Make this unbelievably tender and juicy Instant Pot Chuck Roast with just minutes of prep before your pressure cooker takes over. This quick and flavorful one-pot dinner recipe is a family-friendly meal served with a mountain of fluffy mash and gravy!
Tender and Juicy Instant Pot Chuck Roast
Who’s ready to get cozy? Because once you’ve tucked into this flavorful and satisfying Instant Pot roast, there’s no going back. Hello, food coma. I’m definitely not complaining!
I make this easy pot roast recipe with one of my favorite cuts of beef: the trusty chuck roast. First, I give the roast a good season and sear before sauteing some veggies and throwing everything together to cook. The best part is, just like my Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast, this all takes place right in the Instant Pot.
This roast recipe is quick, savory, hearty, comforting, AND easy to clean up. I could go on, but I’m officially sold on this Instant Pot chuck roast!
Why This Pressure Cooker Pot Roast Works
Yes, you can cook a roast in the Instant Pot. And, yes, it’s magical. This roast beef recipe comes out melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of flavor. Here’s why you’ll love this easy Instant Pot method for making a perfect pot roast:
The Instant Pot is quicker. Instead of roasting a chuck roast for hours in the oven to achieve peak tenderness and flavor, the pressure cooker does the work in a fraction of the time. The beef comes out tasting as though it was slow-roasted.
Easy to prep. This is the perfect one-pot meal. Sear your beef, saute some aromatics, and then cover the roast with wine and broth before setting it to cook. All in the Instant Pot!
Rich, flavorful chuck roast. This inexpensive cut of beef cooks up fall-apart tender, ready to shred with a fork.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Let’s have a quick look at the ingredients in this chuck roast recipe. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card below the post for the full recipe amounts and details.
Chuck Roast: I make this Instant Pot pot roast with a 2½ to 3-pound chuck roast (see below for details). You’ll find chuck roast in the meat locker of your local supermarket, or you can ask a butcher.
Salt, Pepper, and Olive Oil: You’ll need salt and freshly cracked black pepper for seasoning the roast, along with olive oil for cooking.
Onion and Garlic: Slice up one medium-sized yellow onion, and about 6-8 cloves of garlic (or to taste).
Herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary, as well as bay leaves to deepen the flavors.
Red Wine: I like to cook with bold, dry red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon. For a lighter flavor, try Pinot Noir. If you’d rather make this roast without wine, substitute an equal amount of additional beef broth.
Beef Broth: I recommend using low-sodium beef broth or stock so that the roast doesn’t come out too salty.
Worcestershire Sauce: For a hit of umami.
What Cut of Beef Is a Chuck Roast?
A beef chuck roast is cut from the upper shoulder/lower neck. Also called a pot roast or a chuck center roast, chuck roasts are relatively inexpensive, fattier cuts of beef that are ideal for slow cooking – and pressure cooking, as it turns out.
Can I Use Frozen Beef?
Believe it or not, yes! You can make this Instant Pot recipe with a frozen chuck roast. Like Instant Pot Chicken Thighs, the steam and pressure work together inside the IP to thaw the meat and cook it at the same time.
If you’re using frozen beef, there’s no need to sear it first, simply season and skip straight to the pressure cooking step. However, you’ll need to increase the cooking time by 20-30 minutes when cooking your roast from frozen.
How to Cook Chuck Roast In the Instant Pot
Making a succulent pot roast in the pressure cooker is a game changer. All it takes is a bit of prep and then you can hand the reins over to your Instant Pot:
Season and sear the beef. Pat dry the roast and give both sides a generous seasoning with salt and pepper. Using the saute setting on your Instant Pot, sear the beef in olive oil for about 5 minutes per side until browned.
Saute. Remove the roast, then add the onions to the pot with the remaining oil. Saute for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic and fresh herbs. Afterward, pour in the wine to deglaze the pot, using a spatula to lift the browned bits from the bottom.
Combine. Switch off saute mode and add the browned beef back into the pot, followed by beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Toss in a couple of bay leaves, then cover and seal.
Cook. Set your IP to pressure cook for 60 minutes on high. Once the cooking time is up, naturally release the pressure for a half-hour or so. Finally, vent the remaining pressure manually. The longer the natural release, the juicier your roast will be!
Shred and serve. Scoop out the beef and place it onto a platter for serving, then use two forks to shred it.
Can I Make This Roast In the Slow Cooker Instead?
Yes, though the cooking times will be different if you make your chuck roast in the slow cooker. Alternatively, you can make this pot roast recipe in a Dutch oven, too. Follow the recipe as directed, searing the beef and sauteing the onions and herbs. Afterward, combine everything in your Dutch oven or slow cooker.
Set the slow cooker to cook on low for 8-10 hours.
For a Dutch oven, place the whole pot (lid on) into the oven for 2-3 hours at 275ºF.
Tips for Success
This succulent beef dinner is perfect if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly Instant Pot recipe. Keep these tips in mind for the best IP pot roast:
How to tell when a pot roast is done: Your chuck roast is thoroughly cooked when it’s tender and comes apart easily with a fork. If your beef is still tough, this likely means it’s undercooked.
The exact pressure cooking times may vary, depending on the size of your roast and your Instant Pot. If you’re unsure, a good rule of thumb is 20 minutes of pressure cooking time per pound of beef.
For an even beefier flavor, add a beef bouillon cube to the liquids in the Instant Pot.
Common Questions
How long do you cook a roast in an Instant Pot?
Exact cooking times can vary, but a 3-pound roast like the one in this recipe takes approximately 60 minutes on high pressure. If you’re using a frozen chuck roast, you’ll need to increase the cooking time by 20-30 minutes.
Why is my pot roast tough?
This is likely because the beef needs more time in the pressure cooker to break down the connective tissue. Seal and then cook the beef for another 10-20 minutes on high and check it again.
Serving Suggestions
Just like my Instant Pot Cubed Beef, this easy chuck roast recipe is a hearty and flavorful beef dinner. I love serving it with my favorite pot roast sides:
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
I love having leftover pot roast stashed in the fridge! It makes delicious, hearty lunches and even another whole meal in the days following. Here’s how to properly store and reheat your Instant Pot pot roast:
Fridge: Refrigerate your cooked chuck roast airtight for up to 5 days. It’s yummy to enjoy cold in wraps and sandwiches or warmed up again. Reheat leftover roast on the stovetop or in the microwave, with a little extra broth added to revive the juiciness, if needed.
Freezer: Leftover pot roast freezes well. Once your shredded beef has cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and keep it frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the roast in the fridge overnight before reheating.
This tender and juicy Instant Pot Chuck Roast recipe is a quick and flavorful one-pot dinner that the whole family will love. Don’t forget the mashed potatoes and gravy!
2.5 – 3 pound Chuck Roast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, cut into strips/slices
6–8 garlic gloves, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
Pat the meat dry with a paper towel, then season the chuck roast on both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Turn the instant pot to saute mode and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once it is hot, add the chuck roast to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes on each side without disturbing. Remove the browned meat from the instant pot and set aside. If your meat is too large to fit flat on the bottom of the instant pot, cut it in half and work in batches.
Add the remaining oil and sliced onions to the instant pot and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
Pour in the red wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.
Turn off saute mode.
Add the meat back to the instant pot along with any juices from the plate. Also add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Cover with the lid and turn the vent to sealing position.
Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Naturally release the pressure for 15-30 minutes (longer natural release will make more juicy meat). Release the remaining pressure and open the lid.
Transfer the meat to a serving platter.
Notes
If you’d prefer to cook without wine, replace with extra beef broth.
