Cider Braised Pot Roast Recipe
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This melt-in-your-mouth cider-braised pot roast recipe is infused with savory fall flavors and simmers with caramelized onions, potatoes, carrots, and apples. It's easy, delicious, makes its own gravy, and is the ultimate comfort food!
If you love pot roast, try this easy crock pot roast beef recipe, or if cider braising sounds delicious, try this fall favorite cider braised chicken thighs.
Why I Love This Pot Roast Recipe
Sunday dinners and pot roast are a perfect pair. Growing up, after Sunday services, my mom would often have a pot roast slowly simmering and ready when we walked in the door.
And oh my were we ready for it! Dinner was cooked in one pot, with only one pot to clean. Happy days.
Today, this pot roast recipe is a twist on the classic my mom used to make. And infused with fall savory flavors I love. It's just as simple, just as delicious, and as easy as easy can be!
- Deep-flavored gravy infused with apple cider and caramelized onions
- Apples add a subtle sweetness and help thicken with their natural pectin
- Flexible cook methods (oven braise or crockpot) for different schedules
- One-pot dinner, minimal cleanup, maximum comfort
Cider Braised Pot Roast Recipe Ingredients
All the classic pot roast recipe veggies, like onions, potatoes, and carrots, are here. But I've also added apples to subtly complement the cider flavors. When you combine apples and thyme, it creates a truly delightful flavor combination. Here's what you need:
- Beef Chuck Roast: For the best flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, chuck roast is always best.
- All-purpose flour to thicken the braising liquid that will ultimately become your gravy.
- Vegetables: Yellow onion, carrots (I'm using rainbow colored carrots today), and small to medium potatoes.
- Butter: Brings flavor and helps caramelize the onions.
- Aromatics: Minced garlic and dried or fresh thyme
- Braising liquid: Apple cider (don't skip this, it brings incredible flavor to the pot roast), and beef or vegetable broth
- Apple: This helps highlight the subtle apple flavor, and if you leave the skin intact, the pectin also helps thicken the gravy.
How to Make This Pot Roast Recipe
Begin by preheating the oven to 325° F.
- Step 1: Season the roast with salt and pepper on both sides, then lightly coat it in flour. Season the roast with thyme, salt, and pepper before dredging it in the flour.
- Step 2: Heat a large oven-safe Dutch Oven over high heat. Add butter and the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ½ cup apple cider, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Nestle the roast into the onions and pour in the remaining cider and broth.
- Step 3: Arrange the potatoes, carrots, and apples around the roast and top with fresh thyme. Cover and roast in the oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until very tender.
- Serving: Transfer beef and vegetables to a platter. Simmer the pan juices on the stove to thicken into gravy if desired.
Tip: Because a chuck roast is a tougher cut of beef, it's essential to cook it slowly until it becomes "fork-tender," meaning a fork can easily slide into it and shred the meat.
How to thicken the pot roast gravy
To thicken the gravy, remove the roast, carrots, potatoes, and onions from the pot. Bring the braising liquid to a boil and make a slurry by whisking equal amounts of cornstarch and water (I start with 2 tablespoons of each). Once the liquid is bubbling, slowly stir in just enough slurry to achieve the desired thickness.
Variations
- Slow cooker: Sear beef, then transfer it with vegetables, cider, and broth to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, or under fall-apart tender.
- Instant Pot (shortcut): Sear using the sauté mode, then cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, followed by a natural release.
- Swap flavors: Use pears instead of apples, or try hard cider for a deeper flavor.
- Vegetable add-ins: Parsnips, turnips, or celery root add a rustic fall touch.
Serving Suggestions
- Spoon beef and vegetables over creamy mashed potatoes or polenta.
- Add roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans for balance.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the cider gravy.
Storing & Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove with a splash of broth or cider to refresh.
Recipe FAQs
Beef chuck roast is ideal because of its marbling and connective tissue, which break down into tender, flavorful meat.
Yes. After removing the beef and vegetables, simmer the braising liquid uncovered until reduced. Or whisk in a cornstarch slurry for quick thickening.
It's optional. Peeled apples melt more smoothly into the sauce; unpeeled hold their shape better.
More Recipes You Might Love
- 30-Minute Skillet Osso Buco
- Classic Osso Buco Milanese (Tender Braised Veal or Beef Shanks)
- Beef and Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans
- Easy Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
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Cider Braised Pot Roast Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pound beef chuck roast
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup apple cider
- 2 cups Beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 pound potatoes small to medium (halved in larger)
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 large apple quartered (peeled or unpeeled)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- Season the roast with salt and pepper on both sides, then dredge in flour to lightly coat. If using dried instead of fresh thyme, season the roast with thyme, salt, and pepper before dredging in the flour.
- Heat a large oven-safe Dutch Oven or braiser over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the onions and let cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ½ cup apple cider, season with salt and pepper, and cook another 5 minutes, or onions are soft and golden. Nestle the roast into the onions and pour in the remaining cider and broth.
- Arrange the potatoes, carrots, and apples around the roast and top with fresh thyme. Cover and roast in the oven for 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours (depending on its size) or until it is fork tender.
- Remove the pot from the oven and increase the temperature to 425°F. Transfer the potatoes and carrots to a platter using a slotted spoon, then season with salt and pepper. When the oven is at temperature, return the uncovered pot roast and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the roast is deeply caramelized on top. Add broth or cider as needed.
- I like to transfer the pot roast to a serving platter with the potatoes, carrots, and apples but you can also serve straight from the pot along with the gravy it makes during cooking.
- To thicken the gravy, remove the roast, carrots, potatoes, and onions from the pot. Bring the braising liquid to a boil and make a slurry by whisking equal amounts of cornstarch and water (I start with 2 tablespoons of each). Once the liquid is bubbling, slowly stir in just enough slurry to thicken as desired.
Notes
- Crockpot Instructions: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of your crockpot, arranging the potatoes, carrots, and apples around the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours, depending on the roast size, or until fork-tender.
- Beef: Chuck roast is the most reliable cut for pot roast, but brisket or round can be used (they may be leaner and less tender).
- Apple cider: Use non-alcoholic apple cider (not apple juice). Hard cider can be substituted for a richer, more complex flavor.
- Apples: Choose firm, tart varieties (like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) so they hold up during braising.
- Make-ahead: Pot roast tastes even better the next day. Refrigerate overnight, then skim any fat before reheating.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
This is one of my favorite recipes for pot roast. The comforting flavor of fall in one pot-- the caramelized onions, tender fall-apart beef, and root vegetables. It's so delicious!