Pot Roast in the Instant Pot: A Story More Than a Recipe

So, listen. If you’d told me five years ago that I’d someday be gleefully tossing a slab of beef into a magic pressure cooker and waiting for it to turn into the kind of pot roast my mom used to make on snowy Sundays—minus the three-hour wait—I’d probably have laughed (or at least given you my very skeptical eyebrow). But here we are. The first time I made this, I was half-expecting a culinary disaster; instead, I got the kind of meal people want to eat in sweatpants while watching those late-afternoon reruns. My cousin Todd still talks about the time I dropped a potato in the dog’s water bowl mid-cook. Dog was thrilled, honestly.

Why You’ll Love This (Besides How Fast It Is)

I make this when I’m craving comfort without the hoo-ha of all-day cooking. My family goes a wee bit wild for this because it’s hearty, the house smells like something out of a folktale, and (full disclosure) I don’t have to slave over the stove for ages. If you’re someone who forgets to take the beef out of the freezer—this saves your bacon. Also, for whatever reason, carrots made under pressure always taste like I meant to go gourmet. Not sure why.

What You’ll Need (A Bit Flexible, Don’t Panic)

3-4 lbs chuck roast (mine’s sometimes closer to 3, especially when I buy the last one in the store)
Salt & black pepper (My grandmother swore by sea salt, but regular works. You’re the boss.)
2 tbsp oil (olive or canola, or honestly, I’ve used bacon fat—delicious but not exactly health food)
1 big yellow onion, cut into chunks (red onion if that’s what’s knocking about)
5-6 garlic cloves, smashed (or a generous teaspoon of the jarred stuff; no judgments)
4 big carrots, peeled and cut chunky (Baby carrots are fine if you’re in a hurry)
4 potatoes, quartered (Yukon gold are my fave, but russets are totally ok. Sweet potato? Not my jam, but you do you.)
2 cups beef broth (if you only have chicken, it’ll still work, promise)
2 tbsp tomato paste (or just some ketchup in a pinch—yes, I’ve done this once when the fridge was bare)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce if you’re in a spot—less traditional but tasty)
1 tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning (fresh if you have it, but who does midweek?)
1-2 bay leaves (totally skippable)

How To Actually Make It (With Real-Life Sidetracks)

Pat the roast dry—it helps with browning, or so the pros say. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Honestly, I sometimes just toss it in with barely a flick of salt if I’m rushed, and it’s still good.
On your Instant Pot, hit Sauté and pour in the oil. When it’s hot (like, shimmering but not smoking), throw in the roast and get a good sear—3ish minutes per side. Don’t crowd it, or you’ll just steam the thing.
Remove the roast (tongs help here) and plop in your onions and garlic. Give them a minute or two, stirring, so they soak up some flavor. Sometimes I get distracted at this stage and wander off, but it’s fine—just don’t burn them.
Stir in the tomato paste; let it “cook out” for a minute. Add a splash of broth if it’s looking sticky. (This is where I sneak a taste and, nine times out of ten, add more Worcestershire than I meant to.)
Return the meat to the pot, then pour over the rest of the broth, add potatoes and carrots, Worcestershire, herbs, bay leaf—pile it up in there. Don’t stress if not everything’s completely submerged. It’ll all cook through.
Seal the lid (make sure that vent is set to Sealing, otherwise things get, uh, interesting) and cook on “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” for 60 minutes. (If your roast is super thick, do 70.)
After it beeps, let it sit for 10-15 mins before you quick-release the rest of the steam (cover the vent with a towel if you love keeping your eyebrows).
Open her up—don’t panic if it looks soupy. Let it sit or even hit Sauté for a few to reduce the liquid. Meat should shred with a fork. Sometimes the potatoes do their own thing and go a bit mushy, but I call that “rustic.” Serve straight up, or with bread for all the saucy goodness.

Notes From (Mild) Chaos

It honestly tastes better the next day. Something magic happens overnight—I don’t know the science, but it’s true.
I once skipped searing the meat. It’s fine, but you miss out on richness. Still, nobody complained but me.
Too much broth? Add cornstarch with a splash of water at the end—stir it in and let it simmer a sec.
Don’t bother with peeling carrots if you’re short on time. The skins don’t bite.

The Weird Ways I’ve Mixed This Up

Once I tried throwing in a handful of pearl onions and a glug of red wine. Now, that was proper fancy, if you ask me (or at least it looked good on Instagram). Another time, I used parsnips instead of carrots—that was, well, earthy. Edible, but the kids mutinied. Oh, and don’t use those frozen “stew veggies” mixes. They go all weird and mushy, like eating baby food. Not my finest moment.

Got (Or Don’t Got) The Gear?

I say this is an Instant Pot thing, but truth is, I’ve done it in a regular slow cooker or even a heavy pot on the stovetop (add an hour or three to the cooking time though). My friend does it in a Dutch oven. No pressure cooker? Just go old-school, but maybe start earlier in the day—or, you know, plan a nap.

How I Store It (For As Long As It Survives)

I put leftovers in a big ol’ plastic tub in the fridge. Keeps for about 3-4 days, they say, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day (or the dog snags a bit when no one’s lookin’). Freezes fine for a few months, too. If you actually want it to make it to the freezer, hide some in the back behind the peas.

Getting It To The Table (And What We Usually Add)

We go for simple: scoop over mashed potatoes or literally just eat from big bowls, comfy-camp style, in the living room. Sometimes a crusty roll, or if someone’s feeling nostalgic, a side of buttered corn straight from the can. Hot sauce on the side for the spice fiends. Thanksgiving vibe in March, just sayin’.

What Not To Rush (Learned The Hard Way)

Letting the roast sit post-pressure is key; I once quick-released right away and got tough meat (and a steam facial—do not recommend).
Don’t skip seasoning at the start. I forgot once, tried to fix it with extra salt at the end—nope, wasn’t the same.

Your Questions, Answered Like We’re Texting

Can I use a different cut of meat? Sure, but chuck is the classic because it gets all tender. Brisket works. Round roast is leaner, maybe a bit less juicy, but don’t let me stop you.
Can I skip potatoes? Totally. Or swap in celery or more carrots. No veg at all? Eh, it becomes more like shredded beef, which is still delish.
Instant Pot newb—do I really need to sear first? Technically no, but it adds flavor. If you’re in a mad rush, skip it; you might not notice much.
Can I double the recipe? If your Instant Pot is big enough (mine isn’t, so I usually do two batches). Just don’t fill past the max line.
Gravy help? Mix some flour or cornstarch with cold water, stir it in at the end using Sauté. Watch close, it thickens quick. Or, check this Serious Eats guide to gravy—it’s saved my dinner more than once.
Other resources? If you’re new to the Instant Pot scene, I found this step-by-step post at Pressure Cook Recipes really helpful the first few tries.

Anyway, that’s my go-to Instant Pot Pot Roast, with all the bits I do (and sometimes forget to do)—no need to be precious about it. Just get cozy and enjoy, and if the dog nabs a carrot, well, that’s just real life.