Pioneer Woman 1 pot roast 3 easy meals is a make-ahead dinner made with seasoned beef, mushrooms and broth, ready in about two hours. That makes it perfect for Sunday meal prep, weeknight dinners or freezer batch cooking, since one large roast feeds twelve and splits into three meals.
Cutting the roast into chunks before cooking decides this dish, because smaller pieces absorb garlic and Worcestershire faster and shred in half the time. You can skip this step with a slow cooker though, since a whole roast breaks down just fine over 8 to 10 hours on low.
Most pot roast recipes pile on carrots and potatoes, but this one keeps the beef plain so you can spin it three ways after cooking. That versatility is the whole point, since the neutral seasoning base pairs with stir-fry sauce, taco spice or BBQ just as well.
Pioneer Woman 1 Pot Roast 3 Easy Meals
Course: Main DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes2
hours425
kcalFork-tender beef roast pressure-cooked with garlic, onion powder and mushrooms, then shredded and tossed back into the savory pot juices for easy portioning into three future meals.
Ingredients
1 whole (4 to 5 lb.) beef roast
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
1 tbsp. chopped fresh garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. sliced brown or white mushrooms
1/2 cup beef broth
Directions
- Cut and season: Cut the beef roast into 4 or 5 large chunks, then sprinkle all sides with the sea salt and black pepper.
- Mix the sauce: Whisk the Worcestershire sauce, chopped garlic and onion powder together in a small bowl, then set it aside.
- Load the pot: Place the seasoned beef chunks in the pressure cooker pot, then pour the sauce mixture over the top.
- Add mushrooms and broth: Scatter the sliced mushrooms over the beef, then pour the beef broth down the side of the pot so it does not rinse off the seasoning.
- Pressure cook: Seal the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 2 hours, then allow the pressure to release naturally once the timer finishes.
- Shred and serve: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks, then return the shredded meat to the pot so it can soak up the juices and mushrooms before serving or portioning into containers.
FAQs
Can I use a different cut of beef for this pot roast?
Chuck roast works best because it has enough marbling to stay moist during long cooking, but bottom round or brisket will work too. Leaner cuts like eye of round tend to dry out, so add an extra 1/4 cup of broth if you go that route. Pick a boneless cut for easier shredding, since bone-in roasts take longer to break down.
How long does the shredded beef last in the fridge or freezer?
Store the shredded beef with its pot juices in airtight containers for up to 4 days in the fridge. For freezing, portion the meat and juices into freezer bags and press out all the air, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating, since microwaving from frozen can make the edges tough.
Do I need a pressure cooker to make this recipe?
A slow cooker works just as well, though the time jumps to 8 to 10 hours on low for a whole roast. Cut the beef into chunks first and that drops to about 6 to 8 hours instead. Either method produces equally tender meat, so choose whichever appliance fits your schedule.
Can I prep this the night before and cook it in the morning?
Season the beef and mix the sauce ingredients the night before, then store everything separately in the fridge. In the morning, load the pot and start cooking, because the cold meat actually helps slow cookers reach the right temperature gradually. Do not leave raw seasoned beef sitting in the cooker insert overnight, since that keeps it in the danger zone too long.
Why did my pot roast come out tough instead of falling apart?
The most common reason is not cooking it long enough, because beef collagen needs sustained heat above 160F to break down into gelatin. In a pressure cooker, 2 hours on high should be enough for a 4 to 5 pound roast cut into chunks. If your roast was whole and uncut, it may need an extra 30 minutes, so check tenderness with a fork before shredding.
