Instant Pot Pot Roast
A 3-pound chuck roast browned, pressure cooked for about an hour with a natural release, then finished with carrots, potatoes and a quick gravy.
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes1
hour15
minutesA 3-pound chuck roast browned, pressure cooked for about an hour with a natural release, then finished with carrots, potatoes and a quick gravy.
Ingredients
3 lb boneless chuck roast, cut in 2 or 3 pieces
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 lb carrots, cut in large chunks
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
Directions
- Season the roast with the salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat the oil on the sauté setting and brown the roast 3 to 4 minutes per side. Move it to a plate.
- Cook the onion in the same pot for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
- Pour in the broth and Worcestershire and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom so the pot does not trigger the burn warning.
- Add the thyme and bay leaf, set the roast on top and seal the lid with the valve on Sealing.
- Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes.
- Open the lid, add the carrots and potatoes around the roast and seal again.
- Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes and quick release.
- Lift the roast and vegetables out. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the liquid on sauté until the gravy thickens.
- Check the roast with a thermometer. It should read 195 to 205°F in the thickest part. Slice or shred and serve with the gravy.
Notes
- Chuck roast is the cut that gets tender at pressure; lean roasts such as round dry out. Do not fill the pot past the two-thirds line. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days and freeze well in their gravy.
Why chuck is the cut for Instant Pot Pot Roast
Chuck roast carries the collagen that melts under pressure and turns into silky gravy. Lean roasts such as round come out dry and stringy no matter how long you cook them. Cutting the roast into big chunks shortens the cook and gives you more browned surface to build flavor on.
Swaps and limits for Instant Pot Pot Roast
Water plus a spoonful of extra tomato paste can stand in for the broth if the pantry is bare. Parsnips replace some of the carrots nicely. Keep the pot below the two-thirds line, because it needs headroom to build pressure. Do not swap in a lean roast to save money, since it will never get tender here.
Instant Pot Pot Roast leftovers and sides
Spoon the thickened juices over everything and pass warm bread. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge sitting in a little gravy, which stops the meat from drying out.
The common mistake is skipping the deglaze. Scrape every browned bit off the bottom, or the pot may complain with a burn warning.
Instant Pot Pot Roast at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 14, led by boneless chuck roast, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil
Tips for Instant Pot Pot Roast
Chuck roast is the cut that gets tender at pressure; lean roasts such as round dry out. Do not fill the pot past the two-thirds line. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days and freeze well in their gravy.
Instant Pot Pot Roast FAQ
How long does Instant Pot Pot Roast take?
Instant Pot Pot Roast takes 1 hour 15 minutes of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Instant Pot Pot Roast serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Instant Pot Pot Roast?
14 ingredients, led by boneless chuck roast, kosher salt, black pepper, olive oil. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
