Best Crockpot Pot Roast

Prep Time 15 minutes
8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
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This easy crock pot pot roast recipe has been passed down in my family for years! It uses a few unique ingredients to create a flavorful and extra tender pot roast in an irresistibly rich and savory beef gravy.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe

Honestly, I wish I could give you a bite through the screen! This pot roast recipe is seriously to die for. Here are some of the reasons we love it:

  • Unique: This family recipe includes the BEST pot roast gravy you will ever taste made with a few surprising ingredients. Just trust me on this one!
  • Tender: The flavorful beef is so tender it literally falls apart from slow cooking all day in the rich homemade gravy.
  • Comfort Food: This is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of dinner that will have the whole family going back for seconds! Don’t forget the mashed potatoes and soft rolls!
  • Easy: Making pot roast in the crockpot is simple and hands off! Sear the beef and add everything to the crockpot in the morning and let the slow cooker do all the hard work!

Love easy beef crockpot dinners? Try my crockpot Birria, slow cooker chili or fall themed slow cooker beef stew with apple cider!

Ingredients for crockpot pot roast recipe arranged on a wooden surface from top to bottom: gravy packets, pepper, cornstarch, oil, soy sauce, coffee, Worcestershire, garlic, beef roast, red wine, carrots, mushrooms and onions.

What You Will Need For This Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

This fall-apart-tender pot roast includes a few unique ingredients you wouldn’t expect. We call them the “secret ingredients” because no one would ever guess what goes into our pot roast! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.

  • Brown Gravy Mix: Make sure to grab the low sodium kind. If you don’t want to use gravy packets, check the variations section below for an alternative.
  • Cornstarch: To thicken up the gravy.
  • Coffee: Plain brewed coffee adds an amazing depth of flavor.
  • Red Wine: I always use cabernet, but feel free to use any dry red wine. Replace with extra beef broth, if needed.
  • Soy Sauce: Surprising I know, but I promise you won’t know it’s in there!
  • Worcestershire Sauce: For rich umami flavor.
  • Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the best flavor.
  • Black Pepper: Similarly, freshly ground black pepper is best here.
  • Oil: You’ll need oil to sear the roast before placing it in the crockpot.
  • Roast: Beef chuck roast, bottom round roast, or a similar cut of beef.
  • Carrots: Baby carrots, or full sized carrots that are peeled and chopped.
  • Onion: I like to use yellow onion for their sweetness, but a white will work as well.
  • Mushrooms: I use sliced portobello mushrooms. These are optional, but taste FANTASTIC in the gravy!
A spoon drizzling brown gravy over a serving of crockpot pot roast.

How to Cook a Roast in a Crock Pot

Alright, let’s talk about how this crock pot pot roast comes together. The steps are simple, you will be on your way in no time! Scroll down to the recipe card for full detailed instructions. 

  • Gravy: Whisk together the gravy packets and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in coffee so that there are no lumps. Then whisk in wine, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and black pepper.
  • Sear: In a large heavy bottomed skillet, over medium high heat, add oil. Then, add the meat and sear it on all sides.
  • Combine: Transfer the meat to the crockpot. Top it with carrots, onion, and mushrooms. Pour the gravy mix on top and place the lid on the slow cooker.
  • Cook: Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat is fork tender.
  • Shred: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it into chunks with two forks. Stir the gravy and vegetables to combine.
  • Serve: Add the beef back to the crockpot to combine, or serve it as is with the gravy on the side.
A serving of crockpot pot roast in a rich brown beef gravy with carrots, onions and mushrooms served over a bed of mashed potatoes with a fork.

Tips for Success & Recipe Variations

There are a few simple go-to rules when making a slow cooker pot roast that I always abide by.

  • Cooking Time: I have tried speeding up my pot roast and setting my crockpot on high, but my roast just never gets tender enough and your gravy can burn! If you want a meltingly tender roast, low and slow is best.
  • Sear The Roast: While some people believe that searing meat holds in its juices, that myth has been proven false. However, it does caramelize the surface of the meat, which enhances the flavor and adds an extra depth of flavor to the roast!
  • Large Chopped Vegetables: If the chopped veggies are too small, they might become too soft while the beef is still cooking. Using larger pieces will help keep them intact.
  • Add Potatoes: If you use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, you don’t need to peel them. Just chop them into bite-size pieces before adding them to the crockpot.
  • No Gravy Packets: If you prefer not to use gravy packets, add 1/2 cup additional cornstarch and 2 tablespoons granulated beef bouillon instead.

Serving Suggestions

There are a few classic side dishes that we love to serve alongside this crockpot pot roast:

A spoon drizzling brown gravy over a serving of crockpot pot roast.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Crock Pot Pot Roast

If you’ve got leftover pot roast, save it for later in the week or freeze it. It makes a great lunch or quick dinner for another night!

  • Fridge: Let your pot roast cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  • Reheat: Spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat for a couple of minutes in the microwave. I recommend stirring halfway through cooking to ensure everything is heated evenly. If your gravy has thickened, add a little broth to thin as needed.
  • Freeze: Transfer cooled pot roast to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer to fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
Crock pot pot roast with a rich brown gravy served over a bed of mashed potatoes on a plate.
4.5 from 880 votes
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Yield: 8 servings

Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe

This easy crock pot roast is an old family recipe with surprising ingredients that combine to make a super flavorful and extra tender pot roast swimming in a rich brown gravy.
Prep Time15 minutes
8 hours
Total Time8 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 (1 oz) packets low-sodium brown gravy mix
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup brewed coffee
  • 8 oz red wine, like a cabernet
  • ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 8 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 lb bottom round or chuck roast
  • 1 lb baby carrots, or whole carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together gravy packets and cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the coffee so there are no lumps. Then whisk in the wine, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic and black pepper. Set aside.
  • In a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Add meat and quickly sear on all sides. Transfer meat to a 7+ quart crockpot.
  • Top meat with carrots, onion and mushrooms. Pour gravy mix on top and place lid on slow cooker.
  • Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until meat is fork tender.
  • Remove pot roast from slow cooker and shred into chunks with two forks. Stir gravy and vegetables to combine.
  • Serve pot roast topped with gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash.

Video

Notes

Store: Let your pot roast cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Transfer cooled pot roast to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, transfer to fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Spoon the desired amount into a microwave-safe dish, cover it, and heat for a couple of minutes in the microwave. I recommend stirring halfway through cooking to ensure everything is heated evenly. If your gravy has thickened, add a little broth to thin as needed.
Large Chopped Vegetables: If the chopped veggies are too small, they might become too soft while the beef is still cooking. Using larger pieces will help keep them intact.
Add Potatoes: If you use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes, you don’t need to peel them. Just chop them into bite-size pieces before adding them to the crockpot.
No Gravy Packets: If you prefer not to use gravy packets, add 1/2 cup additional cornstarch and 2 tablespoons granulated beef bouillon instead.
Instant Pot: This recipe originally had instructions to also be made in the instant pot, however so many people were having burn issues that I removed those instructions. If you would still like to try it that way, try at your own risk! When I make it in the instant pot, I cook it on manual, High Pressure for 135 minutes and do a natural pressure release.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 418kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 105mg, Sodium: 806mg, Potassium: 1125mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 7828IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 5mg

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Recipe Rating




386 Responses
  1. Julie

    5 stars
    This recipe was fantastic! I followed it exactly as written and it turned out amazing. I will be making this again and already can’t wait! I’ve shared this with friends and family.

    I cooked it on the 10-hour low setting but it was done in 8. We served over mashed potatoes.

    You won’t be disappointed in this recipe!!

  2. Kate

    I’m normally really good about reading comments before I try a new recipe… but I’m so glad I didn’t this time! This recipe sounded so good to me that I threw it all in the crockpot during a polar freeze in Denver and after that I read the incredibly split 50/50 reviews. I have no idea how anyone could make this recipe and not like it! This is so flavorful and delicious! I didn’t have low sodium gravy mix, and I used full amount of recommended soy sauce and it wasn’t too salty and definitely didn’t taste bitter. We can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. This recipe will become a permanent staple in our household. Thank you, delish!!!

  3. Tim

    Anyone ever made this recipe in a Dutch Oven before? I expect it would still have the same flavours, but what about temp and time…

  4. Ashlee

    5 stars
    This was so good! Altered it a tiny bit , only used 2 gravy packets and updated the amounts but this recipe is amazing !

  5. Shanee

    5 stars
    This was absolutely delicious! Huge hit in our household. Not sure how the person below said theirs tasted like chemicals….

  6. Anna Klein

    This was the most DISGUSTING thing I have ever made! To much chemical taste, too acidic! Just awful! Would never use this recipe again!!

  7. Kyla

    This may sound dumb.
    But am I making the gravy according to package, then adding the cornstarch and stuff….or just the packets themselves, and adding the rest?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Amberly, if you don’t have broth, you could also use water. You will likely need to adjust the seasonings at the end, so taste to be sure before serving!

      1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
        Jessica

        I’m not sure as we always serve ours shredded. It’s pretty tender, so it might be difficult to get pretty slices. If anything, you can stop cooking it a couple hours earlier (make sure to check with a thermometer that the roast is cooked through) to see if it’s a better slicing texture.

  8. Brie Lee

    Hi, can I replace the meat with a sirloin tip roast or a top round roast? Which would probably be better?
    Thanks!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Brie! Both a sirloin tip roast or a top round roast should work! The Sirloin tip roast is a leaner cut of meat, so it won’t be as tender/juicy as the top round roast will be. Hope this helps!

  9. Jessica

    7 hours into cooking and realized I only used 1 packet of gravy. Do you think it will still turn out ok? Any suggestions?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Yes! It will be thinner (the gravy), but you can add more gravy packets at the end – or just whisk in some corn starch! No matter which one you choose, make a slurry with it (mixing the gravy packet or cornstarch with water or liquid from the crockpot in a small bowl first then pour it into the crockpot). This will make sure it doesn’t get lumpy!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      If you cook it on high, it should be done in about 4 to 5 hours. However, be warned, cooking it on high can sometimes make the meat a tougher. The slower longer heat helps to break down the meat and make it more tender.

  10. Jenna

    Hi! Do I have to use coffee? I read how it won’t effect the flavour but I’d like to know if I can substitute it for anything. Thanks!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Jenna! You can skip the coffee and just use a little extra beef broth instead. The coffee does help deepen the overall flavor of the roast/gravy, but it can be skipped!

  11. Elizabeth

    Hello. You said you removed the instant pot version because of burn notice. For people to avoid that they need to turn the pot off and deglaze the bottom to get off all the stuck pieces. Hope this helps other people.

  12. Ashley

    Would like to make this for my in laws but one of them has been sober for over a year. I’d like to replace the wine with something else. Any suggestions?

  13. Maggie

    How much corn starch to substitute gravy packets. I have 1 packet 1.3 McCormick slow cooker savory pot roast package.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      You can but it will add a little sweetness to your finished dish, which may be good, but just something to keep in mind!

    1. Lynnette

      My daughter gave me this recipe after she made it last weekend. I made it this weekend absolutely the best. My husband absolutely loved it!

  14. Becky

    Hi there, my roast is currently in the crockpot and I followed the recipe to the letter, but I started it a little late so I’m going it in high for 6 hours, I’m noticing though that the gravy is quite thick. Would you recommend adding water or maybe a bit more wine to thin it out a bit? It is it because it’s being Cooked on high?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hmm, could be because it’s on high it’s thickening extra quick. You can always add a little extra water, broth or wine to thin it out! I’d probably go with water/broth because the wine might not have time to really cook out. Hope this helps!

  15. Jen

    Hi. I noticed you used a slow cooker which is different from a crockpot. Can you did this in a crockpot? What temp and for how long

  16. Christina

    The Best!! This pot roast is so simple
    And delicious! We had zero leftovers! Next time we make it we’re going to add red potatoes. Yum yum yum!!

  17. Lisa

    The recipe sounds great, but I really don’t like the idea of using gravy packets. Are there some ingredients that I can use to naturally make the equivalent of the gravy packet without the chemicals and sodium?

  18. Sonia

    Happy New year! I cannot find the low sodium gravy packets… is it ok to use the regular gravy packets? i want to make today. please let me know as soon as possible.

  19. Jeannie Bovee

    Do you make the gravy packets with water as the package says? Or is your only liquid that of the wine and coffee? Making this tomorrow.

      1. Suzanne Ekblad

        Hi Jessica –

        I have a huge 7 pound roast from the butcher – way too big but I guess I’ll just make it! I have a huge crockpot.

        What adjustments would you recommend for the gravy packets and other liquids? I was thinking of doubling but that’s 8 packets!

        1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
          Jessica

          Eek! That is a BIG roast! Yes, I would double the ingredients and I would also cut your roast in half, or even better into thirds before adding it to the crockpot. That will give your meat more of a chance to get tender and get the flavor all throughout the beef!

  20. Rick

    I’m looking to make this for Christmas dinner however ive never been a fan of coffee or wine and definitely never cooked with it. Would it drastically alter the flavor of the gravy if I substituted those with beef broth? Or would you recommend that I stick with the secret ingredients?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I would recommend sticking with the directed ingredients, beef broth will change the flavor immensely. The coffee and wine flavors are not prevalent once it is all done, I bet none of your guests will even guess you used soy sauce, red wine and coffee!

  21. Gail

    I made this today and we ate it tonight, WOW this is sooo good. I had a smaller roast so I only used 2 packets of gravy and reduced the soy sauce, I also sautéed the onions, garlic and mushrooms and added the sauce in the pan I browned the roast in lifting some yummy flavors.. I also use beef broth instead of the wine.. (I prefer to drink my wine :)) It’s a wonderful combination. Thank you for sharing with us..

    1. Kim Banks

      Hi! This sounds delicious! I want to make for 15 people though. Would I need to use two slow cookers? Or can this be done in the oven?

      1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
        Jessica

        You would need to use two slow cookers if doubling the recipe. Or yes, you can do it in the oven. Cook it at 350°F for about 2 to 3 hours, until tender.

  22. Tiana

    I’m confused how this cooks the alcohol out enough for it to be safe for consumption. Can you please explain this to me?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      A study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data Laboratory showed that it can take longer than two and a half hours for all the alcohol to be fully cooked out. This recipe cooks for 8 hours in the crockpot. If you don’t want to use wine, you can use beef broth instead.

  23. Leissa

    I had a small roast, so cut recipe in half. Used Lipton onion soup, beef consume, water, 1Tbs red wine vinegar in place of wine and gravy packs. Followed rest of recipe, except placed onion under the roast. Oh, used reduced salt soy sauce, which I think helps with saltiness others mentioned. Turned out wonderful.

  24. Kathy

    Hello! I have had Coffee “Once in My life” and that was Enough. Does this awesome recipe Taste Anything Like Coffee?!!!

    Sorry
    Kathy

      1. Robert

        Can you prep this and add everything and put it in the fridge to drop in before I go to work the next morning so it will slow cook all day?
        Thank you.

        1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
          Jessica

          Yes! Will work just fine! You can put it all in the crockpot liner and then put it in the fridge (covered with the lid) overnight. Then you will need to let the crockpot sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before you start cooking it. This will let the crockpot liner warm up a little. If you put it directly from the fridge to the crockpot (with the heat on) there is a chance your crockpot liner could crack.

          Or, if you don’t have the time for the crockpot to warm up a little on the counter in the morning, you could store everything in a ziplock bag overnight and then dump it into your crockpot in the morning!

          Hope this helps! :-)

  25. Betsy

    Made a very loose version of this tonight had to make big changes. My husband said never make it another way again. No wine; used water/beef bullion. No gravy mix; never use it. No soy (forgot I was out); used 1/4 c terIyaki sauce. Yes to the rest of the recipe. This version really was fantastic! I explained I didn’t follow the recipe like I wanted, my husband doesn’t care.

  26. Kandice

    I love this recipe! This recipe and your chicken and dumplings are my absolute favorite recipes to make!! The ingredients lists make them a sure thing! Xo from Georgia

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      So glad you loved it Kandice! It’s definitely not for everyone, but those of us that love it, love it! Haha! Thanks for being here and taking the time to leave a comment!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      It should work just fine with a 2 lb roast, but if you want, you could cut back a little on the other ingredients!

  27. Karis

    This is one of the best pot roasts I’ve ever had and I’ve never really been a roast person. So delicious and great comfort food. I’m excited to add this as my go to recipe!

  28. Clyde Mistlepic

    I followed it to the letter and the Gravy was too bitter! Probably too much coffee and wine, a four packs of Gravy mix is way too much salt for anyone. The meat was very tender but the veggies were bitter like the gravy. Not for me.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Clyde! I understand it might not be for everyone, but bitter isn’t something I have heard before. I wonder if it burned a little? It definitely shouldn’t have a bitter taste.

    2. Stacey

      Maybe your coffee was butter? My old coffee pot made every cup bitter. Got a new pot and it’s so much better.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      This recipe originally had instructions to also be made in the instant pot, however so many people were having burn issues that I removed those instructions. If you would still like to try it that way, try at your own risk! When I make it in the instant pot, I cook it on manual, High Pressure for 135 minutes and do a natural pressure release.

    1. Kim

      Do not add the soy sauce. I did this as is. The soy sauce made the veggies gross. Meat was tender, amazing. Next time. 3 low salt gravy mix. To each packet, the cup of wine, cup of water, cup of no salt beef broth.

      1. Rachel

        I second this. Something in the gravy is off and I followed this to a T. Too many strong flavors (wine, coffee, soy sauce)but I think leaving out the soy would do wonders.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Laryssa! I have tried that before and been successful and another time it was a little tough and needed the extra couple of hours. It really just depends on the cut of meat you got and how quickly it gets tender.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      You can, but there’s a good chance it won’t cook evenly and the meat won’t absorb all the flavor the same. I would let it thaw fully before starting!

  29. Jenae Norell

    This was literally the best pot roast I have ever made. The gravy was phenomenal. I love a flavorful base and WOW!! Just blew my mind. Thank you for this recipe. So delicious

  30. KCDC

    Have to agree with previous post about ‘robust’ flavour. Too much wine for our taste. We were hoping for a similar taste to M&M Meats pot roast. Not sure where the spice came from as we didn’t add pepper flakes, just black pepper. Other than too much wine it was quite good. The meat was very tender and we were able to slice it like a roast vs shredding it. It’s a 3 1/2 Star.

  31. Shauna

    Made this last night- huge hit. Meat was tender and juicy, and the gravy had a deep rich flavor that adults and kids both enjoyed. Thanks for a great recipe!

  32. Shelby

    Wow! This recipe is amazing.
    I’ve made pot roast in the past and I can never get it to be not dry.
    This recipe is full of flavor and perfect for cold weather.
    I made mine with mashed cauliflower.
    I’d also recommend using good quality wine and fresh coffee for those who are reading the negative reviews on this- mine did not turn out bitter at all. Reminds me of beef bourguignon. I added extra mushrooms too
    Thank you for the recipe!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Glad you enjoyed it as much as we do Shelby! Also agree with your note about a good quality wine and fresh coffee! :-)

  33. atg

    Saw the picture of this, looked so good I had to try it. Unfortunately it was a miss for me.. I get why some like it and some don’t, it has a VERY strong flavor (the coffee and wine together really make it robust), it is VERY salty, even with low salt stuff in it. The flavor profile was not my favorite and most people probably wouldn’t like it. It is a very harsh and smoky flavor that if you mellowed out would be a lot better. Glad I tried the recipe, but I would not make it again, and my advice for others who see the picture and think it looks good: if you don’t like very strong flavors, very brown gravy that taste very soy-saucy/winey/coffee-ey… then this one’s not for you.

    1. April

      If you are concerned with the sodium levels.
      Simply place a peeled potato in the crockpot.
      (It will soak up excess salt in the recipe)
      When the time is up, throw the potato away.

      1. Teresa

        I bet you could replace the soy sauce with water! Replace the wine or coffee with beef broth and keep the other. Perhaps you could add a dollop or two of sour cream or heavy cream at the end to help soften up the robust flavors as well.

  34. Katlynn Grieco

    I skip the coffee since I don’t personally drink coffee so why cook with it. I always use celery carrots and onions, mushrooms depending on if I have em. Husband isn’t a huge fan of . I switch between using egg noodles and mashed potatoes as a base. I always add a pinch of Italian seasoning too.

  35. cole

    Lol I don’t know what you all are doing but mine came out perfect. Recipes are for guidance. You know your own appliances. I cooked 3Ib in crockpot. After searing the meat I layed it ontop of veg and potatoes. ( I added diced potatoes and celery). I added a few drops of honey, little butter and 1 1/2 cup of water to calm the flavor a tad. Everything she said to add I added and it is perfect. I opened the crockpot here and there to give it a good stir and checked on it. Low on 8 hours. Will definately use again

  36. R.Walkey

    Oh noooo! I’m so sorry but this is terrible!
    I followed the recipe to the T but oooh sooo bitter, acidity, very salty & weirdly spicy! Honestly really bad. I cook a lot and use a lot of online recipes that more times then not turn out very well but sadly this isn’t one of them. I never post negative reviews but I had to warn others about this one. Thankfully I tasted it 2 hours into cooking and was able to rescue my expensive roast! I tried saving the gravy base to still use but this can’t be saved. Won’t be adding this recipe to my cooking roster. :(

  37. J. Scott

    Absolutely the best pot roast I have ever made!
    I love pot roast and have tried many methods to make it without drying it out.
    This is a no fail method and creates a very moist fall-apart roast and the gravy is nothing short of awesome. This is a keeper and will never cook my pot roast any other way again!
    Thank you sooooo much for this recipe!

    1. Di Lemberger.

      Hi! I omitted all liquids, soy, worcestershire, gravy and soup dry mixes, instead adding 1 can beefy mushroom soup, 1/2-1 can water. Only used 1/2 tsp. salt to roast, lots of sliced bella mushrooms! Original recipe has too much sodium. To each his own, no offense!

  38. Karen

    I enjoyed making this recipe and my family loved our pot roast dinner last night. I made mine in a crockpot on high for 7 hours and it shredded so lovely. I was hoping the time would have been cut by half by setting it to high but I made it early enough for a not-too-too-late dinner. Perhaps it took longer because it was a 5.5 lb. roast.

    I had to tweak the recipe a little since the store didn’t have what I needed and used some items I had in my pantry to save $$.

    I used 2 brown gravy and 2 mushroom gravy packets. I didn’t add coffee because we don’t drink it and by others comments it seems like it would have added some bitterness or acidity to it which I didn’t want to add to my roast. Used Port wine (red) which I am familiar with and love it for its hint of sweetness. The carrots and mushrooms I would have added perhaps 2 hours before the roast finished to keep its firmness. I ended up cooking more chunky mushrooms and adding it to the gravy because the others had thinned out during cooking process. I added a few sprigs of thyme just for a little herbal flavor. I did not add any additional liquids because I figured the meat would render its own and it did… by a lot! So don’t add anything other than what is on the recipe.

    I would definitely make this again, thanks for the inspiration Novice Chef! :)

    1. Pat

      We made the recipe just as written. The Worcestershire sauce was overpowering. We liked everything else about it. The gravy was thick and rich, and we really liked the mushrooms which we don’t usually put in a pot roast. Next time we will omit the Worcestershire altogether and maybe cut back a little on the soy as it was very salty.

  39. Susie R

    I’ve made this 3 times now. It’s fantastic! Put it together Sunday morning and you’ll be in heaven Sunday evening!

  40. Alysa Grant- Halliday

    wanna make this but is there a sub for all those gravy packets? will it make a big difference if i dont add as many?will be doing in a crockpot.

  41. Brynne

    Found this on Pinterest looking for a pot roast recipe. Cooked it in the instant pot because I didn’t have time to do it in the crockpot today. Left out the cornstarch till the end, and replaced the wine with beef broth (I’m pregnant and having red in the house when I can’t drink it is annoying). I also added an extra cup of beef broth to deglaze the bits off the bottom of the pot and add some extra liquid (as I have the 8qt model). 
    Even using low sodium gravy mix and soy sauce, this came out quite salty. Some of the veggies tasted quite burnt but that’s likely because I used the instant pot not the crockpot. 
    The beef itself was perfect, and the gravy was good (though I didn’t care for the flavour of the soy sauce overall) mixed with mashed potatoes but the veggies seemed to absorb the bulk of the salt. 
    I likely won’t try this recipe again. 

  42. Jen Coffey

    5 stars
    I made this pot roast and everyone loved it!  It was easy to make and the entire home smelled amazing as it was simmering.  My only suggestion is to display amounts of ingredients to add (ex. How much red wine, soy sauce, Coffee, etc.).  I used my best judgement and everything was delicious!  Thank you for sharing your recipe!

  43. Chris

    I f I wanted to double this recipe in the same crockpot would I just increase the ingredients. I think doubling it would be too much.

  44. Liz

    I NEVER leave comments / reviews on recipes even though I cook very frequently. But my goodness, the flavors in that gravy!! I was slightly skeptical, not going to lie, but I remember my favorite beef stew has a similar flavor profile with red wine So I gave it a go. This is a must make recipe, and I want to invite my parents/family over just to make it again and WOW them. 

  45. Dorothy

    This is a delicious recipe! My husband is a gravy guy, and he loved it. I didn’t tell him what was in it. I put it in the crockpot for 10 hrs on low. I looked over the roasts at WalMart, but then stopped by our local meat market on the way home and think high quality meat was my saving grace. I will definitely be making this one again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

  46. Tara

    This was so gross, completely inedible.  I followed the recipe to a T and the gravy is seriously not edible.  Ruined my entire roast.  Definitely not the best as described, this recipe should have stayed a secret.  

  47. Susie R

    I’ve made this twice now and am preparing to make it again tomorrow.  It is relatively easy and SO DELICIOUS!  

  48. Felicia

    I made this receipe in the crock pot. I substituted red wine for beef broth- low sodium. I also put 1 tbsp of corn starch instead of 3. Only part I would change is less brown gravy packets. 4 is a little to salty for my taste preference. I’ll probably skip the corn starch all together next time. Other than that it turned out amazing. I will definitely try it again with the tweaks.

  49. CJ

    It tasted great. I must have done something wrong because the carrots were the color of the gravy. Looked unappealing but tasted good 

  50. Becky

    The recipe says to whisk together the gravy mixes and cornstarch then add coffee, wine, etc… Do you add the water as on the gravy mix instructions OR just the coffee, wine, etc…???

  51. Ana

    NOT portobello mushrooms – pictures show small button or cremini mushrooms
    NOT a “Large bag of carrots” – 5 large carrots
    THIS IS AN ALL DAY IN THE SLOW COOKER MEAL – for us it was 8 hrs on low and then on warm overnight.

    Even in a slow cooker, add some water to top off because it was too dry it scared me that it would burn.

    These are just my notes after following the directions to the tee. I bought the portobellos and added them, after going back to read recipe I saw the pics and author means the small button or cremini mushrooms. A “large bag of carrots” for me is a 5 lb. bag, thankfully I read the comments in the middle of cutting 30 carrots and saw that someone asked her to be more specific. No offense since the title of this blog is “Novice Blog” and I too am a rookie at cooking, but I probably won’t make this again.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Ana, yes the mushrooms in the photo are portobello mushrooms. They are the “baby bella” version. They are just young portobello mushrooms and are extremely common and every grocery store carries them. However, no matter if you use the full size portobello mushrooms or the smaller ones, 2 cups sliced portobello mushrooms — is still 2 cups of sliced portobello mushrooms.

      However, you are correct and I will update the listing for the carrots. I should have it listed as a 1 lb bag of carrots.

      You should not need any additional liquids, as you are adding 20 oz between the coffee, red wine and soy sauce. And the veggies and meat will also release juice.

  52. Chris Reid

    This recipe is amazing it’s similar to my family’s pot roast recipe but I never thought to add coffee to the mix. I will be making your version tomorrow to feed 16 people. Wish me luck… Thank you for sharing!!!

  53. Janice

    Made this in crockpot tonight and followed directions exactly. Whole family had seconds!! I read above me some people say they hated it. I’m thinking they must have changed some ingredients or used something incorrectly because this is our new favorite. Thanks for the recipe!

  54. Sharon

    Absolutely terrible!  Sorry to criticize your family recipe but I don’t think I’ll ever get that taste out of my mouth. I’m certain I’ll never drink wine again without reliving that awfulness!!  Wow! What a waste of money and time!

  55. Valerie

    I thought this was going to be good… YUK!!! Never again…the gravy was awful.. I’ll just stick with my McCalls cook book.

  56. ANNE DEMARIANO

    I’M COOK THE SLOW COOKER POT ROAST AS I AM WRITING THIS. I DID TAKE ALITTLE TASTE OF THE GRAVY WHICH TO MY SUPRSE IS VERY TART AND HAS A BITE TO IT. I RECHECKED THE INGREDIENTS, THE ONLY CHANGE I MADE SINCE I DON’T DO WINE WAS TO ADD A VEGGIE BOULLION CUBE IN WATER TO MAKE THE SAME AMOUNT OF LIQUID. ANY IDEAS ON HOW I CAN GET RID OF THE TART TASTE?

    THANK YOU
    ANNE D.

  57. Susie

    Pinterest recipes are hit or miss.  This is definitely a HIT! I was so weary of the usual cream of mushroom soup/onion soup mix pot roast.  I wanted something different and more authentic.  Wow is this spot on!  I’ve made it twice.  The second time was for a smaller roast so I halved the gravy …still awesome in every way.  Thought next time I have a small roast I’ll mix the full gravy recipe.  There is never too much gravy in this world.  Thanks to you and your family for sharing this marvelous pot roast recipe!!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      So glad you enjoyed it Susie!! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a comment on how it turned out! 

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Donna, sorry I am sure you can but I do not have a temp/time. I always make it in the crockpot. If you do try it, please come back and share what worked for you! 

  58. Muchelle Banks

    In your instapot suggestion at the end, you say 135 minutes. Could that be 35 minues?  135 seems like an awful lot. Thanks!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Nope, 135. It takes a LONG time in the pressure cooker for that big of a roast to go from tough to fall apart. It’s why I highly recommend going with a slow cooker instead.

  59. Beth

    This turned out great! I did mine in my Instant Pot by changing up the instructions just a bit.

    INSTRUCTIONS
    1. In a large bowl mix together the coffee, wine, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, garlic, and black pepper. Set aside.
    2. Turn Instant Pot on to Sauté and add oil. Add meat and quickly sear on all sides. Set meat aside on a plate.
    3. Deglaze the instant pot with a small amount of the liquid mixture from step one making sure to scrape off any bits of meat sticking to the bottom.
    4. Put meat back into the Instant Pot and top with carrots, onion, and mushrooms. Pour liquid mix on top.
    5. Cook on High Pressure for 135 minutes and do a natural pressure release.
    6. Remove roast from slow cooker, shred with forks. Whisk in gravy mix and cornstarch to the remaining liquid slowly to avoid lumps.
    7. Serve roast topped with gravy and vegetables over mashed potatoes.

  60. Corrie Ann

    Tying this out today. It’s in the pot and cooking now. Only 8 more hours to wait! I was wondering if could make it with 2 or 3 packets of gravy. 4 seems like to much, glad McCormck lower the sodium in the gravy. I will say, after I browned the meat, there was a lovely find in the pan so I poured some of the mix in it to deglaze, big mistake! Lol it gelled right up!  I was able to save it by pouring some water over it and then finished deglazing. Next time I’ll just use the 1/4 cup of water. Didn’t think the extra water would make a taste difference and if the gravy is as good as it looks, I’m sure a smudge of extra gravy in the pot won’t hurt and will be enjoyed later. Might try it over noodles, if I am too tire tonight to make potatoes. My crock pot is smaller, (this filled it right up) so there was no room for potatoes in the pot. Hoping my crock pot won’t blow up!

    Thanks for the recipe! I hope it knocks it outta the park! Can’t wait!

    I tried adding thyme to my biscuits when I made chicken n dumplings the other day. I had already started it before I found your recipe, but next time I’m trying your recipe. The thyme made the biscuits sooo yummy!

    1. Corrie Ann

      Results! Definitely the best pot roast I’ve ever made! My boys love it. The carrots took on a smokey flavor that my son said reminded him of fall. The meat was tender and the sauce was beautiful. There was lots and lots of sauce/gravy to go around. I think when I make it again, I’ll use 3 packets and a little less Worcester sauce. I think there is a flavor in it that is a little over powering. (Had that same distinct flavor in my burgers and I used some Worcester sauce in those, maybe my sauce is off too) either way, awesome recipe and thank you for sharing.  

  61. Amber

    I fix my burn issues in the Instant Pot by putting in a steamer basket first and then some liquid then load all the foodod on top!!!!

  62. Lisa marie

    This was THE BEST ROAST I have ever made!!!!! I browned it in a pot on the stove transferred to a crock pot on a bed of onions and garlic. I deglazed the pot with the liquid ingredients and transferred over roast. Set to high for 8 hours.. I did not add any extra liquid. The condensation and juices from roast produced enough. The only thing I omitted was the corn starch and only used 3 pkgs of gluten free brown gravy. Thank you for this recipe. It is now our family favorite and will be for many years!! INCREDIBLE FLAVOUR!!!!

  63. Audra

    I made this over the weekend and it was so good! Such a hit that my boyfriend said it was better than his mom’s recipe :O, and his son said this recipe is a keeper! Thank you for sharing!

    1. Audra

      FYI – I cooked the roast in a crock pot for 8 hours. At hour 6 I added the potatoes and carrots, and at hour 7 I added celery and onion and they all came out perfect. The roast was very tender and shredded easily. Be sure to use REDUCED SODIUM soy sauce like the recipe states. I used Liquid Aminos (because that’s what I had on hand) and it did the job. I imagine a soy sauce that is saltier would ruin the dish.

  64. Meghan

    I made this recipe for my Easter dinner and it was a Pinterest fail! 
    The meat was really dry, the veggies didn’t cook and it was very salty! 
    :( 

  65. Missy G

    I had Pot Roast at an INCREDIBLE restaurant in San Francisco called “2223” that is no longer there (Chef went into the private sector. She was amazing). Well, there was something in it that was different than others and oh so good. I’ve been on a search and am wondering if the coffee and soy sauce are it. I was actually considering the coffee already but soy sauce I hadn’t thought about. Also the type of wine that goes into it will affect the flavor as well.

    As for the Instant Pot, I have a suggestion. 1 noticed the time you stated was a whole whopping 135 minutes…. That is a very long time and likely why some people were getting “burn” errors. I know with pork, only 43-45 minutes with a 20 minute natural release does the trick. Pork is not as dense as beef, so the pot roast would likely take a little longer, but I have seen other post only 50 minutes for theirs before. I haven’t tried it so I can’t comment to that validity but it is something to consider.

    Thank you for sharing your coffee and soy sauce add! I’m going to give it a whirl

  66. Pam

    I made this today, it was great, the only thing I changed was I added 1 Tbsp of honey as it cut the acidity. My husband loved it.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I would recommend using instant coffee. You will still get the flavor! You can skip the coffee and just add beef stock instead, but it will be missing a key flavor component. 

  67. Stephanie

    I made this tonight and it was so delicious! Best recipe I’ve tried for pot roast. I used a package of onion soup mix instead of the gravy mix. My family loved it!

  68. Brittany

    Any Instapot updates or success? I want to make this Friday in my instapot because it looks delicious but I want to make sure I do it right!

  69. Amy Gebhart

    I was so skeptical when I read this recipe..what? Coffee and soy sauce? I just say that despite my misgivings, I braved anead…and WOW!!! This was an awesome dish! The gravy was to die for..you were right about the soft rolls to get every last drop! Meat was so tender and flavorful. Thanks for this..I will make again and again.

  70. RACHEL SCHARDT

    OMG I just made this and now I have a new favorite family secret ;) recipe for this. I used a herb savory gravy mix that was low in sodium and swapped that red wine for Marsala and cut that back to about 1/4 cup. This meal was so yummy and hit that comfort food spot just right. Can’t wait to make it again and serve it over mashed potatoes to end up in a food comma. No complaints just being honest.

  71. Kristi

    I have made this many times now in the instant pot. It is the beat roast ever! Thank you for the recipe.I have never had any problems.

  72. Meghan McGill

    I made this with my Instant pot, and I had no problems. My family loved it, and I was surprised how much I liked it as someone who was not previously the biggest fan of pot roast. This is definitely the best pot roast I’ve tried!

  73. John Roberts

    I never comment on a recipe but this Beef Pot Roast recipe was excellent. I used a slow cooker directions and was very happy, to say the least, on how this turned out. I made a couple of substitutions ( i used canned mushrooms vs the portobello, used a boneless chuck roast vs round roast). This is a keepr and I will pass it to my friends as well. Thanks for sharing. The gravy was great.
    John Roberts

  74. Tasha Henslee

    I am making this right now and have figured out what is causing the burn notice. It is the gravy mix it has corn starch in it I ended up having to add a bunch of water to get it to work

  75. Jennifer

    I made this recipe last night in my crock pot. [I teach & had to stay late at school for our open house so I needed it to be ready when I got home as my family has not yet mastered my Instant Pot].  My high school twins & husband LOVED it.   The gravy makes it so special & unique…I will definitely be making it again!

  76. Sahrayah

    Wash the excess oil out before putting anything else in it!!! (Take the roast out, set aside, wash, and put back in) Put more liquid than it calls for. Don’t put any thickening agent in until after it’s done. 

  77. Carolyn white

    I made this tonight ffollowed instructions flawlessly!! It was delicious omg so good…the meat did not really shred but it was still tender andgood my hubby loved I will definitely be making it again I also had ZERO issue with burning …..

  78. Emily

    I made this tonight without reading the comments first. You mentioned burning so I preemptively decided the carrots were going under the roast. The roast was delicious and the carrots were browned but not burned. Ignore the haters because my picky adult daughter said I definitely needed to keep this recipe, and that’s saying something. Other than moving the carrots I followed your recipe and instructions in my instant pot and I’ll be making it again! In fact, I’ll probably be having a second helping later this evening ii was so good!

    1. Douglas Ruby

      I agree with Emily, in that, after receiving the BURN notice twice, I pulled the roast from the bottom of the IP and put it on the top of the veggies and the IP did it’s thing by reheating to pressure and cooked the ingredients to perfection. Other commentators may have a point about not adding the corn starch until the end. I reserved the gravy after separating it and will thicken it again with a roux to put over the left over smashed potatoes I made as a side. This recipe is definitely a keeper and I will be making it again.

  79. Danielle

    Corn starch! You can’t put cornstarch in the IP. The gravy is thick enough. I tried and tried and finally realized what it is. The directions say cornstarch but not the video. Just a heads up

    1. RACHEL SCHARDT

      I used tapicoa starch instead of cornstarch instead and it worked fine for me, but also did the slow cooker function on my IP.

  80. Mike Ahlborn

    On this terrific Instant Pot Roast recipe, you mentioned that some cooks were having BURN show on their IP’s. I have an Elite 10-qt. IP, and in the directions it says for a 2 pound roast increase liquid in the Pot from 1 to at least 2 cups, and for a 3 pound roast, at least 3 cups of cooking liquid. You may have discovered this already, just wanting to be helpful!

  81. Lenora

    I think the”burn” issue related to the instant pot might be because the recipe says “105 minutes”, which is a hour and fourty five minutes. Perhaps it actually means 1:05 (one hour and five minutes)

  82. Lisa

    I have the 8qt duo as well. Had the issue of not pressuring up and then starts counting down. The sauce is TOO THICK. My suggestion for it to work is follow whole recipe but don’t add the cornstarch in. Wait until cooking time is done and pressure is released, turn off and then turn on saute and add the cornstarch mixed in equal parts water.

  83. Doan Griffiths

    I just made my roast as directed. Had no problems with burn message. The only problem was that it was tough. I microwaved the potatoes and carrot for 10 min more after taking them out. We were able to eat a meal but then I cleaned pan and added 1 1/2 cups of water in pot and added everything back in to cook another 10 min. Without stirring. Hope that takes care of it being tough. Gravy was delicious. 

  84. Jo

    I made this last night in a 6 Qt. Instant Pot, best roast I have ever cooked.  After all the comments about sticking, after browning  the roast I took it out, put the onions in and sautéed them, added 1/2 cup of water, put the roast back in, added the carrots, poured the liquid on top.  I did cook for 65 min instead of 105, when cooking for 65 min it shows 105 on the screen, so decided to do that, thought 1hr and 25 min might be a bit long.  After the 65 min, removed the roast and carrots (omitted the mushrooms) and added the cornstarch with a little water and put back on saute to thicken.  Roast was so tender but held up to slicing instead of shredding which is the way we like it.  Had no problems whatsoever with sticking, while the onions were cooking I stirred occasionally and any bits that had stuck on the bottom when browning the roast came up easily.   I did have way more gravy than we would need so I might cut back on the amounts of liquid next time, but as I said it was amazing.   

  85. Melissa Silkey

    First off, recipes are like advice. You can take it or leave it so if it doesn’t turn out don’t blame the messenger. No one forced us all to try it. I also got the burn message. There is cornstarch or some type of thickening agent in the gravy mix so even with leaving out the cornstarch it still burned. I took everything out, cleaned it and put it all back in minus the remaining gravy that wasn’t burned and added 1 1/2 cups water with a little Worcestershire because I didn’t have beef broth. I will just add the gravy at the end. It seems to be cooking ok now.

  86. Colleen

    No burn on this end, I made this last night in a 6 quart instant pot the only variation is pressure cook for 1 hour.  The meal was a big success, family loved it.  

  87. Kara

    I also had an issue with the instapot flashing BURN…I took it out and cleaned it out and added more liquid and tried again and same thing. I ended up doing it as slow cooker as well. Came out amazing in the end!!!

  88. Michelle

    Just finished eating this delicious dinner!!! So so so good!! I did make a few changes to the instant pot method after reading through some reviews. This is what I did:

    -I seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and seared it in a frying pan on med-high heat.
    -I did not add corn starch to the gravy mixture. I mixed it with about 2 laddles after taking the meat and veggies out then dumped it back in with the rest of the liquid… It was the perfect consistency!
    -My roast (was actually elk) was just under 3lbs. I cooked it for 1 HR 5 MINS then let it sit for 15 mins before releasing the pressure.

    So delicious and so thrilled it turned out!

  89. Laura

    I usually add corn starch to thicken after my meat is done. I take it out, put on sautee then add corn starch to thicken. The gravy mix also has thickener in it, so it sounds like it’s getting too thick too fast & burning.

  90. Rachel

    Just had to put this into the oven. The addition of the gravy and the cornstarch made the sauce bubble up, causing my Crock Pot Express to not come to pressure and to burn on the bottom. Maybe not everything can be done in one of these machines…

  91. Corrin

    RE: the BURN problem:
    I think it could be adding the cornstarch at the start. 
    I also got the burn message. 
    I had to deglaze and start over, this time without cornstarch and had no problems. 
    When it was done, I removed the roast and veggies and added the cornstarch to the juice and put it on sauté method and stirred with a whisk. Turned out great. 
    (When I added the cornstarch I added it to a bit of water first so no lumps)
    This is a very rich sauce. I will probable half the amount of wine and add a bit of water next time I made it. 

  92. David A

    I made this recipe last night and did not have any trouble with my 3lbs beef roast burning but it turning out tough. I cooked it in my 6qt instant pot for 1hr 45mins (105 mins). My manual says 20 mins per pound for the chuck roast. Every seemed to turn out except being tough.  I read some other recipes and they said to cook for 1hr 30mins. On other instant pot forums I read that if your roast is tough you cooked it to long and all the juices have left meat. Since my chuck roast has more fat on it was suppose to be more tender. It was bought fresh from butcher that I have cooked in crock pot before and has ended up falling apart with fork. I am new to the instant pot and wondering if this is the same problem anyone else had? Did I cook too long? Pressure valve was closed and on high pressure. Sauté also. 

    1. Corrin

      David, did you let it natural release at the end?
      I also did 105 minutes and natural release and it turned out great but since I had the burn message I had to start again and I added two cups of beef broth so maybe there isn’t enough liquid in the original recipe?
      Good luck next time!

  93. Ho

    This is not a good recipe and I blame myself for not reading through the comments completely and not thinking through the contents. The four packets of gravy mix should have tipped me off. I won’t make this mistake again.

  94. Ilene

    I’ve been using an Instant Pot for over two years. The author of this recipe can’t figure out why it burns????? Here, let me tell you why. #1) cornstarch (or thickeners of any kind) should not be added until the end of cook/NPR time — as a cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy. and #2) ANY time you use the Saute function you MUST deglaze your pot before continuing! You add 1/2 to 1 cup liquid and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon — not only do the browned bits (the “fond”) add lots of flavor BUT it keeps those bits from continuing to brown and the pot’s sensors from detecting hot spots! Deglazing is a must with the Instant Pot.

  95. Christina

    Mine turned out fabulous using the instant pot! I only used two packets of the less sodium gravy mix and i swapped beef broth for wine (only because i didn’t have a cab). I also left out the cornstarch and i deglazed the pot after searing the roast. Added half the liquid in before i added the meat and veggies in… cooked high pressure for 105 min. Thank you for the recipe!

  96. Take Accountability

    *NOTE* There is nothing wrong with this recipe. Just the method.
    DO NOT ADD ANY THICKENERS LIKE CORN STARCH OR GRAVY MIX TO THE INSTANT POT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The instant pot is a pressure cooker. It requires liquid only!!!!!!!!!!!! Always always always add more water then ingredients to the meal you are cooking in the instant pot or it will BURN as it won’t come to pressure and just cook in intensive heat.
    It’s ok if your meat is sitting in a pot of water. It won’t lose flavor during instant pot cooking!!!

    Remove all ingredients from this recipe other then the liquids like coffee, wine, oil. Make the gravy on SAUTE’ after you cook the meat and veggies for 70 minutes.

    If owners of the instant pot did not read their instant pot instruction manual they will not have good results on many of their recipes.

    Also do not fill INSTANT POT past the fill line. It again will not have enough circulation to come to pressure and your food will burn.

  97. Jennifer Tucker

    Didn’t work for me.  Burnt and gummed up bottom of pot.  My guess is the corn starch added at beginning.  Could certainally add it last.  Also was very salty and overwhelmed the good beef flavor that is there.  Been using instant pot for 2plys years and this is the first burnt recipe I’ve used.  

  98. Pam Sullivan

    The gravy is delicious!  But,  I also had issue with following recipe burning as it was pressure cooking.  Able to recover by doing the following:

    1.  Take everything out of the instant pot.
    2.  Scrub pot and remove the residue on bottom of pot.
    3.  Pour 1-1/2  cups water for my 6 qt. pot in pot and put rack in.
    4.  Put roast beef in only.   Save gravy and all vegetables in separate container to be added later.
    5.  For my 2.5 # roast, I pressure cooked for about 1 hour 20 minutes and rapid released.  It was so tender.  Removed to get water out of bottom to pot.   Put pot on saute and added gravy, vegetables and meat back into pot to warm back up.

    6.  When done, gravy excellent for the mashed potatoes, beef was really good!

  99. Mimi

    Hi! I am just attempting to make this recipe now, and I am an insta pot newbie. I also had an issue with the burn message, and I figured out two important steps that will absolutely prevent this moving forward. 1.  Deglazing. After sautéing the meat it is essential to deglaze the bottom of the pot, especially if there is a lot stuck to the pot after browning the roast. 2. Adding the cornstarch last. Having a too thick sauce will cause burning. 

    Adjustments. Mix all gravy ingredients together EXCEPT the cornstarch and red wine and set aside. After browinging the roast, remove from pot, add the 1 cup red wine and deglaze pan. Shut off sauté mode. Add back in roast plus gravy ingredients. Set pressure cooker as normal. After releasing pressure remove meat to shred, and add in cornstarch to thicken gravy if necessary. Hope that helps!!! I can’t wait to try it! 

  100. Beth newman

    I wish I’d read the comments first!  I would take this recipe down.  I just scorched the bottom of my pan and at this point don’t have time for the slow cook method!!! Angry

  101. Julie M

    I wish I had read all of the comments before prepping this. I got the burn notice. I dumped it in the crockpot and will follow the time others used. I will try in the IP another night without gravy or cornstarch. Perhaps make it on cooktop and add at the end.

  102. Tamatha

    I made this pot roast two days ago. It was the best pot roast I have ever made. Just delicious followed everything to the letter except for the time in the crockpot I cooked it for two hours on high and four on low. It is the best! And so easy. If you make this and I’ll be the last pot roast recipe ever try. The gravy is the best part. Thank you

  103. Tamatha

     I made this pot roast two days ago. It was the best pot roast I have ever made. Just delicious followed everything to the letter except for the time in the crockpot I cooked it for two hours on high and four on low. It is the best! And so easy. If you make this and I’ll be the last pot roast recipe ever try. The gravy is the best part. Thank you

  104. Lisa P

    Even with all the comments I decided to try this pot roast using the pressure cook method in my IP DUO 80 8 qt cooker. Starting around 2 pm, I used a just under 3 lb beef roast and all other ingredients (no corn starch) but added a few “little potatoes.” I followed the recipe exactly and the “gravy” was nice and runny with no lumps when I added it. Within minutes (and prior to coming to full pressure) I got the dreaded “burn” notice. Cleaned out the pot and added everything back and set it to the slow cooker option for 8 hours. It’s 10:45 ish now and the slow cooking cycle just ended. The carrots, potatoes, mushrooms and onions are only half cooked. The beef is cooked but apparently a top sirloin roast is not a good choice because it is extremely tough and doesn’t “shred” (chose it because it was the only roast close to 3 pounds that I could find at the grocery store). I took my chances and am now pressure cooking the gravy with half done veggies to finish them off. The good news is my pot came to full pressure without a burn notice!  After cooking for 8 min, I did a quick pressure release and the veggies are now fork tender. Time to refrigerate tomorrow’s dinner and head to bed! 

  105. Patti Mac

    It sounds that because of the heaviness of the beef or size of the pieces it is blocking the sensor by putting it on the bottom of the pot. I would brown meat in instant pot. Put in the rack that comes with it and place meat on the rack and then add liquid. I usually use 2 cups of liquid. Broth seasonings etc. this should allow your instant pot to come to pressure with out issue and not burn

  106. Mary P

    Could the burning be caused by the KEEP WARM function being on during the natural release?  That is my best guess.

  107. Tamatha

    At the last minute I decided to make this recipe for dinner tonight. I don’t have eight hours in my crockpot available, so I’m hoping that four hours on high will be OK. Do you have any thoughts on this? The Graby  smells delicious though and this was a very easy recipe to put together quickly. So thank you very much. 

  108. Alice G

    I made this recipe with a few tweaks and it turned out amazing! I didn’t add the cornstarch until after cooking the roast. I drained the juices with gravy and then wisked in the cornstarch for it to thicken.  I used the rack inside the Instapot so that the roast didn’t sit on the metal bottom. I also put the roast on its side to leave an opening in the middle for the sauce to steam and poured the gravy mix in the opening and then added the veggies on top of the meat ensuring leaving an opening in the middle . I also added 1 cup chicken broth to the gravy mixture. Followed all the rest of the recipe but was just trying to learn from the comments to ensure it didn’t burn. I also cleaned out the inside of the Instapot after browning the roast on all sides. The meat and carrots were amazing and I served it with mashed potatoes that I made seperatly from the Instapot. 

  109. Karen

    The Instant Pot booklet says do not add thickening agents during cooking it will sink to the bottom and cause it to burn.

  110. Dani

    I’ve made this twice using a large crock pot. It came out amazingly good both times. I had my doubts because of the coffee and wine (Who would mix those???) but, true to your word, it came out delicious.

    I do wonder – do you have any idea what the calorie count is for a serving of this meal?

  111. Princess Lea

    made this and it came out delish! I have a 4L size IP- I used a 2.5 lb chuck roast. I used 1 packet of the gravy pack, and before i poured the packet it I mixed it with 1 C boiling water, and then I added and addt’l cup of hot water to the rest of the liquids in the above recipe. The water came to right above the meat. (I had already seared the meat) I added a few “more shakes” of garlic powder and some of my powdered chicken broth and then I started the IP to 85 minutes and let it natural release (took approx 15 mins). I did not cook any of the veggies only cooked the meat alone, after the meat was done I removed it and set it aside then I added the veggies from the above recipe(the pot had the water and broth inside and then I set the IP to 10 mins and did a quick release. I used purple potatoes(you could use the new red if you cant find the purple)I cut them in big chunks and I also cut the carrots very big pieces. I shredded the meat and tasted it needed a bit more salt I added sea salt then put the meat back with the veggies in the broth and used some pilsbury flaky rolls on the side with butter….

  112. SS

    I absolutely cannot believe some of the comments on here!  Bad enough that people don’t read the comments to get the benefit of other peoples’ experience before making the same mistakes others have.  And worse, that people don’t even read the recipe before commenting, to the point that they have to ask the cut and weight of meat called for!  Due diligence and common sense, people!  And the question: can I leave the mushrooms out?  Are you kidding?  Again, common sense!  Of course you can!  Don’t like carrots? Leave them out!  Hate coffee?  Replace it with water, or broth (but don’t expect it to taste the same).  Sure, I’ve been cooking for 50 years, but really, it’s just not that complicated (except baking, which tends to be a science experiment).  It’s common sense, and personal preference. 

    1. DD

      These are probably the same people who take a picture of a sick child and ask the internets if they should take them to the doctor, who abandon the grocery cart next the the stacker instead of pushing it inside the stacker, who use the word your incorrectly, and trick or trick in the afternoon. 

  113. Roseann Burkett

    Adding my 2 cents. It burned. Scorched to the bottom of the pot. BURN indicator on the IP. Don’t need to say anything that hasn’t been already said. IP pot is soakin in the sink, ingredients are in the refrigerator and will try to salvage this recipe tomorrow. Definitely will not be making this recipe again. 

  114. Joanne

    Should have read the reviews first. Just over 3lb roast in a 6 qt Duo Plus & yep scorched my pot. No burn warning thou. It wouldn’t reach pressure, so I took everything out of the pot to check & was completely scorched. Scrubbed pot, left gravy out added beef  broth & water. Put meat & veggies back in. Took about 10 min but finally reached pressure. Left gravy aside & will heat up on cooktop separately. Going to be eating seriously late tonight!! Will not make this one again. 

  115. Sam

    I’m going to attempt to make this tonight. I’m the “Queen” of destroying Pot Roast. I have a 6 Quart IP. Any tips for me before I attempt this Pot Roast recipe?? The Beef I bought is, black angus boneless chuck roast 3lbs. 

    1. Sam

      REPORT FROM LAST NIGHTZ POT ROAST:
      This Pot Roast was amazingly wonderful!! I left the corn starch out until the end and the roast did not burn. My husband was so impressed with this dish. I will definitely make this again!! 

  116. Emily

    This was amazing!!! After reading the comments I was so worried about this error so I added 2 cups of water and left out the cornstarch. Everything else was exactly as the recipe called for and it came out perfect…my husband would not stop going on about how great this recipe was!! Thank you so much for sharing! Also I have an 8qt IP and the roast was nearly 4 lbs. it pulled apart perfectly!

  117. Becca

    I was just wondering, because I am new to instant pot, you have to hit cancel after sauté before doing other function. Could it be people did not cance saite and that is why it is not pressurizing?? 

  118. Erin

    I made this recipe tonight using my instant pot and I followed the recipe exactly and also added 1 cup extra of water as some recommended. It just finished and the beef is as hard as a rock. There is plenty of liquid but stirring it with a spoon there’s is a thick layer of gelatinous burnt gravy stuck to the bottom. I’m going to try cooking it longer to see if the roast will soften up and I’m hoping that I can avoid the burnt bottom. 

  119. Chris

    Here’s what may seem like a silly question but may be the problem with burning. Are you supposed to make the gravy according to the directions and then add starch and other ingredients? The gravy is VERY thick, and I believe that is why it’s burning. I’m on my third attempt now at adding water and thinning out so hopefully I don’t get the dredded burn notice. 

  120. Tammie

    I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I intend to. However, I did try another one a and they put the veges on the bottom and the roast on top of that. It was amazing and did not burn. I’m going to try your recipe doing it like that and I’ll let you know how it turns out! It sounds delicious so I really want to try it! Thanks for the recipe!

  121. Stephanie

    I’m making this as we speak. I did not add the corn starch..ill see when it’s cooked if I need to add some to thicken it up. But so far no burning and it’s at pressure cooking with 55 mins left. I’m excited! I hope this turns out since I’m new to Instand Pot.

  122. Dareth

    I did the Instant Pot recipe and replaced the wine with beef broth and added an extra cup just to make sure there was plenty of liquid and added the corn starch after cooking the meat. I also cleaned the pot after searing the meat so it started off clean and it didn’t burn but it did start counting down for about 25 minutes before fulling coming to pressure and I had to add another 40 minutes and then it shredded nicely and everyone enjoyed it. I have the 6 quart duo and I used a 3 lb roast.

  123. Casey

    I followed the instant pot recipe to a tee.  The gravy was amazing, the portobello, carrots and onion were delicious.  My meat was sooooo tough we ended up sawing through a few slices just to have w the meal but threw the rest out.  We had enough veggies and sauce to have for leftovers w the mashed potatoes so we saved that.  I used a 3lb roast in my 8qt Lux.  Any ideas what went wrong with the meat???

  124. Alisa

    Followed recipe to a T,  I have the 6quart instant pot and cooked a 3lb roast. I was nervous after reading the reviews which I didn’t look at prior to cooking, but thank the lord  It came out perfect.  Kids loved it too! Thank you for sharing a delicious recipe.

  125. Daniel

    I too had the burn problem. I was putting the 3lb roast in without the grate and it would say burn, even tho nothing had actually burnt. I think the roast laying flat on the bottom sets off the pot.

    When i tried it with the rack in, it worked. The liquids on the bottom can boil and the pot will pressurize. Huge downside…. the roast isnt really laying in the sauce while cooking….

    Other recipes say 45 mins. 105 is more than double that. Thoughts on why?

    1. Karen

      Daniel-
      I’ve posted this reply to a few others with the same ‘burn’ issue. I’m going to paste my message so I don’t have to retype it.
      I’d like to find out if you think this could have been your issue also. I’m just learning about my pot (only used it twice so far) so any info I can get is good! 

      “I’m not a pro nor affiliated with this web site. I’m just trying to learn about my Instant Pot like everyone here. 
      I’ve noticed that burning has been an issue with some people. I’m assuming that is when the pot is used on ‘pressure’ cooking. 
      I’m also wondering if the burn issue has anything to do with the pressure release valve on the top of the pot. Maybe instead of being on the ‘sealing’ setting, it’s turned to far to the ‘venting’ position, letting too much moisture escape, maybe also slowing down the heating up time. 
      I don’t know, like I said I’m not a pro but to me this seems like a viable explanation. 
      Please let me know your thoughts.
      Thanks-Karen”

      1. Daniel

        Ok. Ive now put several attempts into this and have some findings.

        The pot gets extremely hot so that it can boil water and pressurize. Its more like a pot on the stove and less like a slowcooker.

        If you put thick sauce into a pot on the stove and cooked it at thattl temp youd burn the sauce to the bottom of the pot.

        If you put the meat directly on the bottom of the pot on a stove it would burn that too.

        Burn is not an error. It said burn, i opened it and my pork shoulder was stuck to the bottom of the pot, even though i sprayed the pot first and added water.

        Your best bet is to use the provided grate that keeps meat off the bottom of the pot, and if your sauce is too thick it will simply burn.

        The grate fixed my problem with roast beef.

        Thinning the sauce with water worked for pulled pork.

        TLDR: if it would burn on a stove, it will burn in the instant pot too.

  126. Johan almeida

    I am honored by so many helpful tips I got here on the site, thank you very much I will share with my co-workers.

  127. Lisa Thiele

    Haven’t tried this yet, but planning on it. The directions to my Instant Pot say that if you use the saute function, to thoroughly scrape off any brown bits that might remain after the browning process. If you don’t things might burn. Wonder if this is the issue.

  128. Katie

    I made some modifications after reading posts about the roast burning. Instead of adding that gravy mix to the instant pot I added just the roast, veggies, spices and all of the liquid- the coffee, soy sauce, worschetshire, red wine and a can of beef broth. This allowed there to be enough liquid for it to come to pressure and not burn. Then when it was done I ladled some of the liquid into a sauce pan on the stove with the gravy mix. Hope this helps!

  129. janet pike

    I forgot to add, that I add 3 can’s of water with the soup and let it cook down in the oven with my onion, carrots and potatoes. With the meatballs I add a pack of french onion soip and mix together and cook in a crockpot. I hope that helps.

  130. janet pike

    Hi, love your site and follow several recipes. I just want to say that for a roast like this I use Campbell’s Beefy mushroom soup in the can and it is wonderful. I get so many compliments on it. I also use this soup over meatballs. Everybody seems to love them and always ask if I will make them again.

  131. amy

    I tried this recipe tonight and it turned out fantastic! I have a 6qt nuwave pot and cooked a 3lb roast. I left out the cornstarch because of the comments about burning, and substituted water for the soy sauce because I was out. It cooked perfectly and was very tender. The flavor was great and everyone loved it!

  132. Bob

    TAKE THIS RECIPE OFF THE INTERNET!!!!!!!!! I shouldn’t have to scroll through a ton of content to read your disclaimer about how the recipe isn’t appropriate for a pressure cooker. YOU’RE A FRAUD!!!! As far as I’m concerned you owe me for the wasted ingredients and the Pizza I ultimately had to buy.

    1. Stacey

      Seriously dude? Who doesn’t know to always check the comments section before you try a new recipe? That’s your own fault for not doing your due diligence, not hers.

      1. Beth

        No..it’s ridiculous that it is still titled Instant Pot …… You would hope out of kindness that the author would take it down!!

  133. Brian

    Well, I wish I had read the comment section first. I’ve had every problem described above.

    We added about 3.5 cups of water after it giving us the burn issue twice and put the rack in and put the meat on top to see if that works. Still waiting to see if we can get past the initial heat up phase.

    I may just do what one person suggested and take the gravy and veggies out and do the meat solo if we can’t get it going.

    Hoping it ends up being tender…

    Btw we have the 8qt duo.

    1. Karen

      Brian-I’m not a pro nor affiliated with this web site. I’m just trying to learn about my Instant Pot like everyone here.
      I’ve noticed that burning has been an issue with some people. I’m assuming that is when the pot is used on ‘pressure’ cooking.
      I’m also wondering if the burn issue has anything to do with the pressure release valve on the top of the pot. Maybe instead of being on the ‘sealing’ setting, it’s turned to far to the ‘venting’ position, letting too much moisture escape, maybe also slowing down the heating up time.
      I don’t know, like I said I’m not a pro but to me this seems like a viable explanation.
      Please let me know if this doesn’t apply, I’d like to know for myself.
      Thanks-Karen
       

      1. Jason

        I keep getting the OvHt code. I read on another site that it has to do with using thickening agents like cornstarch or flour, like @MandyCorner said above. The code is the warning Instant Pot gives you to say that things are ready to burn. What you have to do to avoid burning is do a quick release and open the lid, and scrape the bottom clean (a nice wooden spatula does the trick – for me at least). Then, as the author of the blog says, add 2 cups of water to dilute the thickening agent… and keep doing so if you keep getting the alert.

        1. Jason

          If you continue to add more liquid, I would try H20, then perhaps broth or part wine. You can always move onto slow cook afterwards for a bit since you’ve lost all this time with the OvHt error and if there is an overabundance of liquid you can separate the meat to reduce the liquid for gravy (THEN add the thickening mixture).

          My aunt always says about cooking and baking, “Don’t worry. If there’s a problem, we’ll fix it.”

  134. Danielle

    I cannot get my meat to be tender.  A tiny bit of steam keeps leaking out of the pin area.  I’m trying it on meat/stew function to see if it cooks…..so frustrated.  

  135. Michelle Schultz

    IP Failure! I received my IP for Christmas and was so excited to make this roast- my first attempt. Sadly, I also had a burn issue. I ended up removing it from the IP and put it in my trusty slow cooker. Would love to know how to resolve this issue as it sounds amazing!

  136. MC

    I was so excited for this recipe, however I’ve resorted to making it on the slow cooker setting. It kept burning. I even emptied every thing out and washed it down to make sure I had no burnt pieces from the sautéing but no luck, still stopped the pressure due to burning. I’m sure it will still be delicious but was hoping to have it for NYE dinner tonight. 

  137. Mark

    Want to know whats in that gravy mix? 280mg Sodium times 4. Make this recipe at your own risk.

    CORN STARCH, CORN MALTODEXTRIN, SALT, HYDROLYZED SOY AND CORN PROTEIN, ONION, MODIFIED PALM OIL, SUGAR, CARAMEL COLOR, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, YEAST EXTRACT, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, XANTHAN GUM, GARLIC, SODIUM CASEINATE (MILK), DISODIUM INOSINATE AND DISODIUM GUANYLATE (FLAVOR ENHANCERS), NATURAL FLAVOR, AND SPICES (INCLUDING WHITE PEPPER AND CELERY SEED).

  138. Karen

    I didn’t use this recipe, just found it. Nut I did make a pot roast tonight in IP. 2 lb roast 1 c baby carrots, LG onion coarsely chopped, small red potatoes whole, and 2 c of beef broth. High manual at 55 mins. Meat was fabulous but veges were mush. Will my veges b mush at 85 mins with this recipe??

  139. Justin

    I tried this recipe tonight. I got the dreaded “burn” notice twice within the first ten minutes of cooking. Both times the bottom of the pot was scorched. Maybe the corn starch should be left out? I’m really not sure. I ended up adding a little over two cups of chicken stock to the recipe. Smells great! About to give it another go. 

  140. Angela

    Do you think it would turn out ok if I doubled the gravy portion of the recipe and used a 4-5 lb roast?  How long would you add to the cooking time?

  141. Megan

    I made this tonight and it was delicious! I will say that I followed the instapot directions and had no problem with it burning. However, it didn’t make the meat shreddable. So I left it in on slow cooker mode for another hour and it was better. I think next time I will just go slow cooker from the beginning. The sauce was delicious and my whole family loved the whole thing. Thank you so much!  

  142. Carol W. Jones

    Do you mix the gravy with 4 cups of water first or just sprinkle the powder in the pot? If you don’t mix first I can see why it might burn!

  143. Darlene

    I had the same experience as Jillian: followed the instructions exactly but roast was hard and wouldn’t shred and bloody in middle, so obviously not done. I put it back in pressure cooker for another 15 minutes. More done and tasty, but still too firm to shred. Any suggestions?

  144. Michelle

    I also had the same issue with burning.  I have a DUO Plus60 6-quart model.  

    The gravy mixture was thin before adding to the pot, but after 20 minutes, the pot didn’t come to pressure and the gravy thickened a lot.  So, I took everything out and the bottom of the pot was scorched.  After scrubbing the pot, I tried again, adding 2 cups of beef broth to the gravy mixture.  The pot almost got up to pressure about 15 minutes in, but it was a no go. So, I took the meat out again, scraped the bottom just in case, and added 2 more cups of beef broth.  Five to 10 minutes later, we had pressure!  Woot!

    After the 85 minutes was up, did a natural release for 15 minutes.  The gravy was a bit runny for obvious reasons, but I just thickened it with cornstarch using the Sauté function.  It really came out well and my family enjoyed it.  This gravy is phenomenal!

    There’s plenty of liquid in this mixture, but maybe the cornstarch is making it thicken too quickly before the pot can come up to pressure.  The thickening agent in the gravy mix might be enough and cornstarch could be added at the end. I had a fairly large roast, but not much over 3 pounds.  Not sure what the solution is, but plan to tweek it next time!

  145. Lacey

    Are you adding water to the gravy mix and THEN adding that in? Because it seems like that would be plenty of liquid with the coffee, soy sauce, Worcestershire and wine….  Just putting 4 packets of gravy mix in those ingredients without water seems too thick right off the bat and probably does burn.   I’ve never made this, just an observation.  I’d like to try it in my new IP if the burning mystery is solved.    

  146. Stacey

    Followed the recipe *exactly* and within minutes of starting the Pressure Cook, I got the “Burn” message on my IP. When I opened the IP, I found that the gravy had very much thickened! I removed all the contents so that I could scrape the bottom of the pot (which was completely scorched) and try again. This time, I left out some of the vegetables and added a cup of water and more wine. I finally made it past the “pre-heat” stage with no “burn” message and the 85 minute timer just started. Hopefully I don’t waste 85 minutes making this recipe only to have it ruined. 

  147. Mandy Conner

    I was really excited to try this recipe, but I questioned adding the gravy mixes and the cornstarch to the pot, since the instructions that came with the instant pot specifically said to never add thickening agents to the pot due to the risk of overheating. I opted to hold the cornstarch, but go ahead and add the gravy packets. I shouldn’t have done even that. My instant pot shut itself off and said “burn.” Sure enough, the gravy had thickened on the bottom of the pot, and overheated it. Nothing was actually burned, though, and the meat wasn’t anywhere near cooked.

    I manged to salvage the meal by emptying the gravy out of the pot and cleaning it out. I then put the roast back in along with some chicken stock (not beef, only because I didn’t have any). I finished the gravy and veggies on the stovetop while the roast cooked.

    The flavor of the gravy was good, but I don’t think I will use 4 gravy packets next time, as it was a bit too salty for my family’s taste. Also, since the gravy packets contain a thickening agent (flour), I wouldn’t add those until the end either (and maybe season the roast itself prior to cooking in the wine and coffee mixture. The gravy itself was tasty enough, though, that will try this recipe again, but with those modifications.

  148. Pam Jolivette

    Hi, This recipe looks amazing except for the mushrooms. I do not like mushrooms. Could I leave them out?

    Thanks Pam

  149. Melody

    Sadly didn’t work for me- I didn’t realize until 85 min later that my IP didn’t come to pressure- when I opened- it was burnt black on the bottom. I think it burnt on the bottom and that’s why it couldn’t come to pressure. I’m now left with trying to figure out how to finish cooking this 3lb roast!

  150. Rita

    I saw another recipe that I was going to try, but that one said to cook a 3 lb. roast for 70 minutes and yours was much less time. what do you think?

      1. Ken

        105 minutes seems awfully long. That’s an hour and 45 minutes!
        Instead of 105 minutes, perhaps it’s suppose to “1:05” (One hour and five minutes?)

  151. Jillian

    We just made this tonight via the Instantpot & followed every step. When we opened the lid, the roast was rock solid & did NOT shred! What did we do wrong? There was plenty of liquid/gravy at the end but the roast did not shred. I used just over a 3lb roast. Any ideas or suggestions on what I did wrong??

    1. Tim

      What kind of roast did you use? Some types don’t shred regardless of being pressure cooked.
      Chuck is the most common that shreds (can’t find that in Canada so I’m looking for an equivalent).

      1. Abby

        The butcher at my grocery store told me to use a blade roast, but I found other cuts were a bit cheaper. I think the important part is the fat content, this is what will make your roast shreddable.

    2. Samantha

      The instant pot is a terrible slow cooker! I made roast in it before and it was super tough! When you look up reviews on the slow cook feature on the instant pot there are not many good reviews!

  152. Jenn

    Also had this receipt say “burn” in the instant pot. Within about 5 minutes the bottom was scorched. Had to scrape it all out. Tried to add 2 more cups of liquid as the liquid had become quite thick but it once again scorched. Very frustrating!!! 

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Jenn, I am trying to figure out why this is happening for only some people. What instant pot do you have? Was the gravy liquid thick going in for you or was it the consistency like seen in the video?

      1. Jenn

        Hi Jessica, 

        I have the instant pot duo 8qt. The liquid didn’t seem to be thick going in but the first time it burnt it was less than 10 minutes trying to come to pressure and it had thickened quite a lot. I ended up adding about 4 cups of water and giving it a stir. It then cooked fine. I added another gravy packaged at the end as well as a little more soy, the made a slurry with constarch and thickened it that way once I’d removed the meat to shred. It was pretty good. I think I will try again in the crockpot and keep checking back for an update about the burning. 

        1. Carol

          I just made this too and did not have burning but lots of sticking and even after 85 minutes the meat is not tender. Cooking it another 45 on the meat program. If not tender this time I’ll be throwing the whole mess out. So frustrated. This roast is way to expensive to toss. 

      2. Karen

        I’ve not tried the recipe yet and I’m just getting familiar with this pot so this is not an expert opinion but, could it have something to do with the pressure release valve thing on top? Maybe they had it on ‘venting’ instead of  ‘sealing’ so the liquid cooked out too quick? Just a suggestion. Oh, and the recipe sounds super yummy!!! Thanks for sharing!

  153. Aileen Sanders

    Made this yesterday, in instant pot, 8 quart on slow cooker setting. Did not add carrots because we done like them but added potatoes instead. Was very good. One of best gravy my husband said he has ever had. 

  154. Susana Sloe

    I made this last night. We have family in town, so I did two big ones in two crockpots. I didn’t tell anyone that it had soy sauce or coffee in it because they are very picky eaters. 

    We barely had any leftovers! Everyone loved it and some went back for thirds. Thanks for the repine.

  155. Stephanie Parsons

    Made this tonight. DELICIOUS. Used instant pot and was nervous from above comments, but mine turned out great. I added a few potatoes to mine.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      So glad you enjoyed it Stephanie! I wish I could figure out why a couple of people are having an issue with burning. Do you mind sharing what size your beef was and the size of your instant pot? Thanks! :-) 

      1. Lisa

        The bottom of my pot burned as well so I emptied it all out, cleaned out instant pot, poured it all back in & turned it to slow cook. My beef was 3.26 lbs & I have a brand new Instant Pot IP-Duo 8 qts. 

  156. J. M.

    It just kept burning. I had to pour out into a crockpot and will have to go that route in order to finish. The bottle of the pot was black. I followed this recipe in order. Any thoughts?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi J! I just replied to a commenter above who had the same issue. What size of beef did you use? Also, what size instant pot do you have? With well over 2 cups of liquid, there should not have been any issue with it burning.  I would love to help figure out what caused this!

      1. Muriel

        I read a post in another recipe that said not to add the cornstarch until the end as it burned. Could this possibly be the issue?

      2. Tim

        Hi,

        I’m not the original poster but newer pots seem to be getting the burn notice a lot.

        If the liquid you add is too thick then this will happen. I would recommend 2 things:
        1. Leave out the corn starch to the end of cooking.
        2. After browning the roast on sautee, take the roast out and deglaze the browned bits with some beef broth (still on sautee) until the bottom is all cleaned off. Then add everything (except the starch).

      3. Tiffany Ellett

        I was having the same issue with “burn” but I put the rack back in the pot and placed the meat on the rack and tah dah… totally good to go.

    2. Laura

      Dont sauté the beef in your instant pot. Little bits of beef will end up sticking to the bottom of the pot and burn. Instead, sauté or sear it in a different pot altogether, then put it in the instant pot when you’re ready to pressure cook it. Or forget about searing it at all. Turns out just fine without the searing.

      1. Ken Thompson

        You need to deglaze the pot after you sautee. Scrape the bits off with a wooden spoon and stir them up. Also, I believe you need more liquid than the recipe calls for. Or… pour the liquid into the bottom of the pan and not over the food, which will absorb some of the liquid. Corn starch is to thicken the gravy and should be added at the very last. It could be scorching.

    3. Alli

      Mine did the same thing. I transferred to the crockpot so it wouldn’t go to waste. I tried adding more water as well. One I took everything out the bottom of the pot is just totally burnt. I’ll have to try again without cornstarch. 

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Jeanette! Ugh! I have gotten this comment from two people now and I am not sure what the issue could be. We have well over 2 cups of liquid in the pot, so there shouldn’t be any issues using the pressure method. How large was your stew meat? I would love to help figure out what went wrong. 

      1. Teresa

        What size of pot is she using compared to yours… This happened to a friend’s trying to cook fresh green beans… Burnt but the pit was larger than she was use to using.

      2. Katy

        Mine said burned as well so I added a few cups of beef broth and will just thicken with cornstarch when it finishes cooking! I think next time I will leave cornstarch out until it is finished cooking and just thicken afterwards.

      3. Gayle

        You have to remove the roast after searing and deglaze the pot with liquids, removing all of the browned bits from the bottom or the IP will give the ‘burn’ message. Just a friendly FYI.

      4. Mo Moericke

        Try a dry brine! Salt the roast on all sides and leave in the fridge over night before cooking. This will release the liquids in the roast more quickly (they will be release either way so you may as well helo them out) and thos will prevent burning and lead to a very tender roast!

    2. Jennifer

      Hey, to correct burning, make sure to add a couple cups of water once you add the gravy mixture… Mine was burning and not coming to pressure because the liquid was not making good contact with the bottom of the pot.  I have a large instant pot and I think the wider diameter leaves a lot of room to burn it. Cleaning out the pot, then adding the ingredients back in with some water (making sure the bottom of the pot has liquid covering it) made all the difference. 

  157. Drea

    Hi. Looks great. Can you be more specific on the amount of carrots? How many carrots or how many cups chopped? Thanks!

      1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
        Jessica

        Annie, so glad you enjoyed it!!! :-)  Did you make it in the crock pot or instant pot?

        Pat, yes you can use beef broth in place of the wine! It’s a great substitute for those who don’t like to (or can’t) use wine.

    1. Mo Moericke

      I am interested in your pot roast but i am wondering… Do you taste the flavor of the coffee and the wine in the finished roast? Or gravy? Is it abnormal, objectively? I will not use gravy mix or corn starch because I eat an anti-inflammatory paleo diet… And I’m wondering if you’d be up for the challenge of making your family’s pot roast in a healthy, whole foods way? Even if it’s just once? This would mean leaving out the cornatarch and gravy mix and perhaps instead boiling down the liquid from your crockpot in a pan until it becomes a gravy.

      Corn, corn starch and wheat wreak havoc on your gut, the bacteria in it, and therfore the lining that separates your gut bacteria and your immune cells. This leads to gut permeability, heart disease and autoimmune disease. I challenge you to try this recipe in a whole foods way! Life is short! It will still be amazingly delicious!

      1. Steve W

        I tried this recipe, leaving out the cornstarch. I instead added an extra cup of water, an extra cup of mushrooms and two cups of frozen broccoli pieces. The broccoli seemed to have dissolved into the liquid, helping to thickening it. I think you could substitute a cup of beef broth and more mushrooms to keep the flavor. It tasted just as amazing I think with a soupy texture, rather than a gravy texture. I could definitely detect the wine (I used red cooking wine) and Worcestershire sauce. However, I really didn’t detect the coffee. The coffee must have done something though because this pot roast tasted incredibly delicious. The directions were pretty much spot on. Thank you for sharing your family recipe with us. Truly delicious. I hope I am doing your family an honor by taking this recipe into mine.

  158. Tina

    YUMMM! This looks amazing!!! Totally adding this to my menu next week! only thing that would be better is if we could finish the bottle of Cab together

Thank You For Being Here!

Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.