When Ben and I first got married, we had to come to terms with the different ways we were raised on pot roast. We agreed that chuck roast was the star of the show, but have slightly different opinions on how to “correctly” prepare it. In today’s post, I’ll be sharing his method!
A classic Pot Roast is so easy to assemble and all the prep can be done ahead of time. Especially handy for work days or when there’s a lot to done outside of the kitchen.
How to make a classic Pot Roast
Choosing the right pan is an important first step. It needs to be big enough to include all the root veggies and plenty of water. This is the roaster pan and lid that I use.
A large casserole dish with foil will also work, depending on the size of the roast. I’ve also used my large Dutch Oven.
Gather the Ingredients
This recipe is very simple! When I laid it all out, I felt like I was missing something because the list was so short.
- 2-3 pound chuck roast
- 1 large white or yellow onion
- 1 Packet of Onion Soup Mix
- 4-5 carrots
- 4-5 potatoes
- Salt and pepper
What is a Chuck Roast?
Chuck roast comes from the upper shoulder portion of the beef animal. It is well-marbled (which describes the fat deposition through the meat) and, therefore, a flavorful cut. Fat brings the flavor! (This is why ribeye and prime rib are so delicious!) In the chuck, there is a large amount of connective tissue that melts away when cooked correctly, resulting in a beautifully tender, fall apart meat!
Most butchers will produce a 2-3 pound roast as standard, but larger roast can be acquired for larger families. It can be made with or without the bone-in.
You may also see this cut called a shoulder steak.
The Method for Iowa-style Pot Roast
Preheat your oven to 300 degree F. It’s important that roast be cooked “low and slow” to ensure tenderness and flavor! Cooking too quickly won’t yield the same effect.
I admit, I did add one step to the farmer husband’s recipe. I like to quarter an onion and spread it out under the roast. This acts as a bit of a “rack” to elevate the roast off the floor of the pan. I feel it also enhances the flavor and allows for more even cooking, since the water can get under the roast.
Next, place the roast on top of the onion chunks. Make sure they all are under the meat! My roasts are usually 2-3 pounds in size (this one was 2.6 pounds, bone-in). I find this to be just about perfect for a family of 2-4, depending on your desire for leftovers. I like to use my Pot Roast leftovers to make Beef and Noodles the next night!
The onion soup mix powder is sprinkled on next. Only on the roast! I have made my own onion soup mix before, but more often reach for the prepackaged style. This is the key ingredient for the “Iowa-style” pot roast that my farmer husband grew up on.
Lastly, the pan is filled with water along the edge. Fill until the water comes about 70% up the sides of the roast. Do NOT pour the water over top as to disrupt the onion soup mix! And do not overfill such that the water over comes the top of the roast. This is the other part of the “Iowa-style” that the farmer husband loves. It’s something about how the onion soup mix melts into the roast as it cooks.
It’s time to cook your pot roast.
Place in the oven, covered with a lid or foil, for the next 3-4 hours. (Larger roasts will obviously take a bit longer).
In the meantime, prep the carrots and potatoes. For the carrots, I peel them and then cut into chunks 3-4 inches long, and in half for the larger pieces. The potatoes are also peeled, and cut into quarters or sixths.
Then, maybe go take a nap. Do some laundry. Read a book. You’ve got time.
About an hour before dinner time, remove the pan from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes along the edges. Make sure everything is submerged under the liquid. Return to the oven, covered, for another hour. I also increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees F at this time.
Time to eat!
That’s it! I plate everything and then salt and pepper to taste. One of my favorite things about this meal is smashing up the potatoes with butter. Like a rustic mashed potatoes.
Are you drooling yet? What a timeless and delicious dish.
Does your family have a specific spin on Pot Roast? Let me know in the comments below!
Iowa-Style Pot Roast
Equipment
- Roaster pan
Ingredients
- 2-3 lb Chuck roast
- 1 Onion, quartered
- 1 packet Onion soup mix
- 4-5 Carrots, large chunks, peeled
- 4-5 Potatoes, large chunks, peeled
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300℉.
- Quarter the onion and place spread out in empty, dry roaster pan.
- Place chuck roast over top of the onion pieces.
- Sprinkle the onion soup mix over top of the roast.
- Fill pan with water, coming up the sides of roast about 70%. Do not cover over the dry mix! It should be left undisturbed on top of the roast.
- Cover the roaster pan (with a lid or foil) and place in preheated oven. Cook for 3-4 hours.
- In the meantime, prep the carrots and potatoes.
- About an hour prior to dinnertime, add the carrots and potatoes in to the water surrounding the roast. Cover. Place back into oven and increase temperature to 375℉.
- When finished, the carrots and potatoes should be easily pierced with a fork and the roast should be falling apart tender.
- Salt and pepper, to taste, and serve!
My mom’s recipe is essentially this but instead of soup mix and water we use a mix of broth and red wine! And I add some bay leaves and thyme! Very French 😂
I’ll have to try this version! Thanks!