Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe (2024)

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Delicious and tender Instant Pot Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes is full of flavor and perfect for busy nights. Learn how to cook a roast in the Instant Pot with just a few simple steps. It can be done in just over an hour, to be eaten right away, or for a meal several hours later.

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Pot roast has to be one of our families favorite meals. It is probably one of the easiest dishes to make, yet feels like you’ve been hard at work all day in the kitchen. It is hearty, filling and especially perfect for those cold winter days.

Pot roast can be prepared in many different ways, but ever since getting my very own Instant Pot in the fall of ’17, I’ve easily found my favorite way.

It’s fast, simple AND best of all, the meat is fall apart tender. If you are totally new to the Instant Pot, you can find my How To Use An Instant Pot guide here.

This is especially important for our family, because we buy grass fed/grass finished beef.

These calves aren’t fattened on GMO grain, which makes it a little leaner. But, when cooking it this way, it’s not the least bit tough! It’s just as tender as the store-bought beef.

We love to serve ours alongside a steaming hot bowl of garlic mashed potatoes, and a little homemade sauerkraut.

Tools You May Need:

6 Quart Instant Pot: I highly recommend this one, because it has the yogurt button. Making homemade yogurt is my favorite thing to do in the Instant Pot.)
Berkey Water Filter (This is what we use to filter all our water. You can get my full review here.
Measuring cups and spoons
Tongs
Cutting board

Instant Pot Pot Roast Video Tutorial

Instant Pot Pot Roast Ingredients

2.5- 3 lb roast – I use grass-fed chuck roast
3 tablespoons butter
5 or 6 whole carrots- cut in large chunks
2 medium onions- peeled and cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Several grindings of fresh black pepper
2 cups water, you could also use beef broth.

How to Cook a Pot Roast in the Instant Pot Instructions

Step 1: Brown The Veggies

The first step is to get the veggies browned and the meat seared. This just adds extra flavor to the veggies and locks all of the delicious-ness inside the meat.
To do this, press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Allow it to get really hot. This will take a few minutes.
Meanwhile, peel your onions and cut them in half, and chop the carrots into large chunks.
Add two tablespoons of butter into the Instant Pot, and place the onions and carrots into the hot butter. Allow them to cook until the have a nice browned color on them.
Once all the veggies have been browned a little, set them aside in a separate bowl.

Step 2: Brown and Sear The Meat

Next, give your roast a little rinse in cold water and pat dry.
Sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the garlic powder and pepper.
Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the Instant Pot, and then add the meat.
Give it a few minutes on all sides, to get some nice browned color on it.
- Searing meat helps it to keep all the flavor inside during the duration of the cooking process.

Step 2: Pressure Cook The Pot Roast And Veggies

Once the meat is seared, add the veggies back on top and around it. Add in two cups of filtered water. Sprinkle on the remaining half teaspoon salt.
Set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and allow it to cook for 60 minutes. Make sure that you have the little knob at the top set to sealing, as opposed to venting.
When the 60 minutes is up, fast release the pressure by flipping the nob from sealed to venting. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep the juices in the meat.

How To Make This Roast Ahead Of Time In The Instant Pot

Going to be out all afternoon and need a good meal when you get back in? Roast is the perfect solution for that!

Follow the steps above, but skip the releasing the pressure part. Instead, just allow the Instant Pot to naturally release and automatically go to warm. It can slow cook and the warm setting for several hours.

When you are finally ready to eat, the pressure will already be released. The Instant Pot will slowly let it out, as it sits on the warm setting.

If you are doing it this way, there is no need to let the meat rest. Just dig in!

Find More Instant Pot Recipes:

Instant Pot Whole Chicken
How to Make Yogurt in the Instant Pot
Homemade Bone Broth in the Instant Pot
Homemade Applesauce in the Instant Pot
Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Instant Pot Pot Roast Printable Recipe Card

How to Cook a Roast in the Instant Pot

Learn how to cook a roast in the Instant Pot with just a few simple steps. It can be done in just over an hour, to be eaten right away, or for a meal several hours later.This is oneof those meals that is perfect for a busy day!

4.59 from 29 votes

Ingredients

21/2 - 3 lb roast
3 tablespoons butter
5-6 whole carrots cut in large chunks
2 medium onions peeled and cut in half
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Several grindings of fresh black pepper
2 cups water

Instructions

Brown the veggies and sear the meat

Press the sauté button on your Instant Pot. Allow it to get really hot. This will take a few minutes. Meanwhile, peel your onions and cut them in half, and chop the carrots into large chunks.
Add two tablespoons of butter into the Instant Pot, and place the onions and carrots into the hot butter. Allow them to cook until the have a nice browned color on them. Once all the veggies have been browned a little, set them aside in a separate bowl.
Next, give your roast a little rinse in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle it with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the garlic powder and pepper. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the Instant Pot, and then add the meat. Give it a few minutes on all sides, to get some nice browned color on it. Searing meat helps it to keep all the flavor inside during the duration of the cooking process.

Put it in the Instant Pot

Once the meat is seared, add the veggies back on top and around it. Add in two cups of filtered water. Sprinkle on the remaining half teaspoon salt.
Set the Instant Pot to high pressure, and allow it to cook for 60 minutes. Make sure that you have the little knob at the top set to sealing, as opposed to venting.
When the 60 minutes is up, release the pressure. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

The Instant Pot makes even the leanest cuts of meat fall apart tender.

Nutrition

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This post was updated November 2019.

FAQs

Why is my pot roast still tough in the 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.

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How much liquid to add to Instant Pot for roast? ›

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.

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Is Instant Pot pot roast as good as slow-cooker? ›

Instant Pot is good for lots of things, but according to a taste test by Tried, Tested and True, it can't really hold a candle to Crock Pot when it comes to savory, succulent, slow-cooked beef roast.

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Can you overcook roast in Instant Pot? ›

In a few words, yes! You can also undercook it, too. Overcooking the meat would result in a very dry tasting pot roast.

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Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook a chuck roast? ›

Some people prefer a roast that has more substance, so if you do, the Instant Pot is the winner. I have tried cooking a roast for up to 120 minutes in the Instant Pot and the texture still didn't match a slow cooker, but every 10 minutes of added pressure cooking will definitely make the meat more tender.

Do you cover meat with liquid in a pressure cooker? ›

While you may cover meat almost completely for a conventional braise, use just enough liquid for the cooker to reach pressure – during pressure cooking the meat will release it's own juice and braise in that flavorful liquid, instead. DO use fresh herbs.

How many cups of water to pressure cook beef? ›

Brown roast on all sides in hot shortening. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the roast. Pour in at least two cups of water; use 1 to 2 cups more if the beef is a tough cut or to reach the minimum amount recommended by the pressure cooker's manufacturer. Seal the lid and bring the cooker up to full pressure over high heat.

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What happens if you put too much liquid in a roast? ›

Boiling meat can result in an unappealing texture and won't allow the development of the rich, complex flavors that braising provides. Too much liquid in the roast slows the cooking process because the excess liquid needs to reach the right temperature before it can cook the meat.

Read On ›

Can I leave a roast in the Instant Pot overnight? ›

If you've read the instructions on your Instant Pot, you probably know that the Keep Warm can be set for up to 99h and 50 minutes (manually) or maximum 10h (if it starts automatically). This means that you can leave the pot on and go shopping or even go to work and find the food warm.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the best meat to cook in a pressure cooker? ›

You can still pressure cook leaner pieces – like eye of round and top sirloin – but these work best if they've been stuffed, shredded or rolled (with other ingredients). Best cuts of beef to use: Chuck steak, Round Roast, Shoulder, Pot roast, Ribs, Brisket, Oxtail.

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How big of a roast will fit in an Instant Pot? ›

A 3-quart pot can hold a 3-pound roast well. If your pressure cooker is 6 quarts, choose up to a 4.5-pound roast. And if you're working with an 8-quart pot, you can make a 6 to 7-pound roast.

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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.

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What happens if you pressure cook a roast too long? ›

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

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Why is my beef still tough in the pressure cooker? ›

To prevent a chewy beef steak, you need to avoid using too much high-pressure heat. Of course, start with pressure cooking your roast (that's why you're using the Instant Pot anyway), but keep that high-pressured phase to a few minutes only.

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Will pot roast get more tender the longer it cooks? ›

Yes, pot roast absolutely becomes more tender the longer it cooks. Roasts are generally made from tougher cuts of meat, such as chuck or brisket, which contain a lot of collagen, connective tissue, and fat. These tougher tissues require a long cooking time to break down and for the collagen to converts into gelatin.

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How do you soften a tough pot roast? ›

Cook it low and slow with some liquid.

Simmering helps break down the connective tissue. Connective tissue breaks down to collagen. Collagen tenderizes, and adds flavor and juiciness to the roast.

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How do you salvage 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.