Yankee Pot Roast
This Yankee pot roast is just what I crave when the weather turns chilly! Tender, fall-apart beef, buttery potatoes, and hearty veggies cook low and slow in a rich red wine gravy. It’s a cozy, comforting dinner that’s roasted to perfection!
A Roast Worth Raving About
A Little Effort, a Lot of Flavor: Who knew a few simple ingredients could taste this good? Fresh herbs, red wine, and a few pantry staples work their magic as everything slowly cooks together.
Sunday Dinner Made Easy: No need to juggle a bunch of side dishes! With juicy beef, tender potatoes, and plenty of veggies, you’ve got a complete meal ready to serve.
The Gravy Steals the Show: Rich, savory, and packed with flavor from the slow-cooked beef and veggies. Trust me, you’ll want to spoon it over everything!
Ingredients for Yankee Pot Roast
Choose the Right Cut of Beef: Chuck roast, brisket, or bottom round become fall-apart tender when cooked low and slow.
Fresh or Dried Herbs: Use fresh rosemary and thyme, or swap each for 1 teaspoon dried.
Keep Potatoes the Same Size: Cut baby potatoes into 1 to 1½-inch pieces for even cooking.
Skip the Wine: Replace the red wine with an equal amount of beef broth.
Pick a Good Red Wine: Choose a dry red wine like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir.
How to Make Yankee Pot Roast
Once this pot roast is in the oven, you can pretty much forget about it until dinner! Just be sure to sear the beef first. Those browned bits add so much flavor to the gravy! If you love a good pot roast as much as I do, try my horseradish pot roast and marry me pot roast next.
Dry and Season: Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Pat the beef roast dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and black pepper.
Coat in Flour: Dredge the seasoned roast with flour.
Sear: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat, then add the dredged roast. Sear for 5-6 minutes on either side, until a dark crust forms. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Make the Sauce: Lower to medium heat and stir in the tomato paste, red wine, and beef broth, being sure to scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Cook: Add the roast back into the pot, along with the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 2.5-3 hours, until the roast is fork-tender.
Add the Vegetables: Add the celery ribs, carrots, onion, and baby potatoes. Cover and return to the oven for 1 hour, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaves. Shred the Yankee pot roast and serve.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Thicken the Gravy: For a thicker gravy, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Stir into the pot juices and simmer on the stovetop for a few minutes until thickened.
Must Have Kitchen Tools
Dutch Oven: Perfect for searing the beef and slow-cooking everything together in one pot.
Yankee Pot Roast Slow Cooker Method
Sear the Beef: Season and flour the roast, then sear it in a skillet as directed.
Make the Sauce: Stir the tomato paste, wine, and beef broth into the skillet, scraping up the browned bits.
Combine: Add the vegetables to a 6–8 quart slow cooker. Place the roast on top, then pour in the sauce. Add the garlic and herbs.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 6–8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Remove the herb sprigs and bay leaves before serving.
Yankee Pot Roast
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Fridge: Store leftover pot roast with the gravy and vegetables in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooled pot roast with the gravy in an airtight container for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze without the potatoes.
Reheat: Warm leftovers on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until heated through.
Make Ahead: Season the roast and chop the vegetables up to 24 hours ahead. Store separately in the fridge, then cook as directed.