Instant Pot Beef Roast: Slow & Pressure Cook Recipes

Winter time is perfect for hearty type meals. For my family, beef roasts are a favorite. I love how simple they can be to prep and how versatile a roast is with different side dishes. Plus, you can use any left overs in so many meals. So many possibilities with one simple recipe!

My favorite way to cook beef roast is low and slow on the slow cooker setting in the instant pot. However, I do love that I can pull a roast out of the freezer and pressure cook it to perfection as well, especially on days that have gotten away from me. Either way, your roast will be really delicious with minimal effort.

All a pot roast needs to be delicious and tasty is a little forethought and some time. With these two things, you can make a beef pot roast the perfect comfort food on a cold winter day.

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Now, while I do say that a beef roast can be a simple meal, there are a few tips I have to making sure you get the most out of your effort:

Why is pot roast tough?

Roast cuts are from large muscle groups, and therefore, they have a lot of tissue that needs to be broken down and cooked, which takes time. As a result, a pot roast will cook best at a low temperature for a long period of time. If you try to cook it too quickly, or cut the time short, it will turn out tough and chewy. Also, you can pressure cook the meat as well to shorten the time, but pot roasts tend to take a longer chunk of time than other meats cooked in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. If you try to cook them at too high of a temperature, you will end up with a roast that tastes more like leather than the fall apart goodness you want. However, the undercooked pot roast is easier to fix because you simply have to continue your cooking process at a low and slow temperature until you get that tender texture you are looking for. Moral of the story? Don’t rush, and don’t undercook.

Why is pot roast dry?

While undercooking can make a roast tough, overcooking can make a roast dry. Overcooking is more difficult though when you use the slow cooker, but if it does happen, you can make a gravy from the broth, whip up some mashed potatoes, and plate up with gravy over everything to help as much as possible. We’ve eaten overcooked pot roast before, and while it is sad, it is still edible.

What pot roast cut is best?

I have to be honest in saying that I am not an expert on this, but when looking for a for sure pot roast cut, I look at the amount of fat marbling that is in the meat. Fat helps with flavor and cooking, and a fatty cut would be chuck roast. However, especially with the prices of meat lately, I will say that I have taken cheaper, or on sale, cuts with less fat on them, and we’ve been able to make some pretty tasty pot roasts out of them. The cooking method is the same no matter what cut you choose.

When do you season a pot roast?

I try to always season my roasts before searing, and if I have time, I will even do a dry rub on them the night before. You really do not have to get fancy with the seasonings, but you do want to add them at the start of your cooking process in order to give the meat plenty of flavor.

What you need:

-Beef Roast

-Oil

-White Pepper

-Black Pepper

-Italian Seasoning

-Sprig of Rosemary

-Sea salt

-Beef Broth

Tools:

-Instant Pot

-Metal Tongs

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How to make pot roast in a slow cooker:

Dry Rub: Mix together the white pepper, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt. Rub all over the meat, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge overnight. (Note: This is an optional step but will add more flavor to the meat if you have time.)

No Dry Rub: Rub the same seasonings over all of the meat and let it rest for a few minutes.

While the meat is resting, you can turn your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the oil to the bottom of the pot. Once heated, place the roast in the pot using the metal tongs. Sear it on high heat for at least 2 minutes per side. You will know it is ready when you are able to move it without it sticking too much to the pot.

Once seared, turn off the instant pot. Add the beef broth to the pot along with the rosemary sprig.

Secure the lid. Turn on the Slow Cook function, adjust it to low, and set it for 8-10 hours depending on the size of your roast. When finished, your roast should be tender and juicy.

How to make pot roast in a pressure cooker:

Dry Rub: Mix together the white pepper, black pepper, Italian seasoning, and salt. Rub all over the meat, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge overnight. (Note: This is an optional step but will add more flavor to the meat if you have time.)

No Dry Rub: Rub the same seasonings over all of the meat and let it rest for a few minutes. If the meat is frozen you will just add the seasonings over the top once in the Instant Pot.

If your meat is thawed, you will follow the directions above for searing it. If your meat is frozen, just add the roast directly to the pot and put the seasonings over the top. Add the beef broth to the pot along with the rosemary sprig.

Secure the lid. Turn the valve onto sealing on top of the lid. Then turn the pressure on high (using the manual function) and set it for 30-75 minutes (15 minutes per pound) depending on the size of your roast. When finished, your roast should be tender and juicy.

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Thank you!

-Chelsey