Instant Pot Pot Roast

An Instant Pot filled pot roast, showing tender beef and chunks of potatoes and carrots.

This Instant Pot pot roast is built from scratch with seared chuck roast, red wine, fresh herbs, and rich homemade gravy. Fall-apart beef, hearty vegetables, and real comfort food in about 2 hours.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 45

Total Time 2

Servings

Calories 567kcal

Author Gary White

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

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 for about 30 minutes. Remove the roast and let it rest.
Pour the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the solids and return the strained broth to the pot.
Add the sliced onion, carrots, potatoes, kosher salt, and the cornstarch 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.
Natural release matters. Quick release can make the beef tighter and less tender.
Plan on about 20 minutes per pound. This recipe is based on a 4-pound roast.
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 for up to 4 days or freeze in portions.

Can I skip the wine? Yes. Replace it with more broth and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Balsamic works too.

Can I use quick release for the roast? No. Natural release is the move here if you want fork-tender beef.

Nutrition