This Stove Top Pot Roast has become one of my favorite go-to Sunday dinner recipes. The beef roast falls apart in the savory gravy, and the veggies are soft and soak up all the tasty flavor from the meat. Each bite is even better than the last; you're going to want to go back for seconds!
I feel like I make this once a week now, and we never get tired of it. It's a perfect old-fashioned pot roast recipe that you actually want to keep on your dinner rotation. I promise that even your kids are going to like this one, which says a lot for any picky eater.
I highly recommend that you try Mississippi pot roast and slow cooker pot roast if you're looking for more awesome pot roast recipes. My poor man's prime rib is another that's worth checking out.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's made entirely in one pot: Every step of this old-fashioned stove-top pot roast recipe is done in the same pot. It's easy, convenient, and makes clean-up quicker later.
- It's inexpensive: This is a fairly cheap recipe to make. It's perfect for a tight budget and large families.
- It makes great leftovers: The pot roast and veggies reheat really well, making it an ideal meal for leftovers the next day.
Ingredients
The key ingredients for this stove-top pot roast recipe are listed below. You want a good cut of meat, fresh veggies, and a perfectly thick gravy!
- Pot roast: I typically go with a rump roast for this recipe. You can also make a chuck roast on the stove top. That's my second favorite cut for this meal.
- Veggies: I keep it simple and use onions and carrots. You can use baby carrots, but I prefer regular carrots for their texture and flavor. Throw in some celery too, if you want.
- Cornstarch: This is key to thickening up the gravy after the pot roast has finished cooking. You'll make a slurry with water and whisk it into the gravy and let it simmer for a few minutes to get the perfect consistency.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Ranch: Throw in a ranch packet to give the pot roast some zing.
- Creamy mushroom: Saute some sliced mushrooms and add a splash of cream towards the end for a rich and earthy flavor.
- Tomato: Add some tomato paste before you add the broth for some depth and acidity.
How to Make a Pot Roast on the Stove
Here are the instructions to make this pot roast recipe on the stove top. Prepare your veggies and measure your ingredients before you get started.
Step 1: Dry and season the roast. Pat all sides of the roast dry with paper towels, and then generously rub the spice mix all around the outside.
Step 2: Heat the oil and add the meat. Heat your large pot over medium heat and add the oil. Once it's hot, place your beef into the bottom.
Step 3: Sear it. Brown it for a few minutes on each side. I like to press it down and lift it to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.
Step 4: Add the broth and veggies. Next, pour in your broth and add the carrots and onions.
Step 5: Simmer. Pop the lid on and let it simmer between 3 ½ and 6 hours. It should be falling apart when it's done.
Step 6: Shred and serve. Transfer the beef and veggies to a large serving platter. Shred the meat (it should just fall apart easily). Prepare the cornstarch slurry and mix it into the juices in the pot. It should thicken and be ready to enjoy after about 5 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Add cornstarch separately: Don't try to mix the cornstarch directly into the pot, as this will cause lumps. Combine the cornstarch and water to form a slurry, then pour it into the pot.
- Don't boil the pot roast: Keep the heat from getting too high. You want the pot roast to simmer, but not boil the whole time. This will make your beef tough and dry.
- Use a deep pot: You'll need a deep, heavy-bottom pot for this recipe. A Dutch oven or ceramic pot is perfect.
If you want more roast recipes that skip the slow cooker and oven, try air fryer roast beef.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes in a microwave-safe bowl. You also put them in a saucepan over low heat for 8-10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- My favorite way to enjoy a serving of stove-top pot roast is over creamy homemade mashed potatoes. A fun spin on this is crispy mashed potato patties, which taste amazing with the gravy.
- You can't go wrong with a green veggie side dish. I love balsamic green beans and maple bacon brussel sprouts with this recipe.
- Enjoy rolls or crust bread to soak up the extra gravy and juices, or try garlic bread and cornbread instead.
Recipe FAQs
It likely didn't cook long enough. It's still tough or not falling apart, let it cook longer. Up to 6 hours is completely fine!
Sure! After browning the roast on the saute setting, cook all the ingredients at high pressure for about 90 minutes and then naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes.
Video
More Delicious Beef Recipes
Do you like beef recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Stove Top Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 4-6 lb pot roast we use rump roast
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil or another vegetable oil
- 1 carton chicken broth beef or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or more to taste
- 1 medium onion sliced or diced
- 4 carrots peeled sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3-5 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Pull out and measure all the ingredients.
- Rinse and pat meat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle it with a teaspoon salt, pepper and garlic powder. Be sure to cover all sides of the cut of meat. Press or rub seasonings with your hands.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, place oil in pan and heat until it shimmers or a drop of water flicked in it dances.
- Place the meat on one side of the pot. The roast should sizzle right away. Don't let go of if yet. Lift it up and down a few times until the meat does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Then let go and leave it to brown, without moving it, a few minutes per side. Make sure each side of the roast is browned, even the ends! Lean the roast up against the side of the pot if you have to!
- Once the beef is brown on all sides, add a carton of chicken broth.
- Add carrots and sliced onions.
- Cover roast and simmer between 3-½ to 6 hours. It should be fork-tender and just fall apart. Add any vegetables you desire for the last 15-30 minutes of cooking time.
- Remove the meat from pot and place on a plate or serving platter. It will likely fall apart, so be careful when removing it. Remove any strings or net holding the roast together, and allow it to rest while making the gravy.
- Strain the juices left in the pot and return the fluid back into the pot.
- In a small bowl or cup, combine water and cornstarch. Stir until dissolved and set aside.
- Turn the temperature on your stove to medium-high. Bring remaining juices to a boil and add the cornstarch mixture. Using a whisk, stir constantly. Reduce temperature to simmer and stir regularly until gravy thickens.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- After 5 minutes, If gravy doesn't thicken to your liking, mix up a little more cornstarch and water in a small bowl or cup, and once dissolved, add it to the gravy. Whisk while simmering and wait a few more minutes.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and carrots, corn or anything else you desire!
- Enjoy every bite!
Notes
- Store your leftover pot roast and veggies in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Allow your roast plenty of time to cook. If it's not tender, it likely just needs to cook longer.
- Prepare a cornstarch slurry separately and then mix it into the juice to thicken the gravy to prevent lumps.
Chariss says
Tired of my usual boneless chuck roast cooked in two cans of cream of mushroom soup. Found this recipe online and happily I had an onion, two carrots and chicken broth. Simmered my 1.7 lb chuck roast for 2 and a half hours (came directly out of the freezer) and served with mashed potatoes. The meat was tender and very delicious. Thank you for an easy recipe.
Karin and Ken says
As always you’re most welcome! I try my best. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Take care and enjoy your day! Karin
Janet Johnson says
This wasn't at all helpful to me as there are no weights given for the time it takes to cook the roast. I can't figure out if I am overcooking or undercooking my small chuck roasts, usually 1.5 to 2 lb, as they end up tough, even though I buy the fattiest ones. I have searched the internet and cannot find a time chart for stovetop roasts - they all just start with a 3 or 4-pound roast it seems. I guess the one I am about to cook will be tough again. Sigh.
Karin and Ken says
Hopefully your roast will not turn out dry and tough! On top the stove, always keep the liquid at a simmer and never allow it to boil as rigorously boiling can and will usually toughen up the cut of beef you're cooking. As far as timing goes, the rule of thumb has always been told to me to plan on about a half hour or 30 minutes per pound. I would not cook your 1 1/2 pound roast for longer than 45 minutes myself, maybe an hour, depending how you like yours cooked. Use a meat thermometer to check and confirm your roast is cooked to 135 degrees F for medium rare to medium, 145 degrees, to medium well 150 degrees F. Last, allow your beef to rest, on a plate covered with tinfoil or another plate, before serving. I hope your roast beef turns out great! Thank you for taking the time to comment. As always I am grateful. Take care and all the best. Karin
Joan says
I have been looking for a recipe that would taste like my Mom's roast beef and this is it. I had never used chicken broth with a roast and I believe it did make a huge difference. I cooked mine in a slow cooker for 4 hours and it fell apart like I wanted it to. I LOVED the roast and will be using this recipe always. Thank you so much for bringing back my childhood memories of Mom's roast beef dinner.
Karin and Ken says
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to comment. You truly made my day. I am so glad you enjoy this roast as much as we do. My mom always said that the chicken broth made the gravy lighter and more flavorful. Hopefully you find some other recipes on this site that you enjoy just as much. All the best. Karin
Christina Fratcher says
Yummy, very similar to how I make it, but after browning in a pan I put it into a cooking bag with my sautéed onions an I put carrots in there as well, I have the roast tied with rosemary and any other herb I feel like adding, backing in a bag keeps everything together and clean up is so easy. I will have mashed potatoes too, I have guest coming Saturday and I love this, perfect. Thank you
Karin and Ken says
Thank you so much for sharing the easy method you use to make your roasts. I love the idea of using a cooking bag. I have been hesitant to try it but I will now! Can’t thank you enough for the suggestion! I love this pot roast recipe and have been making it for years so making the roast in a bag will be a nice change. Do you pour the drippings from inside the bag into a pot to make gravy afterwards? I assuming so. Regardless, please let me know what you think of this recipe after you try it. I would love to hear what you thought of it! Take care and all the best to you. Karin