Instant Pot Pot Roast

Using an Instant Pot to make Pot Roast means delicious comfort food in record time. Supremely tender, fall-apart beef in only 60 minutes means you can make this for dinner any night of the week, no problem.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Natural Release Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 381kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

1 (3 to 4 pound) boneless beef chuck roast (see note 1)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
8 ounces baby carrots about 1 1/2 cups (see note 2)
2 large onions thinly sliced, about 2 cups
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces (see note 3)
1 cup red wine (see note 4)
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chuck roast dry and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper all over. Set Instant Pot to Saute and heat oil until shimmering. Brown beef on all sides until a deep brown crust develops, about 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer beef to platter or cutting board.
Add carrots, onions, and potatoes to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in red wine, deglaze pot by scraping up brown bits.
Add beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. Return beef to pot. Cover and lock Instant Pot. Press Manual or Pressure Cook button and set for 60 minutes. When timer beeps, allow pressure to release naturally until the float valve drops, about 15 minutes. Unlock lid and remove beef and vegetables (discard bay leaf). Keep warm while making gravy.
To make the gravy, pour drippings into a bowl. Allow fat to rise to the top. Skim off fat and reserve 1/4 cup. In a large saucepan over low heat, pour in reserved fat. Whisk in flour and stir until mixture is bubbly. Set aside to cool.
Measure remaining meat juices and add water until it reaches 2 cups liquid. Add mixture to sauce pan, return to medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve pot roast with vegetables and top with gravy.

Notes

Beef roast: You can be a little flexible here. Chuck roast, aka shoulder steak or boneless chuck roast, has the boldest beef flavor. But brisket or round roast, aka rump roast, are also good choices that turn tender in the pressure cooker. Choose a size that will fit in your machine. A 3-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If your pressure cooker is 6 quart, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast. And if you're working with an 8-quart pot, you can make a 6 to 7-pound roast.
Carrots: 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped, may be substituted for the baby carrots.
Potatoes: Small red potatoes are low in starch and hold their shape well during the long cook time. Starchier potatoes, such as russets or even Yukon golds, will get mushy or may even dissolve.
Red wine: I use Pinot Noir, but you don't have to. Just pick something dry that you don't mind drinking; you only need about a cup of wine. If you don't have it, add more beef broth or use chicken broth to deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Yield: This recipe should feed 12, with each person eating 3-4 ounces of pot roast as a meal.
Storage: Refrigerate the leftovers, and eat them within 4 days.
Make ahead: Pot roast always tastes better the next day, so plan on making it ahead if you have time. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat in the oven at 325 degrees until hot, a slow cooker on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, or in a pot on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Freezing: Leftover pot roast freezes beautifully for meal prep and last-minute lifesaving dinners. Freeze with the gravy, if you like, for up to 3 months. Thaw the roast overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as you like.
Vegetables: Some cooks recommend adding any vegetables into the pot midway through the cooking so they stay firm. But I prefer the flavor they add to the roast and don’t mind them softer.
Larger cuts: For more flavor, cut larger (5-pound or more) roasts into two smaller cuts to fit into the pot. That allows more surface area for browning.
Slicing or shredding: If you love a shredded roast, use two forks to do the job. If a slice of meat is more your style, slice the roast against the grain to keep the roast intact.
Oven-braised: Try my classic pot roast recipe if you want to make pot roast in the oven.

Nutrition