Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast is much faster cooking than in the oven or crock pot, and the results are excellent! Tender, juicy pot roast with potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery. This pressure cooker pot roast is just the right meal for my meat and potatoes loving guys!
Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast
This is the quintessential American family meal. The Pot Roast. It was born of the need to cook an economical piece of meat to a point where it was tender and flavorful. Most importantly, it needed to feed the whole family. Paired with root vegetables that many people grew in their own gardens, this meal became a staple in millions of American homes. It certainly was in ours!
For my family, a Sunday Pot Roast is “get the family to the table” comfort food. Mom cooked her pot roast in the oven in her cast iron dutch oven. Low and slow, all day long. When we got home from church, we’d change into our play clothes and get ready for dinner. Dinner on Sundays was always earlier than the rest of the week, and we all had to be at the table. Thank goodness! Now I have those memories, and they are so dear to me.
All I can say about this Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast is that it isn’t fancy, and it cooks up tender, juicy, and delicious. You can cook the vegetables along with the pot roast. The trick is cutting the veggies a little larger, they will be nice and soft, but won’t disappear!
There’s a reason I named my blog Simply Happy Foodie. Meals like this Instant Pot Simple Pot Roast. They are easy, and remind me of a simpler time, and the love of family.
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Tender, juicy pot roast for Sunday dinner, or any time you want a simple, yet heart and comforting meal. Cooked in your Instant Pot electric Pressure cooker, this pot roast is done in a little over an hour and a half!
- 2-3 lbs Chuck Roast, cut in two equal pieces
- 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt (or any coarse salt) divided
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tsp Steak Seasoning (Montreal, etc.)
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Beef or Chicken Broth
- 1/2 cup V8 Juice
- 1 tsp Liquid Smoke (this will not make it too smoky, only add some flavor)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped in 2" pieces
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 5 Sprigs of Thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 3 Large Carrots cut in thirds (or large chunks)
- 3 Ribs of Celery, cut in large pieces
- 5 or 6 Small Potatoes (leave whole)
- 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 4 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Pinch of Salt (or to taste)
Season both sides of the roast with 1 tsp salt, the pepper, and steak seasoning. Set aside.
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. When the display reads "Hot" add the vegetable oil.
Place the roast into the pot and let it brown for 8 minutes. Then flip it and brown on the other side for 8 minutes. Try to brown the edges, too (It is important to let it brown for the full 8 minutes without moving it before flipping it over). This step not only improves the flavor, but reduces the pressure cooking time.
While the roast is browning, prepare your vegetables and the sauce.
Mix the broth, V8 juice, Worcestershire, and liquid smoke together. Then stir in the garlic powder and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt. Set aside.
Remove roast and set on a plate.
Add the onion and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
Pour in the broth mixture. Stir, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the bay leaf and thyme. Let contents come to a simmer.
Put the roast back in the pot.
Add the celery, carrots, and potatoes** (See note if you want firmer vegetables).
Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
Press the Cancel/Keep Warm button to cancel the Sauté mode.
Press Manual (or Pressure Cook) and use the + or - buttons to set the time to 50 minutes - for a 2 to 3lb roast. High Pressure. (if your roast is more than 2" thick, add 15 minutes).
It can take the pot several minutes to get to pressure. That's normal.
When the cook cycle ends, let the pot naturally release the pressure for15- 20 minutes. Then manually release any remaining steam.
When the pin in the lid drops, open the lid facing it away from your face. Turn off the Instant Pot.
Remove the roast and vegetables to a platter to rest while you make the gravy. It is fine to leave the onions in the liquid.
If your roast is not as tender as you'd like, put it back in for 15 minutes. Keep the veggies in a covered dish.
Press the Sauté (or browning button on other brands) button.
Put the flour and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave for about 20 seconds. Stir well, until combined.
When the liquid in the pot starts to simmer, add the butter/flour mixture and stir well, until it starts to thicken.
When gravy is thickened, turn off the Instant Pot and taste the gravy. Adjust salt, if desired.
Serve the pot roast and vegetables. Pour gravy over as desired.
**If you want your vegetables firmer (they come out pretty soft, but we like them that way), add them after the roast is done, before you make the gravy.
Remove roast to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Add the veggies and cook for 5 minutes high pressure, and quick release the pressure when done. Remove to a platter with the resting roast and continue with making the gravy.
Updated 1/18
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Have you ever cooked a pot roast frozen in the IP? And what changes would be made?
Hi Donna! I don’t recommend pressure cooking frozen roasts. The outside can become overcooked while the inside can be undercooked. If you need to cook a frozen roast, you might need to double the liquid so the roast is completely covered with liquid. Then double (70 to 90 minutes) the cook time (also it will take a lot longer to come to pressure as the frozen roast will make the liquid cold). The water helps the roast heat through better. I wouldn’t include the carrots or potatoes (maybe the celery).
This recipe worked great for me. I did the option for the firmer vegetables and they were good. But I think I would be ok with them softer, so next time I’ll make this with the potatoes and carrots in at the beginning as it’s written. I’m lazy! Sauce was very good, simple. The meat fell apart. Thank you for the easy recipe.
That’s great Paul! I provided the option for the firmer vegetables because some people don’t like their veggies soft. I like mine soft, but not mushy! Just keep the potatoes whole, and cut the carrots into large chunks and they should come out just right. If you end up cooking a thicker roast, and want to keep the same cook time, you will need to cut the roast in half and continue with the recipe (browning, etc.). Thank you for the nice comment!
I’ve got my veggies, roast, onions, carrots 2 cups beef broth. Hope it’s as luscious as your recipe says I’m not known to cook much the only reason I have a kitchen it came with the house ha ha thank you. Diane from Ohio.
Hi Diane, I hope it came out well for you!
I’m new to the Insta Pot and have the 3 qt. one. I can’t seem to find how large a roast to cook it. Do you know? Thanks.
Hi Barbara! I think a 2lb roast would fit very well in the 3 qt. It will cook faster if you cut the roast in half, also!
Your recipe was so easy to follow and the roast came out perfectly delicious!
That’s great, Laura! Thank you for your review!