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It’s almost as though I can feel November in the air.
Wait, I literally can! Do you guys know how cold it is here? COLD.
But I promise, I am not talking about the weather today. Cause um, we have a cranberry pot roast to talk about!! Sounds so good, right? Like what meat-eater is not a fan of pot roast? My mom always made pot roast on Sunday or Monday nights throughout the fall. Pot roast was another one of “her” meals and probably one of her favorites to eat too.
Mom’s pot roast recipe was very retro. Think add a can of this, another can of that, some broth, some beef and throw it in the oven. Key word here: can. I’m not majorly opposed to canned food (sometimes convenience rules), but typically I try to omit the cans of soup with a mega list of ingredients and low nutritional value whenever possible, because… I will not lie, they creep me out just a bit.
Watch the How-To Video Here:
Cranberry Pot Roast from Half Baked Harvest on Vimeo.
But don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for them. Hello cheesy potatoes…you just are not the same without that can of cream of chicken. <–Truth.
Anyway, my pot roast recipe is clearly a little different from mom’s. For one, no canned goods. Two, and most importantly, the cranberries!
Guys, don’t be freaked. I promise, this combo isn’t weird, just good. Really good!
Beef and cranberries are like two peas and a pod. They just work together, especially when slowly cooked all day. The cranberries add SO much flavor, but they are not overpowering in any way. It’s kind of hard to describe, but I just know you guys will love it. I also added a bit of balsamic to really play up the cranberries and honey and balance them out. Think of it like cranberry sauce, but with red wine, thyme and then served with beef as opposed to turkey.
The pot roast is just slightly sweet, but mostly savory. You see, cranberries can be used for things other than the once of year batch of cranberry sauce!! I was actually just saying that cranberries are good with so many things, it’s kind of a bummer their season is so short! Oh well, it just makes me all the more excited for them when this time of year rolls around again!
Of course, there are also all the other typical pot roast ingredients: the chuck roast, onions, carrots, thyme, a little red wine, some mushrooms, potatoes… the works.
SIDE NOTE: As a kid I never had any interest in the beef. I did love pot roast, but I swear, it was solely because of the carrots. Mom would always add extra carrots just for me, because I honestly only ate the carrots. I love how they get all caramelized and delicious in the sauce. I know, weird, but carrots in pot roast are my favorite!
Okay, so you may have noticed that I served this pot roast with not only mashed potatoes, but with egg noodles as well. I just could not decide which way to go and neither could the fam. I put a call out on our Group Me message board to the cuz’s and the sibs, but got equal amounts of masher lovers to noodles lovers. The decision… the struggle was REAL!
So I just gave in and went with both. I personally think mashers go best with pot roast, but my mom strongly disagrees. She is a noodle girl all the way. To each their own I guess!
And now I must mention how easy this meal is. I know that pot roast is generally an easy meal, but I myself haven’t made that many, so I’m always kind of in awe when I do.
Just use one-pot, sear the veggies, sear the meat and then add in all the remaining ingredients and slow cook away. Depending on the size roast you have it should take around 3-4 hours. Once the meat is tender and falling apart, it’s done! You don’t even need to cut the meat, it just pulls right apart making serving this right out of the pot easy-peasy. Which is nice cause that means less dishes to wash. YES!
And finally, I have to say that this is the PERFECT easy meal to get you through the busy month of November. I know that November is all about Turkey Day, but we still have to eat during the 25 days leading up to Thanksgiving. This is your meal for one of those busy days! Feed it to your family, feed it to your holiday guests and then devour the leftovers for lunch….YUM.
Serious question for the day: Are you a buttered noodles or a mashers person when it comes to what to pair with your pot roast?!
Cranberry Pot Roast.
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 (4-5) pound chuck roast
- salt + pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion quartered
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 12 ounces baby potatoes (optional I would omit if serving with mashed potatoes)
- 1 cup red wine or another cup beef broth
- 2-3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons honey
- mashed potatoes or egg noodles for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
- Season the chuck roast liberally with salt + pepper all over.
- Heat a large dutch oven, over high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, carrots and potatoes (if using) and cook, stirring once or twice until the veggies are just slightly browned on the edges, about 5 minutes. Do not leave the veggies in there too long, you don't want them to become soft. Remove the veggies to a plate.
- Add another drizzle of oil and once hot, add the chuck roast and sear all over, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chuck roast from the pan.
- Carefully pour in the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits off the bottom. Remove from the heat.
- Add the meat back to the pan and cover with 2-3 cups of beef broth, the worcestershire sauce and the balsamic. Throw in the mushrooms + browned veggies, thyme, rosemary, cranberries + honey. If the liquid is not covering the meat at least half way, add more until it is.
- Cover the pan and place in the oven. Roast for 3-4 hours or until the roast is cooked to your liking. Serve over mashed potatoes or eggs noodles.
Make this, take a photo and then SHOW ME your answer!! Mmm, k?!? Cool, I can’t wait! 🙂
Hello, I made this dish last night and it was a big hit with my meat-loving husband. I added a few russet potatoes to the other veggies and used only 3/4s of the cranberries. A 4.13 lb chuck took exactly 3 hours to cook to medium well/fork tender. Personally I would add an extra tablespoon of honey next time to sweeten the cranberries a bit, but otherwise this was delicious and so easy to prepare. I have tagged it on Instagram too.
I am really happy to hear that you and your husband loved this Nadia! Thank you! Make sure to tag me in the photo, I love seeing what you guys make!
This is my FAVORITE pot roast recipe! I love the carrots, onion, and mushrooms combined with the tasted of the cranberry beef. Mashers or noodles are wonderful, but I can’t get over how from scratch baking powder biscuits taste with this amazing combination of decliciousness! Go team biscuits!! Thank you!!
Thank you!! I am so happy you loved this Rachel!
I wil give this a try as sounds interesting. When I try small red potatoes only, no mashed or pasta. In the pictures I see whole mushrooms, not sliced. I like the whole idea.
To have a personal blog is it necessary to have so much “chatting” and so pictures of the same thing different angles? This is a serious question not a criticism. Every blog I go to to check out the interesting recipes seems to follow the same stucture.
Hi. Not really sure what you are asking. Potatoes will be great with this as will whole mushrooms.
As this is a blog, I can do and say whatever I’d like. I can also post as many photos as I’d like too. It’s a personal blog, so that is all up to the author.
Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
When the ingredients say 1 lb chuck roast 4-5, does that actually mean 4-5 lbs of chuck roast? Bc that’s pretty misleading, I already bought 1lb.
So sorry about that, it is 1 (4-5) pound roast. Hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Any suggestions for something to add in place of the mushrooms?? I know I can just omit them but I would like to add something so it’s not just potatoes ? and carrots ? 🙂
I think broccoli or brussels sprouts would delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! thank you! 🙂
>Quandary< I really hate mis-spelling words!
Hehe its all good!
I loooove pot roast. This looks amazing! Quandry…I love potatoes with roast – but the noodles (love them too) look yummy with this, soooo… I will have to make the roast with the potatoes and then the next night (left overs) I will have with noodles. There. Solved that quandry.
Sounds like you have the perfect plan to make it your two favorite way!! Hope you love it Reni thank you!
Cranberries are not in season, what can I use in place of or ok to just omit?
You can just omit them. Hope you love this!
How did you get rid of the grease that the chuck roast will produce? Heartburn is a real thing for me.
I will probably drain the whole thing a little before it’s done, put the meat/veggies back in pot while drained fat/broth is chilling, dispose of the solidified fat, and then return broth to pan for last bit of time.
My husband hates mushrooms and will not eat a meal that one has touched. If I was to make this, what would be a good substitute for one? Or should I just leave it out entirely?
Help! I need a nice Gluten free meal for Christmas Eve.
Hey Carrie! Just omit the mushrooms from the recipe, no big deal. Hope you love this! Merry Christmas!
I made this for Thanksgiving instead of turkey and while the meat came out great, just like Kari the veggies came out way too soft and the cranberries were translucent, after four hours of cooking.
HI, I am sorry the veggies where not to your liking. If you like them firmer, try adding them in after 2-3 hours of cooking. That should leave them cooked, but still firm. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
Hi…I just have to say that I made this and was fairly disappointed in how it ended up looking. Flavor wise it was good, but my rainbow carrots lost all of their cool colors after cooking in liquid for 4 hours. Also, my cranberries turned translucent. If I make this again, the carrots will cook separately and the cranberries will go in closet to the end of the cooking time. I was hoping for a visual closer to what your pictures show since I was making this for a special dinner. Not sure how you kept the color of your carrots and cranberries so intact.
Hello! I am planning to make this on Friday and bought 2 chuck steaks that add up to 5 pounds since I couldn’t find a roast, is there anything that I should do to modify the recipe?
Can’t wait to make this for my family!
HI! I don’t think so. It will be great with the chucks steaks I am sure! 🙂
Merry Christmas!
Yum!! I’ve never really liked pot roast, and I’ve been cooking with red wine for a couple years now but don’t really enjoy the flavor it imparts…but THIS!!! Omg….*swoon* I love it!! From the colorful carrots to the cranberries that add extra sweetness to balance out the balsamic and red wine. You are a culinary genius Tieghan!! #rolemodel
So happy you love this! THANKS! Happy Holidays! 🙂
Hi Tieghan,
Great recipe! Can I make this in a crock pot?
Thanks,
Sarah
Hey Sarah!
You can, just cook on low for 7-8 hour or high for 5-6. Hope you love the pot roast!
If I plan to cook it in the slow cooker for 7-8 hours on low, should I have the vegetables and potatoes in the whole time or should I add them in at 4 hours if I prefer them a little more firm? Or would that leave them uncooked? Sorry, super novice here, thanks!! ( P.S. Can’t wait to try this for a friend in town for the weekend!! I sent him a list of 60 recipes to choose from–35 that I’ve done successfully and 25 I’ve been meaning to try –and this is the one he chose!!!)
tieghan gerard:
Hi Neli! If you like the veggies a little firmer, I would add them around the 4 hour mark. I think that should still give them enough time to cook, but not be overly soft. If towards the end of cooking they still feel a little firm, just crank the heat to high for the remainder of the time. Let me know if you have questions! AND that is so awesome he chose my recipe! YEAH! ?