I could not wait to share my Instant Pot Sunday Pot Roast with you all today! I made this last week on a super busy day, and my family was blown away at how incredible this dish turned out. The beef was so moist and tender and was absolutely melting in our mouths. I barely even had to shred it much, because it just completely fell apart almost entirely on its own.
Since I’ve made it, my kids have not stopped asking when I’m going to make this again (this weekend, in case you’re wondering). And this is one dish that I will gladly make again and again because it is so easy. The magic of the Instant Pot continues to amaze me. If you were cooking this pot roast recipe using my oven or slow cooker, it would take me 8-10 hours to achieve this kind of perfection. But in my Instant Pot, just 70 minutes to cook. Total cook time is around 90 minutes, once you factor in saute time and pressure release.
Sunday pot roast dinners were a common thing when I was growing up. My mom would spend hours in the kitchen basting her roast and checking on it. But with today’s modern and hectic lifestyle, very few of us often have the luxury to babysit a roast all day long. So this instant pot recipe helps me keep that family tradition alive, without sacrificing my entire day in the kitchen.
The recipe is basically identical to what my mom (and her mom) used, with just a few tweaks. No need to mess with perfection! I’ve been cooking it for years in my slow cooker, but now the Instant Pot has stepped up my game, and my family’s favorite pot roast recipe is now something I can cook on a more regular basis.
Without a doubt, the best thing about this meal is the texture of the meat. I was so excited with how it turned out, and in such a hurry to get a photo of it, that I didn’t bother to top it will gravy or “decorate” it with garnish. Plus, it was a Friday night (this roast is not just for Sunday nights!), and we were headed to my son’s football game. I was in a rush, my kids were starving, and I honestly just didn’t have the time. But the meat is so flavorful, and so juicy, that you really don’t even need the gravy. But if you are a gravy person, I get it…I get it. Go ahead and make yourself some gravy to slather over the best pot roast recipe you’ll ever eat.
A quick note about the potatoes…I prefer Yukon gold simply because they have a wonderful nutritional profile in comparison to other potatoes. But just about any kind of potato would work well. And baby potatoes are perfect if you want one less thing to chop. Regardless of which potato you use, they soak up the wonderful juices and flavors and help make this a very hearty and satisfying meal. But if you want to shave off a couple of Points, just leave out the potatoes, it’s no biggie.
I hope that you love my family’s traditional pot roast recipe as much as I do! And once you see how incredible it turns out with the timesaving Instant Pot, you’ll be making this Sunday Pot Roast a part of your family tradition too!
The most tender pot roast you can imagine in a fraction of the time it would take in your oven or slow cooker. The perfect, easy Sunday dinner that the family will love.
Prep TimePrep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook TimeCook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total TimeTotal Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins
ServingsServings 8
CaloriesCalories 389 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast - (fat trimmed)
- 1 tbp olive oil
- 2 packets onion soup mix
- 1 large onion - (roughly chopped)
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ cups fat free beef broth
- 3 large carrots - (cut into large chunks)
- 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes - (cut into large chunks)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Season both sides of roast with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth, onion soup mix, and Worcestershire sauce.
Set instant pot to saute. When hot, add in oil. Add in meat and saute on all sides...about 1-2 minutes per side.
Top meat with potatoes, onions and carrots, and prepared sauce.
Turn off saute. Cover Instant Pot with lid, and switch to manual setting. Set for 70 minutes on high pressure. Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release whatever pressure is left.
Remove from instant pot, shred and serve with vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 389 kcal (19%)Carbohydrates: 20 g (7%)Protein: 48 g (96%)Fat: 13 g (20%)Saturated Fat: 4.1 g (26%)Cholesterol: 150 mg (50%)Sodium: 865 mg (38%)Potassium: 806 mg (23%)Fiber: 3.2 g (13%)Sugar: 4.5 g (5%)Calcium: 30 mg (3%)Iron: 5.4 mg (30%)
Course: Dinner Recipes, Main Course Recipes
Cuisine: American Recipes
Diet: Kosher Recipes, Low Lactose Recipes
Keyword: Instant Pot Sunday Pot Roast
Cooking Method: Pressure Cooker Recipes
Main Ingredient: Beef Recipes
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Related Recipes
Herb Crusted Pot Roast Recipe
Cabernet Beef Pot Roast Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe
FAQs
If you find that it's still tough after cooking, you'll need to cook it for another 10 to 20 minutes at high pressure – it just needs a bit longer to continue to brine and break down the connective tissue.
Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook a pot roast? ›
Taste: For overall taste, the pressure cooker was the hands-down winner. Beef, carrots, and potatoes all retained their rich flavors. After 8 hours in the slow cooker, they emerged bland and seemed to need salt.
Does a pot roast need to be covered in liquid Instant Pot? ›
Don't Skip the Extra Liquid.
I recommend adding 1/2 cup of liquid (water or low-sodium beef broth) to the Instant Pot for a roast. Typically you need at least 1 cup of liquid in the Instant Pot; the remaining 1/2 cup comes from the juices released by the chuck roast and the tomato sauce.
Can you overcook roast in Instant Pot? ›
Yes, just like any cooking method you can overcook a chuck roast in the Instant Pot. Follow the directions based on the size of your roast to know how long to cook it. It should be 20 minutes per pound of thawed roast.
Why is my roast still tough after 7 hours? ›
Why is my pot roast still tough? It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
Does too much liquid make pot roast tough? ›
If you add too much liquid, the meat might end up boiling instead of braising. Boiling meat can result in an unappealing texture and won't allow the development of the rich, complex flavors that braising provides.
Is pork shoulder better in Instant Pot or crock pot? ›
Slow cooking the meat means it never has the chance to toughen up and will be extra silky and tender. Pressure cooking is faster, though you may lose a little bit of the tenderness. If you're going for the pressure cook method, be sure to get a pork shoulder or pork butt, as opposed to a pork loin.
How long does it take to cook 2 pounds of beef in the Instant Pot? ›
For example, cook a 2-pound pot roast at high pressure for 40 minutes and a 3-pound pot roast for 60 minutes.
When to add potatoes to pot roast? ›
Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot when there's about an hour of cooking time left, turning the roast over when you do. To serve, spoon any excess fat off the surface and slice or shred the beef to serve with the veggies, drizzled with sauce. Serves 6-8.
Do you have to brown meat before Instant Pot? ›
Yes, you can sear meat in an Instant Pot using the sauté function. This allows you to brown the meat before pressure cooking, which helps enhance the flavor and texture of the meat.
Cooking a frozen roast in an Instant Pot is actually quite easy. Place the frozen roast in the pressure cooker with the trivet underneath, to allow the heat to penetrate the entire surface of the roast, and add an additional 20 minutes to the cooking time.
Can you pour pot roast juice down the drain? ›
Bacteria can multiply to an extreme degree after just 20 minutes in the sink, according to Food Safety News, so either dispose of juices in the trash or clean your sink very thoroughly. Residential Waste Systems says to throw meat packaging and trimmings into a bag, tie it well, and throw it away in an outside bin.
Is bottom round or chuck roast better? ›
Chuck pot roasts have more fat, and therefore more flavor, than those from the round. Beef round roasts suitable for pot roasting are round tip, round rump, bottom round and eye round roasts. Most beef round and chuck pot roasts can be used interchangeably, with only slight adjustments in cooking time.
How do you keep meat moist in a pressure cooker? ›
The tightly sealed cooker creates a high-pressure environment that quickly and efficiently steams whatever is inside of it at an extra-high heat. This technique also forces moisture into the food quickly.
Can I leave a roast in the Instant Pot overnight? ›
Can You Leave Instant Pot On Overnight? The short answer is yes.
How to fix tough meat in Instant Pot? ›
If it's still tough, you will need to cook it longer. The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender. Put the lid back on, seal the pressure cooker, and cook at high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes.
How do you fix a tough pot roast? ›
You may need some sweetness and acidity to bring up the tough meat. Simmer in liquid. Just like for burnt meat, if your meat gets tough and dry then you can simmer it in a little bit of broth for a couple minutes. Don't allow it to overcook again but just allow the liquid to penetrate the meat.
How do you tenderize meat in Instant Pot? ›
Bring up to full pressure over medium-high heat, and cook for 20 minutes. Carefully release pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Check to make sure meat is fork tender. Let the meat rest for 15 minutes.
Why is my pot roast always dry and tough? ›
The most likely cause of this is overcooking. As meat cooks, its muscle fibers shorten in both length and width and eventually squeeze out the juices they normally hold. As you can imagine, this leaves meat dry, and often stringy in texture. To avoid this problem, choose less-tender cuts of meat.
