Instapot Pot Roast with Potatoes and Baby Carrots

Introduction to Pot Roast

Pot roast is a classic dish that embodies comfort and satisfaction, making it a popular choice for family dinners and gatherings. The combination of tender beef, hearty potatoes, and sweet baby carrots creates a truly delightful meal that is both flavorful and filling. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of preparing this delicious dish, ensuring that you can replicate it perfectly at home.

Choosing the Right Ingredients

The quality of your pot roast largely depends on the ingredients you select. When preparing pot roast with potatoes and baby carrots, it is essential to choose a good cut of meat. I personally usually go with a 3-4 lb butt roast or round roast. In addition to that, You will want a bag of yellow baby gold yukon potatoes, a 10 oz bag of baby carrots, 2 quarts of beef stock, half a red onion, two tablespoons of garlic, and fresh thyme, rosemary, and chives.

Cooking Method

The method we are following uses a pressure cooker, preferably an instapot. Though this can be done with any pressure cooker, though the time may need to be adjusted.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary + 1 sprig
2 tbsp minced fresh thyme + 1 sprig
2 tbsp minced chives
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper

3-4 lb butt or round roast

1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 red onion diced
Neutral oil with a high smokepoint (avocado, canola, grapeseed, etc).

10 oz of uncooked baby carrots
1 bag of gold yukon baby potatoes, cut in half

Turn the instapot on to "saute" and wait for it to heat up. Mix the rosemary, thyme, and chives in a bowl. Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper on all sides. Coat all sides of the roast with the thyme, rosemary, and chives mixture. coat the roast in oil on all sides. When the instapot is hot and the roast is covered in seasonings, drop the roast into the pot and brown all sides of the roast, cooking the seasonings into the roast, rotating as you need to so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. You will need a good set of tongs for this. When the roast is browned on all sides, remove the roast from the pot and set aside.

Drop about 1/4 cup of beef stock into the bottom of the pan and quickly scrape the gunk off the bottom of the pot to keep the pot from burning. You want to add just enough stock to wet the bottom but not enough that it is covered, You still want the bottom of the pot to be dry. add 1 tbsp neutral oil, and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are clear and fragrant. Taste the onions to make sure they are seasoned enough. Add more salt and pepper if you need to. Remember, they will lose seasoning when you add stock to the pot so now is your only chance to cook flavor into the onions.

When you are ready, cancel the cooking on the saute function, and insert a rack into the instapot for the roast to sit elevated on. Then insert the roast on the rack. Add 2 quarts of beef stock, which should come about 1/4 way up the roast. Add 1 sprig of thyme, 1 stem of rosemary, and 1 bay leaf. Add the lid, and turn the instapot on to pressure cook for 45 minutes.

Sit back and relax for the next 50 minutes and wait for your roast! When the timer runs out, release the pressure from the instapot and remove the lid when the pressure is released. Then remove the roast and set aside, leaving the liquid inside the pot. Remove the rack.

Turn on the saute feature and allow the liquid to come up to a boil.

Add 1/2 cup cornstarch + 1/2 cup water mixed together to the boiling broth, and allow it to thicken into a gravy. Turn off the saute function when it has thickened. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper.

Add the potatoes and Carrots to the broth. Add the lid. Turn the instapot on to pressure cook for 7 minutes. Pressure cook the carrots and potatoes in the broth for 7 minutes. When the timer runs out, release the pressure and serve.

Serve your pot roast alongside the potatoes and baby carrots, drizzling the pan juices over the top for added flavor. Garnish with fresh herbs for a touch of elegance.