How Long Should You Cook A Pot Roast?

When it comes to cooking pot roasts, timing is everything. You can be following the best recipe with the best ingredients available, yet, if you mess up the timing, your pot roast can end up mushy. So, how long should you cook your pot roast? To ensure your next pot roast turns out perfect, we brought you the answer.

The timing of cooking a pot roast depends on many things, such as the type of meat cut, the cooking method, and the temperature. Keep in mind that most recipes advise browning the pot roast meat in a skillet or pan first. The following are some of the timing recommendations for cooking pot roasts:

Oven: 2-1/2 hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Slow cooker: 8-10 hours on the lowest heat setting.
Pressure cooker: 45-60 minutes on high pressure.

Now that you know how long you should cook a pot roast, but that is not all. You also need good recipes to cook a delicious pot roast meal. So, let us go ahead and take a look at some of our favorite recipes for pot roast and much more!

Contents

What Part of the Cow Is Used for Pot Roast?

Choosing the meat cut for the pot roast is always the most challenging part of the job. But we are here to help you make the decision. The following are some of the most popular choices for pot roast.

Beef Chuck Roast

One of our favorite cuts for pot roast is a boneless chuck roast. The chuck roast cut is from the shoulder just above the short rib.

It is a bit tougher and hence more affordable than the cuts from the front side of the cow. Moreover, the chuck roast has good marbling that makes the pot roast juicy and tender.

Most butchers generally label chuck roast as "pot roast." Some of the other names of cuts are blade roast, chuck eye, shoulder roast, arm steak, shoulder steak, cross-rib roast, arm roast, or seven-bone roast.

Beef Brisket

You must know the beef briskets from steak recipes. Usually, the beef brisket cut is for smoking. However, this cut makes a great pot roast.

But if you are trying to feed a big family, keep in mind that beef briskets are a bit pricier than the chuck roast.

Other similar cuts include beef brisket flat half, flat-cut, and beef brisket point half.

Beef Round Roast

The bottom round roast comes from the rear part of the cow and is very good for a roast. But just like the beef briskets, a beef-round roast also makes a great pot roast.

However, beef round roast is leaner than the other cuts mentioned in this list. To prevent the roast from drying out during the cooking process, we suggest adding extra fat.

How Much Is a Serving of Pot Roast?

The amount of meat served depends on its role in the dish. In other words, whether the beef is the main ingredient or just a part of the dish.

In the case of a pot roast, meat is the main focus of the dish. Thus, the per person servings should be more.

Generally, 1/2 pound of meat per person is an adequate serving amount. For someone with more appetite, you can scale the serving up to 3/4 pounds.

Does a Pot Roast Get More Tender the Longer It Cooks?

Yes, it is the beauty of pot roasts. The steak gets more tender the longer it cooks.

This is because pot roasts are meat cuts with marbling and fat. The slow cooking and consistent heat melt the fat and incorporate it with the dish. And this process ends up making the meat tender, softer, and juicer.

Can You Overcook a Roast in the Crockpot?

As we said above, the more you cook a pot roast, the more tender it gets. It is a benefit and makes the dish juicier. However, if you overdo it and leave the meat on the stove for way too long, it can become mushy.

How Do I Know When My Pot Roast Is Done?

It is easier to save your pot roast from overcooking when you know how to check the doneness of the meat. With the help of the following tips, you can easily tell when the pot roast is ready.

The easiest way to check if the pot roast is done or not is by cutting it. If the inside of the pot roast is soft and tender, then it is done and ready to eat.
If you cannot cut the pot roast before serving, there is another way to check the doneness of the meat. The process is simple. Use a food-grade thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. Briskets and chuck roasts are safe to eat at 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, for rump and round roasts, the internal temperature has to reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast Recipe

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 8-9 hrs

Servings: 8

Ingredients

4 lb. chuck roast
1 cup of water
One packet dry onion soup mix
Salt and pepper to taste
One chopped onion
Three chopped carrots
One chopped stalk celery
Three peeled and cubed potatoes

Cooking Instructions

Use the salt and pepper to season the chuck roast and let it sit for a few minutes.
Brown the chuck roast in a skillet on high heat for 4-5 minutes.
Place the chuck roast with all of the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker.
Let it cook for 8-9 hours on the lowest heat setting.
After 8-9 hours, check if the meat is fully cooked and serve if it's ready.

Click here to see the full recipe.

Beef Instant Pot Pot Roast

Prep Time: 30-40 mins

Cooking Time: 80-90 mins

Servings: 5

Ingredients

1-3 pounds chuck roast
Two small sliced onions
Four cloves of garlic, minced
Two tablespoons of soy sauce
One cup beef or chicken stock
One pinch dried rosemary
One tablespoon olive oil
Two bay leaves
One pinch thyme
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Two tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine
Two chopped carrots
Eight white mushrooms, sliced
2-4 potatoes, quartered
1-1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch, mixed with water

Cooking Instructions

Generously season the chuck roast with black pepper and kosher salt.
Heat the instant pot or a skillet on high heat and brown the chuck roast for around 5-8 minutes or up to preference. Set the roast aside.
Add onion with salt and pepper in the same pot and saute it until the onion gets soft. Then, add garlic into the mix and cook for around 2 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar or red wine. With the help of a wooden spoon, deglaze the pot.
Now add the chicken/beef stock, soy sauce, rosemary, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place the chuck roast in the pot and pressure cook on high heat setting for 45 minutes.
Then, cook for 25 minutes on full natural release.
Take out the chuck roast, cover it in tin foil, and place it aside.
Submerge quartered potatoes in the gravy and cook for another 5 minutes on high pressure.
Cut the chuck roast and serve with the gravy!

Click here to see this delicious recipe.

Beef Pot Roast in Oven Recipe

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

2-3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
1/2 cup of water
1-1/2 cups of baby carrots
1-1/4 lb. red potatoes halved
One red onion, wedges
8 oz. green beans, trimmed
1 tsp dried marjoram leaves
1-1/2 tsp beef-flavor instant bouillon
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place all the vegetables and the roast in an ungreased pan. Sprinkle the rest of the ingredients (except water) on top.
Lastly, put the water in the pan.
Cover the pan with foil.
Cook for 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Plate the roast and vegetables. Pour the gravy on top.

Click here to see the full recipe.

Final Takeaway

The appliance you choose will influence how long you should cook your pot roast. Of course, we won't be able to cook pot roasts with the same tools all the time.

So, it's always great to look out for alternative ways to cook it! We hope you found the information above helpful.

Before you go, do you have other pot roast concerns? Are you wondering what the best beef is for pot roast? You can find out by checking out our post here.

Are you also trying to decide which potato you will use for the pot roast? We cover the topic in depth. You can find out more by checking out our post here. Until next time!