My husband and I recently purchased about 120 pounds of beef from a local farmer in Wisconsin. Included in our 120 pounds of beef were several pot roasts. If you have ever had pot roast, you may be thinking of what can become seriously overcooked and everything contained within it turning to mush. Well, my friend, this is NOT that kind of pot roast.
As long as we are on the topic, it’s worth noting that connecting with a local farmer is a great way to get pasture-raised beef at conventional pricing. We have been purchasing the bulk of our meat this way for years, and don’t see ourselves going back to buying our meat from the grocery store. If you happen to be someone who does not have a connection to a local farmer, there are ways you can get connected online! Check out great sites like www.barn2door.com, www.eatwild.com and www.crowdcow.com for more information on locating a farmer near you!
My goal with this recipe was to make a pot roast that was fork tender, but still with a good bite to it. The key to that equation is searing the meat! I also wanted to have a way to keep this a “one-pot” recipe. Enter the Instant Pot. With the sauté function available, along with a slow cooking option, you can quite literally take care of all steps with just ONE device!!!!! If you want to keep this recipe paleo-friendly, forgo the potatoes and add some extra veggies, or replace them with sweet potatoes if you are following a Whole30 approach.
If you are a visual learner, check out my live demonstration of this recipe from our FREE COMMUNITY GROUP!
AKOS Nutrition Instant Pot/ Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
Roast
- 1 boneless chuck roast (3-4 pounds)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2 large yellow onions, cut into quarters
- 8 carrots, cut into 2” chunks
- 1 pound of red potatoes, cut into halves
- 4 cloves garlic, whole
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups beef broth (+ more for gravy)
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Gravy
- 2 Tablespoons ghee (or grass fed butter if you tolerate it)
- 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch
- 2 Cups pot roast braising liquid, fat removed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
Roast
- Select the sauté function on your Instant Pot.
- Pat your pot roast dry, then season all sides with salt (do not season with pepper as it will create a bitterness when searing the meat).
- Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot, then brown the pot roast on all sides (approx. 4 min per side).
- Remove the meat from the Instant Pot and transfer to a plate. Add in half the carrots, the garlic cloves, tomato paste, pepper, and 1 cup of the beef broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot, releasing the browned bits.
- Cancel the saute function.
- Add the meat back on top of the carrots mixture, and then place the onion, remaining carrots, potatoes, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf around the roast. Pour in enough beef broth to leave roughly ½” of the pot roast exposed.
- Add the Instant Pot lid and use 1 of these two cooking methods:
- Pressure Cook – 45 minutes
- Slow Cook (yes, your Instant Pot is also a slow cooker!) – 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low
- Carefully remove the roast from the Instant Pot and place on a cutting board to rest and tent with aluminum foil. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and place on a platter. Tent the platter with foil as well to keep warm.
Gravy
- Strain the pot roast braising liquid, discard any solids. After the fat settles, separate the beef braising liquid from the fat. If there are not 2 cups, use beef broth to make up the remaining amount.
- Heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat.
- Melt the ghee and add the tapioca flour and whisk until well combined with no lumps (30 seconds).
- While still whisking, slowly pour in the liquid. Cook for 1-2 additional minutes, whisking constantly.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve roast shredded into large chunks on the platter with the veggies, gravy on the side.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated in airtight container for up to 1 week.
