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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! 🙂
Hi Tiegan,
I have had a look through the comments and can’t see if anyone has asked this….I have a leg of lamb to use up. Love the technique you’ve used here and the flavours, although I will omit the cranberries, do you think this recipe will work just as well with a lamb leg? I’m looking for a pot roast recipe where the lamb cooks in juices and with veg instead of a baking dish 🙂
Thank you, your recipes are amazing by the way.
Hi! I think lamb will be delicious! Such a great idea! Just be sure to adjust the cooking times to best fit the lamb. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi there! This looks amazing, going to make it tonight. I could only find frozen cranberrries at the store. Read through all the comments to see if anyone used frozen cranberries, I assume that would work, right? If I let them thaw first? Thank you!
HI! I am sure frozen cranberries will work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Made this yesterday for a dinner party. MY GOD IT WAS GOOD. I had a 5 pound roast (ok, two 2.5 pound roasts) and put them in the Crock Pot for 7-8 hours on low with all the ingredients except the carrots, mushrooms and cranberries, and minced the onion in a food processor, and put it into the pot from the beginning. I lightly cooked the carrots and mushrooms in a pan, and added them with the cranberries for the last 2 hours only. Easy peasy, everything came out perfect. Served the dish over cheesy, buttery mashers. Pure heaven. People went back for thirds. 😀
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so so much Aline!
This looks so good. If my pot roast is around 2lbs-should I assume it will only take 1.5-2 hours then?
That should do it, but just make sure the roast is falling apart. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan
Hi there! First of all, this dish looks incredibly mouth watering! Second, I can’t get fresh cranberries, all we have here are the dried and sweetened ones. Do you think using them will turn out ok? Maybe is should use less honey so it doesn’t get too sweet?
HI! I would actually amount the cranberries and use 1-2 sliced apples in place of the cranberries. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
this looks divine and yummy. I don’t like meat very much and only eat a little of it , but this would be good and hubby would love it. I love cranberries
Thank you Sandra!
I made this today and it was delicious! It was flavorful and beautiful! In my oven, it took about 4.5 hours to get it fork tender. Also, next time, I’m going to add the cranberries in maybe halfway into the cooking process to help keep their color and shape better. I will definitely be making this again!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Serenity! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! Thank you and I hope you enjoy other recipes on my blog as well!
This looks amazing! I don’t have a Dutch overn. Could it be prepared in a slow cooker?
Hey Taylor! Yes, the slow cooker works really well. Just slow cook for 7-8 hours on low. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thanks! xTieghan
Hello! This looks great and I’m wondering if it can be made in an Instant Pot? Any suggestions?
HI! I have not tested this for the instant pot, but if you would like to try I recommend high pressure for 40 minutes. Please let me know if you have other questions. I hope you love this recipe! thanks so much! xTieghan
A great pot roast recipe! My husband said it was the best one I’ve ever made for him. This was so tender. I couldn’t find cranberries in the store (a little early for Florida), so i mixed in some unsweetened cranberry juice with the wine and a few grapes. Can’t wait to try this again when we have fresh cranberries in the store.
Neither mash nor noodles. We are polenta people! 🙂
Everyone in my family loved this one too! I’m so glad it worked well with the juice (nice thinking too!)
Thank you Marina!
Are you able to transfer this to use the slow cooker instead of using the oven? Don’t want to compromise the dish but would rather be able to leave it cooking while I’m at work!! Thanks!
Hi Aubrey! Yes, you can transfer to the slow cooker. That works great! I recommend cooking on low for 6-8 hours. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Please clarify the quantity of carrots. It says “6 inch carrots cut into 1- pieces”. Would that be a certain number of 6-inch carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces? If so, how many carrots? Thank you for the great recipe!
Hi It is 6 carrots, chopped. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I can’t wait to make this, it’s on the dinner menu for tomorrow! Question – I see in the ingredients list that the carrots and mushrooms are sliced, but in your photos they are not – I like the aesthetic of the whole, un-sliced vegetables better (so pretty, and I love pretty food!), does it cook the same for whole vs sliced?
Hi! Yes, this will cook up just the same if you prefer to not slice your veggies.
Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I’ll be making this tomorrow for Nye dinner and I’ll be using a crockpot. Do you think cranberries will turn into mush after 8-10 hrs or will they stay intact?
I recommend adding the cranberries 1-2 hours before serving. Happy New Year! Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Making with meal tonight to serve to my grandparents, pot roast is such a fond memory of my childhood I’m very excited to try this new recipe! Definitely doing mashed potatoes my husband even asked that they be garlic mashed potatoes ! It’s been cooking for 3 1/2 hours and the smell in my house is just fantastic…. I am utilizing your website so often I cannot wait to purchase your cookbook.
Ooo I hope you love this roast Shannon! Thank you + I hope you love the book as well!