Classic Pot Roast Recipe

Easy Roast Beef Recipes Are Best

My pot roast recipe is a classic, easy to make, and a crowd pleaser. You can't go wrong with roast beef recipes!

Pot roast, growing up, was my favorite meal. Each year on our birthdays, my mom would cook us our heart's desire... our very favorite meal of choice. Mine was always pot roast with potatoes, carrots and gravy. It's still a favorite.

And I don't think I'm alone here. Roast beef has to be one of the more enduring beef recipes around. Preparation and accompaniments may vary, but the meal is a classic both in the U.S. and in Europe. Although it does take longer than an hour to cook, pot roast is really quite fast to throw together during the prep phase...

Classic Pot Roast

Ingredients:

Beef roast
Flour
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

Horseradish
Potatoes, peeled, quartered
Carrots, peeled, chunked (or baby ones)

Directions:

First, put 1/2 to 1 cup of flour in a ziploc bag. Add salt & black pepper to taste. Add in the roast, zip closed, and shake to coat roast with flour. Rub the flour into the roast from the outside too.

Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Then, add the roast and brown on all sides. When pot roast is browned, turn down the heat, smear some horseradish on the top and sides of the beef, add a cup or two of hot water and cover the pot. Cook for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the size of the roast.

About 45 minutes before the roast is due to be done, add in the potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until vegetables are tender.

This is a set and forget kind of recipe. Once you brown the meat, you can go away and leave it for a few hours while it cooks. Just don't forget to add in the veggies before the meat is done cooking! You can serve it with the juices from the pot or convert those juices into a gravy using a flour and water paste. You may also need to adjust the seasonings slightly.

A note on roast beef cuts... roasts are sold in a variety of cuts, from chuck roast to rump roast to prime rib roast. Which you choose is really a matter of personal preference and your budget. Obviously, the better cuts will cost more, but they also tend to taste better and be more tender when cooked.

Variations