Delicious Stove-Top Pot Roast

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A comforting classic, this delicious stove-top pot roast is cooked low and slow until fall apart tender! It’s simple to make yet a favorite Sunday dinner with rich gravy, flavorful vegetables and savory herbs.

Pot roast with vegetables in a black pot.

While this is a hearty one pot meal with roast, potato and carrots, no one ever turns down a slice of fresh Italian bread, homemade biscuits or no knead bread when served alongside this cozy dinner.

Pot Roast on Stove Top

This stove-top pot roast is a must for fall and winter! It’s hearty, comforting and will make your kitchen smell amazing as it cooks low and slow on top of the stove all while soaking in the delicious flavors of red wine and fresh herbs.

It’s melt-in-your mouth perfect and making pot roast on the stove top is one of the best ways to achieve those tender beef results. It’s easy to adjust the heat, add more liquid if needed and check for doneness.

Old fashioned pot roast on the stove top is a dish your whole family will love whether they consider themselves the meat and potatoes kind or not. It’s hearty, satisfying and almost like receiving a warm hug. It’s one of my favorite comfort food recipes!

What is a Pot Roast?

Pot roast is a method of cooking beef roast where it is first browned then braised over low heat in a covered pot with liquid.

Tough cuts of meat such as chuck roast, bottom roast, or top round are commonly used for pot roast as slow cooking breaks down their connective tissues and the meat becomes fall-apart tender. It is a budget friendly dish that is a classic!

Ingredients and Notes

Simple, budget-friendly ingredients are at the heart of this stove-top pot roast recipe!

Beef chuck roast: You will need a 2 lb roast. Chuck roast is a fairly inexpensive beef roast that achieves tender results when cooked low and slow.
Beef broth: You will need three cups beef broth, but you may need more if your roast is larger or if liquid evaporates while cooking.
Red wine: Use a quality red wine you like! A basic rule to follow is to use the type of wine you would drink.
Fresh rosemary: For best flavor in this stovetop pot roast recipe use fresh herbs. In a pinch, dried herbs can be used.
Bay leaf: Dried bay leaf imparts the best flavor in dishes that are slow cooked.
Salt and black pepper: Salt is a huge flavor factor in stove-top pot roast.
Garlic: Freshly minced, not garlic powder.
Onions: White, yellow or sweet onions can be used. They will need to be peeled and quartered.
Carrots: I find the best carrots for chuck roast stove top are ones that are in full stalks then peeled and cut into pieces. Baby carrots work in a pinch.
Celery: Celery adds another layer of flavor to your pot roast stove top, cut your stalks into ½ – 1 inch pieces.
Potatoes: You will need 8-10 small potatoes or 2-3 large potatoes. They can be peeled or unpeeled and if they are small cut in half and if large cut into large chunks. Uniform size is best!

How to Make Stove-Top Pot Roast

Once you have browned your pot roast in a large Dutch oven or stove pot, it is hands off as the beef tenderizes low and slow on the stovetop with no oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot required!

Chop the vegetables into medium sized cubes.

Season and sear beef in a large pot over medium high heat with olive oil. Salt and pepper your chuck roast all over then add it to the pot and brown on both sides.

Combine broth, red wine and rosemary in a bowl.

Add broth mixture, potatoes, carrots, onions and celery into the pot. Add the bay leaf, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to low.

Roast and vegetables and broth mixture in the pot.

Cover and cook low and slow until the beef roast is fork tender.

the cooked roast in the pot with the vegetables.

Remove the bay leaf. Then move the roast to a cutting board and pull into serving size pieces. With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables to a clean bowl.

Sift some flour into the pot and heat over medium heat while continuously whisking until the sauce has thickened into gravy consistency. Serve immediately with your stovetop pot roast.

Roast in the baking pan and some with vegetables on a white plate.

Expert Tips

Pat roast dry: For the best searing, pat your roast dry then salt and pepper it on all sides before adding it to the pot to brown. Seasoning it well will add flavor to the dish.
Hot pan: Heat your olive oil before adding your pot roast. A hot pan will create a golden, caramelized crust and lock in the juices of your beef roast.
Broth level: Ensure your pot roast is ⅔ covered in broth the whole time while cooking on the stovetop. Add more water or broth if needed at any time.
Adjust heat: If the pot roast is boiling too vigorously or not enough, adjust heat accordingly.
Taste and adjust: Near the end of cooking time, adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Variations

Stew: Make this pot roast on the stovetop into a beef stew by adding green beans, peas or corn near the end of the cooking time.
Additional fresh herbs: Fresh thyme is also delicious with stove-top pot roast.
No alcohol: Just use additional beef broth instead.

Serving Suggestions

Stove-top pot roast is a hearty one pot meal in itself since the potatoes cook right alongside the chuck roast. Here are a few other ways to serve it though if you wish.

Other potato sides: Instead of cooking the potatoes with the roast, serve this delicious stove top pot roast with mashed potatoes or try these double cheese mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort food. Scalloped potatoes or oven roasted potatoes are also delicious.
A loaf of bread: Homemade sourdough bread or rustic Italian bread are perfect for soaking up the delicious gravy!
Vegetables: Oven roasted asparagus or Italian roasted vegetables both make great pairings.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best meat for stovetop pot roast?

Beef chuck roast is the most common cut to use for pot roast, although brisket or beef round may be used as well. Beef round may be labeled as top or round bottom depending on the location it was taken from on the cow.

What can I use instead of red wine?

You can use additional beef broth instead of red wine. If you like a stronger beef flavor, enhance the broth with a bit of beef bouillon as well.

Why is my pot roast tough?

This usually means you need to cook your beef pot roast on the stovetop for a longer time. Continue cooking your roast on the stove until the meat is tender and easily falls apart when touched with a fork. Make sure you keep at least ⅔ of your roast covered in liquid.

How do I thicken the gravy?

The easiest way is remove everything from the pot and sift flour right into the pot then whisk over medium heat until thickened. If you find you would still like your gravy thicker, measure out ¼ cup of broth into a small bowl and add one tablespoon of cornstarch. Whisk to combine, add back to the pot and cook for a few minutes until the gravy starts to thicken. Repeat until desired consistency is reached.

Storage

Cool completely then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. I only recommend freezing leftovers if you freeze only the roast. The vegetables and potatoes do not freeze well and will have an unpleasant texture when thawed.

More Beef Recipes

If you are looking for some home cooked comfort from this fork-tender, succulent meat and hearty vegetables, then this Stove-Top Pot Roast is just for you! Buon appetito.