Cooking a fresh stove top post roast with vegetables or even with a frozen roast is easy! We will share how to cook this thick piece of beef in a Dutch Oven to fork tender fall-apart tender when done.
Jump To
- Frozen Pot Roast on the Stove
- What is the best roast to cook on the stove?
- Ingredient Notes
- How Long to Cook Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven
- Can You Cook Vegetables with a Roast?
- How do you know when a roast is done?
- At what temperature does a roast shred?
- Stove Top Pot Roast Recipe
- Frozen Roast on the Stove
- What to do with leftovers
This is one of our many Dutch Oven Recipes. Reason I love this pot is that it creates an even heat for a long time, is large enough to hold a sauce or gravy, and can be served right out of the pot!
Frozen Pot Roast on the Stove
You can do this either way, fresh or right out of the freezer. Since it simmers all day long the cook time isn’t really that different (believe it or not). Whether you want it sliced or shredded is the biggest difference, both are wonderful. If you have a chuck roast on hand this is a wonderful dinner you’ll love.
We first shared our Frozen Roast in Slow Cooker directions so long ago but sometimes you don’t have all day to wait for your meal. Popped into a deep cast iron pan you can get the same fall-apart texture you love.
What is the best roast to cook on the stove?
Top Round Roast tend to be leaner, but works well if braised with enough liquid. we used this for our Dutch Oven Roast Beef recipe.
Chuck Roast is well-marbled, full of flavor, and tender when braised.
Brisket is a tough cut but becomes incredibly tender with slow cooking.
Short Ribs (bone-in or boneless) cuts of beef are rich and meaty, perfect for a stovetop braise.
Pork Shoulder (a.k.a. Boston Butt) is great if you’re open to pork, this cut is excellent for stovetop slow cooking as well. This is also a great way of cook a Sirloin Tip Roast as long as you choose a piece that fits inside your pot nicely without folding over a lot.
Ingredient Notes
For this timing and recipe we like to use a well marbled chuck roast, fresh or frozen works in this case. You do want a cut with a decent amount of fat, that creates a super tender pull-apart texture that should be able to shred easily with 2 forks.
- Vegetable oil or olive used to brown meat first
- Beef broth or could use half red wine and half stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garlic powder and we like onion powder too
- Oregano and basil are good ones too
You could alternatively use our bolder pot roast seasoning for a thicker dry rub.
How Long to Cook Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven
You will need about 10 minutes to sear the outsides first. This is important to lock in the juices so you need to account for that. As far as slow cooking in the pot the cook time is generally 3-3.5 hours for fresh or 4-5 hours if frozen, or until it is fork tender.
If you want to do this same thing much faster you can use a pressure cooker!! We have directions on how to cook a Frozen Roast in Instant Pot here in that case. You will get the same result in closer to 1 hour.
Arm Roast Slow Cooker takes the longest but with a more hands off approach because you set it and forget it in the morning which sure is nice.
Can You Cook Vegetables with a Roast?
You can but you don’t want to add them all at the same time since the meat needs a lot longer to get tender. What you want to do is sear the meat, cook it for about half the cook time and then add large chunks like potatoes and carrots and/or celery for the second half.
How do you know when a roast is done?
A meat thermometer is the best way to ensure it is done. Internal temperature range is: 125°F (rare), 135°F (medium-rare), 145°F (medium), 155°F (medium-well), or 160°+ F is well-done.
At what temperature does a roast shred?
The temperature at which a roast becomes tender enough to shred typically depends on the cut of meat you’re using. For most tougher cuts that are ideal for shredding (like pork shoulder, beef chuck, or lamb), you’re looking for an internal temperature of around 195°F to 205°F. At this temperature range, the collagen in the meat breaks down, resulting in tender, easily shreddable meat.
Stove Top Pot Roast Recipe
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 pound chuck roast, fresh or frozen
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1.5 cup beef broth
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add oil to a dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Once hot, add roast, browning on all sides. This can take a few minutes.
- Add beef broth. Mix together salt, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil and pepper and sprinkle on top of the roast. Bring mixture to a boil before covering and reducing heat to simmer.
- Allow it to simmer for 3-3.5 hours or until it is fork tender, longer cook time is necessary if you want to be able to shred it with 2 forks.
Notes
Frozen Roast on the Stove
Tips: If necessary, run your beef roast under hot water for a few minutes so that the package separates easier from the frozen meat so you can remove it in the first step. Still brown a bit with the oil but it will take a bit longer as the liquid will cool when frozen meat is added. Cook time for frozen roast on stove is closer to 4-5 hours or until internal temperature reads 145 degrees F. Let roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to do with leftovers
There are so many recipes you can make with shredded beef so don’t get rid of it! Wait until it has cooled completely and then it is best to keep all the air out with a vacuum sealed bag or suck it all out of a freezer bag. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days but next day is best so it doesn’t dry out. Rewarm with some broth to moisten it back up with low heat. Then you can add into a casserole or serve with a side dish.
