rump Roast (don't use chuck as too greasy)
1 can beef broth
1 can French Onion Soup
1 beer

Cook 8 hours on low. Add cut up veggies.

It makes a clear au jus and is WONDERFUL. The alcohol breaks down the membranes and makes it fall apart tender. And all the alcohol cooks out.

I just made pot roast the other night... we love it!

I put a little olive oil in a fry pan... cover the roast with salt and pepper and sear it on all sides. Take the roast out and put in a baking dish. Then i add beef stock and a little water to the pan. I scrape all of the bits and let it heat for a minute. Around the pot roast i put carrots, potatoes, onion and garlic and salt and pepper. Then i pour the liqiud over it. Cover it tight with foil and bake slowly... about 3-4 hrs. It is delicious!! I make a gravy with the juices in the end... back in the fry pan with some flour :)

It is a lot easier than you think and yummy!!

The best flavored pot roast I ever made was, with a jar of chili sauce(basically it's almost like ketchup) grape jelly and cranberry sauce. Add a little bit of salt and pepper, and throw it in a crock pot for 5-8 hours, it's so yummy!! I used to make the lipton soup recipe, but that's a little too salty now for me.

You have already got some great ideas...I will toss one more in the "pot"!!
I like to use Chuck Roast...or a lot of times they will even be marketed as "Pot Roast" at the meat counter. I flour mine lightly and sear all surfaces of the meat, to sear in the juices.After lining the pan with aluminum foil, allowing enough extra foil to bring around and completely seal the roast and gravy tightl, I place the fatty side of the roast down. Instead of water, for this roast I use a ratio of 2 cans of mushroom soup to 1 envelope of Liptons Dried Onion Soup Mix...(just double triple or quadruple this depending upon the size of your roast, you want enough to completely cover the roast). I also mix beef broth in with this to thin it a little...about 1/3 can for each 2:1 soup that you use. Put this in the oven on a low temp ( the lower the temp and the longer you cook it, the more tender the roast will be!) ...I normally do it on about 275 and just let it cook all day long. About 3 hours before you are going to want to eat, add cut up potatoes and carrots to the roast ( make sure they are submerged in the gravy and not floating on top. If you don't want veggies like that you can either serve the roast with rice or with mashed potatoes.
This roast was my "specialty" when I was a college student so it has been a tried and true favorite of ours for years.

I use the mc cormick pot roast in a bag seasoning. I usually by a 2 21/2 lb chuck roast. follow instructions on packet. I cook my pot roast at 325 deg for about 2 1/2 hours.. I also will add about 3 squirts of lemon juice and 2tbsp of lea and perrins worcestershire sauce to the liquid mixture from the packet. I notice by adding lemon juice the meat always comes out tender. Your vegetables also go in the bag for as long as the meat is cooking. In fact I just made it yesterday.

For something different, we use a rump roast. I take pepper corns and garlic cloves and cut small holes in the roast, and shove these in (it is called "larding") I sear all sides of the roast in a dutch oven pan on the stove, and cook it on low heat for about two hours. Alot of the juice should come out as you cook, if it does not, add a half cup of water every half hour or so to keep it moist.

When cooked, remove the roast, add one cup coffee and a can of cream of mushroom soup. My mother in law puts in "Kitchen Bouquet" but I never do. Serve it over rice with veggies and a salad.

M.

I use the crock pot (low and slow is the best method)...

Any roast will do bone in or out...

One package of Lipton (or store brand) soup mix

Water to cover

Throw all that in a crock pot.

Now I work, so I put it on low, leave it all day...and the meat is done when I get home.

But on the weekends, I put it on high for a couple of hours, then put in the vegetables and leave it on low for about 4 more hours...and then they are done.

No onion soup mix? Add a couple boullion cubes or beef broth and some garlic, onion and celery and VOILA...that makes a good cooking liquid too.

Good luck to you!!

I didnt read all the responses so I apologize if I am repeating this one tip-

If you do it in the oven, line your pan w/an extra large piece of foil- put for roast, veggies, ect in the middle and then close the foil up around the roast and veggies- keeps all the juices in the meat and makes for an eaiser clean-up too :)

i throw it in the crock pot with a rub of salt and pepper and whatever else strikes my fancy, put the veggies in too, and add some liquid (a marinade, olive oil and balsamic, beef stock, or even italian dressing, whatever's on hand and looks good) and forget about it.
my guys like the veggies very soft, (softer than my preference) but if you prefer them more on the tendercrisp side, don't put them in with the meat. steam them lightly half an hour before you're ready to serve dinner, then add them to the crock pot for the last 15 or 20 minutes, just enough for them to absorb the marinade flavor.
enjoy!
:) khairete
S.

I either make it in the crockpot with a beef stew seasoning mix that you can find in the grocery store where all the meat marinades are. Or else, I make it with the Bag n' Season mix that can be found in the same place. The package gives you a seasoning mix and an oven bag with a tie. Just put the roast, veggies and seasoning in the bag (put the bag in a roasting pan) and put it in the oven for about 1.5 hours. I really prefer it that way, but often find myself using the crockpot instead since I can start that in the morning and it's done when I get home from work.

As far as which cut of meat, you can research online to find which one is leaner if you want. I usually buy whatever roast is on sale. I prefer beef over pork.

get mccormicks pot roast bag and seasoning kit, stick in the roast and thats it - comes out perfect every time, people with rave over it and how much work it must have taken you, you can get them at wal mart

So how do you print all these great recipes. My pot roast bombs frequently. All of ya'll look yummy...think I'll be trying pot roast recipes :)