Southern Pot Roast (Easy!)

Southern Pot Roast is a classic, slow-braised dish that turns a simple chuck roast into a rich, hearty meal. Simmered in beef stock and red wine, the meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender while potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery soak up all the deep, savory flavor.

This one-pot favorite is largely hands-off once you get it going and is perfect for family dinners or Sunday gatherings. You’ll love how your kitchen smells with this homey roast in the oven.

A plate of mashed potatoes topped with beef pot roast, carrots, and herbs. Two slices of bread are in the background on a wooden surface.

This old-fashioned pot roast was one of the first things I learned to cook as a young bride — many years ago. There was no recipe, just some simple instructions from my Granny.

It was a bit of a challenge when I started this blog to narrow those instructions into a workable recipe to share with readers.

Braised chuck roast

I’ve tested this recipe with different cuts of beef and I prefer the inexpensive chuck roast. The meat cooks until it’s so tender you can pull it apart with a fork.

At its core, this Southern pot roast recipe is a simple braised chuck roast recipe. You don’t want to submerge the meat, just cover it slightly more than halfway.

One of the best things about this recipe is that once you get everything in the oven, you’re done for a few hours. I love recipes that allow me to get a delicious meal on the table while still having time to do other things.

I’ve also tested different vegetables like mushrooms, other root vegetables, and celeriac. What I found is that if something ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Classic recipes are classic for a reason and the traditional Southern pot roast recipe with potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery is perfect as it is.

My take on the recipe is to add a little red wine to the braising liquid (something my Granny did not do!) because I love the flavor addition of red wine with beef. The alcohol cooks off and you’re left with a silky, rich umami flavored sauce for your roast.

Round out the meal

When serving pot roast, you don’t need anything else since you’ve got the meat and vegetables all in one pot. We usually serve some homemade Southern buttermilk cornbread or sourdough bread on the side.

Person with shoulder-length blond hair and blue glasses smiling indoors in front of a red brick wall.

I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

A pot of Southern pot roast with carrots and herbs, placed on a wooden table next to a loaf of bread and a bowl of mashed potatoes.

Ingredient notes for Southern pot roast

Our ingredients for this roast are simple and easy to find. Feel free to leave out anything you don’t like or add other vegetables. This recipe is very adaptable. Here are just a few things to note:

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

A raw beef chuck in a dish, surrounded by carrots, celery, potatoes, an onion, rosemary, garlic, olive oil, red wine, beef broth, salt, and pepper on a wooden surface.

Chuck roast: You can use a bottom round or rump roast, but our testing showed that tasters preferred the regular old chuck roast. It’s inexpensive, always tender, and you can’t mess it up.

Potatoes: We add potatoes to our pot roast, but if you’d rather serve creamy mashed potatoes, leave the chopped potatoes out of the roast.

Dry red wine: I like a dry, full-bodied red wine for this recipe, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or a Syrah.

Fresh thyme or rosemary: Fresh herbs are optional and not typical with a Southern pot roast, but I like the additional flavor you get from fresh herbs. Feel free to omit or substitute with dried herbs.

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How to cook a chuck roast

Prepare the oven and the roast.

Preheat oven to 325°. Salt and pepper the roast and sprinkle one tablespoon flour on each side. Pat the flour into the meat so it adheres well.

Sear the chuck roast.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large roasting pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, sear the meat until brown on both sides. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Remove the meat and place on a plate.

Roasted beef in a blue pot on a wooden surface, with carrots and celery alongside.

Saute the vegetables.

Add another tablespoon oil to the pot and heat for a few seconds, then add the onions and celery, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits of meat.

Sautè the vegetables for about 2 minutes, until they start to brown, and then remove them from heat.

Chopped celery, onions, and garlic cooking in a pot, with a wooden spoon. Two cups containing liquids are placed beside the pot on a wooden surface.

Add braising liquids.

Pour in 1 cup wine and 1 cup beef broth, add the dried thyme and put the roast back in the pot. Scoop the vegetables on top of and around the roast, so that the roast is on the bottom of the pot.

Salt and pepper the vegetables. If you have fresh thyme or rosemary, you can add a couple of sprigs at this point.

Pouring red wine into a pot with chopped celery, onions, and other vegetables, stirred with a wooden spoon.

A pot of southern pot roast with meat, onions, and rosemary, surrounded by whole carrots and potatoes on a wooden surface.

Cook for two hours, then add vegetables.

Put the lid on the pot, place in the oven, and cook for 2 hours. Add the carrots and potato pieces to the pot, along with more wine and beef broth if the liquid level is low.

Pot of chuck roast with chunks of meat, carrots, and herbs in a brown broth, set on a wooden table. Rosemary and thyme sprigs are placed beside the pot.

Roast until tender.

Cook for 1 ½ more hours or until meat is very tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.

If you want the sauce thicker and gravy-like, strain it and then reduce it on the stove. You can stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.

A pot of beef roast with carrots, celery, and herbs in broth, placed on a wooden table beside slices of bread and a small plate of mashed potatoes.

A plate with mashed potatoes topped with braised chuck roast and carrot pieces, placed on a wooden table next to a slice of bread and a wooden spoon with butter.

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Tips and questions

This pot roast recipe can be gluten-free if you use gluten-free flour.
You can use the golden baby potatoes instead of cutting potatoes into chunks.
If you want the sauce thicker and gravy-like, strain it and then reduce it on the stove. You can stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken it.

Can I make this pot roast in the crockpot?

Our Southern pot roast is a great slow cooker recipe. I would sear it as instructed and then just put everything in the crockpot. You can saute the vegetables or not; it is totally optional.

You would want to use larger chunks of vegetables so they don’t get mushy.

Can you freeze braised pot roast?

You can freeze this pot roast in any airtight container. I like to freeze the leftovers in small portion size containers so I can pull out one for dinner when we need it.