Pot Roast made in the Instant Pot comes out so juicy and tender and takes just a fraction of the time to make compared to traditional methods!
It will warm your soul and fill your home with the most delicious aromas.
Just like the Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast, this pot roast recipe is the perfect dinner to please a big crowd. It’s so simple to make and is a classic comfort food. If you have leftover, you can use the meat to make sandwiches the next day!
Table of Contents
Is Chuck Roast Good Quality?
Chuck roast is one of the best cuts for a dish like pot roast. It has excellent marbling throughout which makes it very flavorful.
If chuck roast is cooked certain ways like grilling, it can be quite tough which is why it’s relatively inexpensive. But when cooked the right way—low and slow in a moist environment like a pressure cooker—the tough collagen breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender!
What Kind of Red Wine Should I Use?
You should use any type of wine that you like drinking, since this recipe only uses a half cup of red wine, you’ll want to drink the rest before it spoils. Dry red wines like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot noir are all great options.
Wines labeled as cooking wine are not good quality and I do not recommend buying a wine that you wouldn’t want to drink also.
Can I Leave Out the Wine?
If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can definitely leave out the wine. Try adding a splash of red wine vinegar instead for some acidity to balance out the dish.
You can also make this Instant Pot roast beef instead, which is a great recipe without wine.
Why Low-Sodium Beef Broth?
This Instant Pot pot roast recipe calls for low-sodium beef broth because regular beef broth tends to be very salty and becomes even saltier as it reduces down. Using low-sodium beef broth allows you to control the salt level for optimal taste.
It’s also better for your health to limit sodium intake! This will reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
How Can I Make the Gravy Thicker?
The gravy in this recipe is simple to make and super flavorful. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you could add a roux (butter + flour mixture) or a slurry (cornstarch + water mixture) in the final steps.
Is it Gluten Free?
Yes, as long as you make the recipe as written and don’t add any flour or glutinous starches to thicken the sauce then the dish is gluten free.
Can I make it vegetarian or vegan?
If you are into a vegan pot roast, try this Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast.
Side Dishes
Serve the pot roast with mashed potatoes and a simple root vegetable side like carrots for a complete balanced meal.
More Comfort Food Recipes
Comfort food recipes are so satisfying, especially when the weather turns colder. And they are so quick and easy to make with your Instant Pot! If you love this pot roast, be sure to try these other comfort food recipes too:
Instant Pot Chicken And Noodles
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef chuckroast
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled & halved
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 large sweet yellow onion peeled and diced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of the pot roast with salt, black pepper, and paprika and set aside.
- Add oil and butter to the Instant Pot and select “Sauté”.
- Add the roast and sear from one side. Turn the roast over and sear it on the opposite side. Transfer the roast to a plate.
- Add the diced onion, cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add garlic and sear for 30 seconds.
- Add the broth and stir with a wooden spatula.
- Place the roast over the mixture, add the rosemary, thyme sprigs and wine on the roast.and set the Instant Pot to “Manual” on “High Pressure” and set for 60 minutes.
- Release pressure quickly.
- Remove the lid and remove the roast and transfer to a plate.
- Blend the remaining mixture with the blender to make soup puree and “Sauté” the gravy for 3-5 minutes or until it thickens a little.
- Select “Cancel” and transfer the gravy into a separate bowl.
- Pour gravy onto roast and serve hot.
Do I change the time for only 1 lb of meat?
Great question-- yes. For a 1 lb. pot roast, cooking on high pressure for 30 minutes will be great.
If using a frozen piece of meat, how much longer should the time be?
90 minutes for a frozen 3 lb. roast. Adjust the time slightly based on size (i.e. 80 minutes for 2 lbs. or 100 minutes if 4 lbs.)
Can I use a frozen roast or is it best to use a thawed roast?
You can use a frozen roast, however I much prefer to use a thawed roast to get a better sear on it (when cooking in saute mode)
Followed the directions to the T and mine came out dry and tough.Good flavor. though.I have not had any success with any roast recipe.
What am i doing wrong?
Hmm, that's odd. 20 minutes per pound should be enough to tenderize it, but try cooking for even longer next time-- 90 minutes. If the roast is particularly tough, it may just need a little more time to fully tenderize.
Are you placing the meat on a trivet above the sauce or in it?
I would say no. Recipe doesn’t specify, but I nestled mine down right into all the (extra) oniony, garlicky, wine/broth! Pot roasts are typically braised anyway, so I don’t see any advantage to using a trivet.
No trivet needed for this recipe. Place the meat directly in the sauce.