No time for a 6-hour roast? I've got you. This Instant Pot pot roast turns a cheap chuck roast into fall-apart, real-gravy comfort food. Plan on about 2 hours 45 minutes for the full recipe. No shortcuts. No packet soups.
It feels like Sunday dinner but cooks like a Tuesday night. And it costs like one.
Want to compare all the methods? Start with my full guide to pot roast recipes.
Quick answer: Cook a 4-pound chuck roast on High Pressure for 75 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally until the float valve drops and the cooker is fully depressurized. Allow about 30 minutes for the release, sometimes longer. Sear first, then give the roast time to release naturally. The vegetables cook in a separate 4-minute High Pressure cycle after the roast comes out. The pressure timers start once pressure is reached.
Cook Times for 2- and 4-Pound Chuck Roasts
| Chuck roast | High Pressure | Natural release |
|---|---|---|
| 2 pounds | 45 minutes | Full release, about 25 minutes |
| 4 pounds | 75 minutes | Full release, about 30 minutes |
Wait until the float valve drops and the cooker is fully depressurized before opening. Cut and thickness affect tenderness; these settings are not a per-pound timing rule.
Real Talk
Out of every pot roast I've made, this one wore the crown for years.
It earned a perfect rating, won the first family showdown, and held its spot at the top until recently.
The new dry-brined oven roast has officially taken the title. But this Instant Pot version is still legendary.
I've made it too many times to count, and I still look forward to that first bite every time.
It is also the version I make when the week has been a lot and dinner needs to be on the table fast. About 2 hours 45 minutes, one cheap roast, and a kitchen that smells like Sunday on a weeknight. That is the whole pitch.
Why This Recipe Works
- Sear the meat. You want that deep brown crust. It is not just for looks. It builds the base of the whole dish. Do not skip it. Do not rush it.
- Deglaze with wine. That red wine is doing more than adding flavor. It lifts every browned bit off the bottom of the pot and pulls it into your gravy. Huge payoff for minimal effort.
- Natural release. This recipe uses a 75-minute High Pressure cook followed by a natural release. Keep that release in the method; the roast continues cooking as the pressure comes down.
- Chuck roast does the heavy lifting. This is one of the cheapest cuts at the meat counter and one of the most forgiving. The fat and connective tissue break down under pressure and turn into flavor. The wine and herbs are pennies per serving on top of a roast that already feeds eight.
Ingredients
The Roast
- Chuck roast
- Olive oil
Aromatics
- Yellow onions, one chopped and one sliced
- Celery
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh rosemary
- Bay leaf
- Garlic
Liquids
- Dry red wine, like Cabernet or Merlot
- Beef broth
- Water
For the Gravy
- Cornstarch slurry, made with cornstarch and water
The Vegetables
- Carrots
- Red or gold potatoes
- Kosher salt
How to Make Instant Pot Pot Roast
Step 1: Sear the chuck roast to build flavor
Season the roast generously with salt and pepper and let it sit at room temperature for a bit. Set the Instant Pot to sauté, add olive oil, and brown the roast on both sides until deeply caramelized. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Build the base and deglaze with red wine
Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute more.
Pour in the red wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer and reduce for 2 minutes.
Step 3: Pressure cook the roast on high
Return the roast to the pot. Add enough beef broth to come up the sides of the meat without covering it.
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 75 minutes.
Step 4: Natural release and rest
Let the pressure release naturally until the float valve drops and the cooker is fully depressurized. Allow about 30 minutes, sometimes longer.
Check the thickest part of the roast with a food thermometer for at least 145°F, and allow at least 3 minutes of rest before serving. The beef should also pull apart easily with a fork. Reaching a safe temperature alone does not mean chuck roast is tender.
Why is my pot roast still tough? If the beef is still firm and will not pull apart easily, leave the vegetables out and keep the roast in the unthickened cooking liquid. Add broth if needed to meet your cooker's minimum liquid requirement. Cook on High Pressure for another 15 to 20 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally until the cooker is fully depressurized. Check again before moving on to the vegetables.
Once the beef is tender, remove it and let it rest while you cook the vegetables and finish the gravy.
Step 5: Strain the liquid and cook the vegetables
Pour the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids and return the strained broth to the pot.
Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water to make the slurry. Add the sliced onion, carrots, potatoes, kosher salt, and slurry. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Quick release.
Step 6: Shred and serve
While the vegetables cook, pull the roast apart with two forks.
Add the beef back to the pot with the vegetables and gravy. Stir gently. Ladle that gravy over everything and serve.
Expert Tips for Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Sear it. Always. That crust builds flavor from the very start.
- Scrape the bottom after sautéing. Every last bit of fond is flavor. Deglaze with wine or broth and get it all.
- Fresh herbs hit different. Thyme and rosemary bring brightness you do not get from dried herbs. If you substitute dried, use about one-third as much.
- Keep the two release steps distinct. Let the roast release naturally, then use the quick release specified for the separate vegetable stage.
- Let it rest before shredding. Give the roast about 15 minutes after cooking. The vegetable cook time is perfect for this.
- Size and thickness matter. The 75-minute cook here is for the 4-pound chuck roast in this recipe. Cut and thickness affect tenderness; do not treat this as a timing rule for every roast.
- Thicken to taste. Want a thicker gravy? Stir in a little extra cornstarch slurry at the end.
No Wine? No Problem.
I’ve made it both ways. The vinegar swap holds up. If you do not want to buy a bottle of wine for one recipe, swap the cup of wine for an extra cup of beef broth plus a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Balsamic works too. The gravy still gets the acid lift it needs without the extra cost.
FAQs
Yes, but the method changes. Skip the sear and use the cook time and natural release for your roast's size. Get the full method and timing chart in my guide to cooking a frozen pot roast in the Instant Pot.
Chuck roast is the best choice here. It is well-marbled and built for pressure cooking. Bottom round or mock tender can work, but the texture will not be quite the same.
Absolutely. Parsnips, turnips, and mushrooms all work well. Keep the pieces large so they do not turn to mush.
Yes, and it is even better the next day. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze in portions.
It can be. Just make sure your broth and wine are labeled gluten-free.
More Pot Roast Recipes You'll Love
- Oven Pot Roast with Red Wine Gravy — dry-brined and next-level.
- Crock Pot Pot Roast with Cream of Mushroom Soup — three ingredients, ultra-comforting.
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast — no packets, no butter, still hits hard.
- Cream of Mushroom Mississippi Pot Roast — creamy and tangy in the same bite.
- How to Cook a Frozen Pot Roast — forgot to thaw it? The Instant Pot has you covered.
The Leftover Math
A 4-pound chuck roast in this recipe gives you about 8 servings. For a family of four, that is dinner tonight plus one full meal tomorrow.
Here is what to do with what's left:
Freezer portions. Shred the beef, mix it back into the gravy, and freeze in 2-cup portions. Refrigerate beef and gravy in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze. Reheat covered with a splash of broth, stirring, until the beef reaches 165°F; bring the gravy to a rolling boil.
Pot Roast Lasagna. Save 2 cups of shredded beef and as much gravy as you can. The wine-based gravy is the perfect lasagna sauce base. This move is not optional.
Sliders. Pile shredded beef onto toasted rolls. Spoon warm gravy over the top. Done in ten minutes.
Breakfast hash. Throw the beef in a hot skillet with the leftover potatoes and crack a couple of eggs over the top. The best leftover move I make.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 4 lb chuck roast
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions one chopped and one sliced
- 3 celery stalks sliced
- 8 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 2 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup red wine (or 1 cup beef broth + 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar)
- 2 cups beef broth as needed
- 1 lb medium carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 lb red or gold potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt for the vegetables
- kosher salt and black pepper for seasoning the roast
Instructions
- Season the roast generously with salt and pepper. Let it rest at room temperature for a bit.
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Once hot, add olive oil and brown the roast well on both sides. Remove and set aside.
- Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cook 1 minute more.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2 minutes.
- Return the roast to the pot. Add enough beef broth to come up the sides of the meat without covering it. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 75 minutes.
- Let the pressure release naturally until the float valve drops and the cooker is fully depressurized. Allow about 30 minutes, sometimes longer. Check the thickest part of the roast for at least 145°F, then remove it and let it rest while you handle the next steps. Allow at least 3 minutes of rest before serving; chuck should also pull apart easily.
- Pour the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids and return the strained broth to the pot.
- Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water to make the slurry. Add the sliced onion, carrots, potatoes, kosher salt, and slurry. Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes, then quick release.
- While the vegetables cook, shred the roast with two forks.
- Return the beef to the pot with the vegetables and gravy. Stir gently and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use chuck roast. It is well-marbled, affordable, and built for pressure cooking.
- Sear it well. That crust is the foundation of the flavor.
- Keep the natural release specified for the roast; it continues cooking as the pressure comes down.
- The 75-minute cook here is for the 4-pound chuck roast in this recipe. Cut and thickness affect tenderness; do not treat this as a timing rule for every roast.
- For a 2-pound chuck roast, cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes, then allow a full natural release (about 25 minutes). This is separate from the 75-minute setting for the 4-pound roast; do not turn the two recommendations into a universal per-pound rule.
- Deglaze thoroughly. Every browned bit on the bottom belongs in the gravy.
- Thicken to taste. Add a little extra cornstarch slurry at the end if you want a thicker gravy.
- Make it ahead. It is even better the next day.
- Refrigerate beef and gravy in shallow containers within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze in portions. Reheat covered with a splash of broth, stirring, until the beef reaches 165°F; bring the gravy to a rolling boil.
Kim Riopelle
How would you reheat the meat, so it’s not over done?
SHUREE hood
Excellent for fast delicious dinner
Diana
Sooo good!! There's so much flavor and the meat is very tender. We all loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Ariadna
Delicious. It just needs lowering the salt a little or specifying if the broth should be salted or not.
Randy
Extremely tender meat and very tasty!