It’s your turn to make Sunday supper and you’re all set to spend the afternoon making an aromatic and delicious pot roast. But what exactly is a pot roast, and how does it differ from chuck roast?
Chuck Roast sounds like it’d be a great game show host name, but in reality, it’s a specific cut of meat. A chuck roast is any cut of meat that comes from the chuck (aka the shoulder part) of the steer.
Chuck roasts are also referred to as chuck eye roasts, chuck pot roasts, and chuck roll roasts.
A pot roast isn’t a specific cut of meat — it’s just a method of preparing a cut of meat by slowly braising it with liquid (like stock or wine) until it’s juicy and tender.
Pot roast can be made with many cuts of meat (including chuck), and goes by various nicknames, including arm roast and clod roast.
Pot roasts are easy to cook in a single pot, and can take anywhere from about an hour to almost an entire afternoon.
You can use a slow cooker, an instant pot, or a Dutch oven to get sought-after, juicy results — pot roasts are very easy to adapt for a large crowd and range in weight from around 2-5 pounds. Since cooking a pot roast always involves braising, the meat will be tender and rich in flavor.
Check out these six recipes for pot roast and chuck roast and you’ll be on your way to a delicious dinner in no time.
1. Garlicky pot roast
Make sure that you read this recipe right: Yes, it says eight heads of garlic, not cloves. This seriously garlicky pot roast starts off with roasting whole heads of garlic and makes enough to save for future dinners.
Get our garlicky pot roast recipe.
2. Easy beef stew
A great winter stew that freezes well, this recipe calls for a 3-pound boneless chuck roast. You can substitute any winter root vegetables for the carrots and Yukon Gold potatoes to change it up. Be sure to freeze any leftovers.
Get our easy beef stew recipe.
3. Shiraz roast and ultimate beef gravy
Haul out that nice dark bottle of Shiraz for rich, delicious braising. Paired with mushrooms, onions, and garlic, the wine makes a fabulous gravy in this one-pan roast. (You can save some to toast your success when it comes out of the oven.)
Get our Shiraz roast and ultimate beef gravy recipe.
4. Slow cooker BBQ beef sandwiches
Chuck meat isn’t just for stews and roasts! Here, it shows off its versatility in slow-cooked beef sandwiches. The accompanying DIY barbecue sauce shows the bottled stuff who’s boss.
Get our slow cooker BBQ beef sandwiches recipe.
5. Beef Bourguignon
When you want to impress for date night or Sunday dinner, it doesn’t get any classier than beef Bourguignon. This dish from the Burgundy region of France braises chuck roast in Cognac, beef broth, red wine, and herbs galore, then rounds things out with aromatic onions and garlic. (And did we mention it has bacon, too?)
Get our beef Bourguignon recipe.
6. Beef and carrot stew
Chilly nights, meet your match. Hearty beef and carrot stew is just the thing for warming up from the inside out when temperatures dip. This one finishes things off with a surprising twist: orange zest!
