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Cider Braised Pot Roast with Crispy Sage Butter Potatoes. Slow-cooked beef pot roast with caramelized onions, shallots, apple butter, wine, and fresh thyme. If there’s one comforting fall and winter meal you need to be making, it’s this pot roast. Serve it alongside extra crispy sage brown butter smashed potatoes. This is a one-pot roast and potato dinner that’s the easiest dish you’ll make all week. And also one of the most delicious. A quintessential family dinner and a perfect dinner for a cold night in. Time to cozy up!
Believe it or not, this is only the second pot roast recipe I’ve shared on this site. Cranberry pot roast is the other. Shockingly, this is my favorite recipe I’ve shared in a while. I’ll share why below, but I really can’t wait to dive into more roast recipes over the next couple of months. Family-style dinners like this one-pot, pot roast are perfect for this busy time of year. Not to mention, they’re great for entertaining.
As a lot of you know, I love to cook the most for the people around me. When my oldest brother suggested a pot roast, I turned my head far away from the idea. But after some begging on his end, I caved and I’m the one who is most happy about it.
Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Flour
- Salted butter
- Yellow onions
- Shallots
- Apple cider
- Chicken broth
- Dry white wine
- Chopped fresh thyme
- Apple butter
- Small to medium potatoes
- Fresh sage leaves
- Garlic powder
- Flaky sea salt
This recipe is not only mouth-watering, comforting, and delicious, it makes getting a slow-cooked dinner on the table almost effortless.
Once I decided I was committed to making a pot roast recipe, I also committed to making it the simplest recipe it could be.
I didn’t want to mess with anything fussy. The beauty of a pot roast is, of course, its simplicity. My goal was no fuss yet crazy delicious.
What started out as a recipe I wasn’t sure I wanted to do, ended up being one I’m most excited to share!
It wasn’t easy to capture all the deliciousness of this pot roast but I did my best. The recipe is so yummy!
OK, here are the details
Step 1: season the pot roast
Before you begin, season the roast well with salt and pepper. Then rub the roast all over with flour.
The flour will thicken the gravy over time so don’t skip it. If needed, feel free to use gluten-free flour.
Step 2: the onions
Now that you took care of the pot roast, start the onions. The key here is to slice them and use A LOT.
Toss the onions in a large Dutch oven that you can transfer to the oven. Let them cook along with the shallots in a little butter. You just want to get the cooking started but don’t fully cook the onions.
Step 3: roast the pot roast
The rest of this process is so easy. Put the roast on top of the onions and rub the top of the pot roast with apple butter.
You can use homemade or store-bought apple butter. The apple butter is important. It adds a sweet, spiced autumn touch that’s delicious with all the onions and shallots. The apple butter will also help the roast caramelize in the oven. It’s wonderful.
Pour over the apple cider, add the wine, or feel free to use bone or chicken broth. Then add fresh thyme.
I chose not to sear the pot roast. It cooks beautifully in the oven atop the onions and I found it to be perfect.
Step 4: the potatoes
Before you slide the pot roast into the oven, place 6 to 8 small to medium potatoes around the pot roast. I love to use buttery Yukon gold potatoes, but use your favorite, or what you have on hand.
Cover the pot roast, and start cooking. If you’re using the oven, this takes around three hours.
The potatoes cook at the very same time, and all in one pot! Woohoo!
Step 5: finish the potatoes
I will not deny it, these potatoes are reason enough to make this recipe. Because they’re slow-cooked in with the cider, their flavor and texture are most delicious.
Pull the potatoes off the roast and place them onto a baking sheet. Smash them down with a potato masher. Add pats of butter on and around the potatoes, then garlic powder and fresh sage.
Roast the smashed potatoes until they are very crispy. The butter naturally browns around each potato. It’s almost magical and most definitely the yummiest!!
Step 6: finish the roast
While the potatoes cook, cook the pot roast. This time leave uncovered until the roast is deeply caramelized on top. The potatoes and pot roast will both be ready around the same time!
Step 7: serve and enjoy
Finally, serve the roast, which should be tender and falling apart into the gravy and onions in the pot.
Serve up those crispy salty potatoes on the side.
The most perfect family dinner, so hands off too.
Of course, I served this with beer bread and a big salad! Great for Sunday nights all fall and winter long.
I know I already said this, but this really is my favorite recipe right now. It’s so effortless and the potatoes really make the recipe perfect. I’m so excited for you all to make this soon!!
Lastly, if you make this Cider Braised Pot Roast with Crispy Sage Butter Potatoes, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Cider Braised Pot Roast with Crispy Sage Potatoes
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 269 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 4 shallots, halved
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups chicken broth or dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons apple butter
- 1 pound small to medium potatoes
- 1/4 cup fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
Oven
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.2. Season the roast with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Heat a large oven-safe Dutch Oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and the onions, cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the shallots and a 1/2 cup apple cider, season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking another 5 minutes, until the onions are very lightly golden. Add the thyme, then snuggle the roast into the onions and slather the top of the roast with apple butter. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cider and the wine. 3. Arrange the potatoes around the roast. Cover and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender. 4. Crank the heat on the oven to 425° F. Remove the potatoes, placing them on a baking sheet. Using the back of a fork or a potato masher, smash each potato. Arrange 5 tablespoons of butter on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle each with garlic powder, then add the sage. Roast until the potatoes are crispy, 20-25 minutes. Spoon the butter and sage over the potatoes. Season with sea salt. 5. During the same time, return the roast, uncovered, to the oven. Cook 20-30 minutes, until deeply caramelized on top. If needed add broth/wine to keep the onions just barely covered.6. Serve the pot roast topped with sea salt, gravy, and onions. Serve the potatoes on the side. Enjoy!
Crockpot
- 1. Season the roast with salt and pepper, then rub with flour to coat. Arrange 1 tablespoon of butter, then onions, then shallots in the bowl of your crockpot. Season with salt and pepper. Snuggle the roast into the onions and slather the top of the roast with apple butter. Add the thyme, apple cider, and wine. 2. Arrange the potatoes around the roast. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 3. Crank the heat on the oven to 425° F. Remove the potatoes, placing them on a baking sheet. Using the back of a fork or a potato masher, smash each potato. Arrange 5 tablespoons of butter on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle each with garlic powder, then add the sage. Roast until the potatoes are crispy, 20-25 minutes. Spoon the butter and sage over the potatoes. Season with sea salt. 4. Serve the pot roast topped with sea salt, gravy, and onions. Serve the potatoes on the side. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on October 23, 2023
I made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious! The potatoes were to die for! There is so much broth and onions leftover, I’m thinking of making some sort of soup with it. Any suggestions?
Hello Teighan , Do you think this could be made in an instapot? Love your recipes, I have made many!!
Hello Tieghan! I’m excited to try this recipe. I have been making many of your recipes for the last couple of weeks and have absolutely, without a doubt, 100% LOVED them! I have been searching for years for recipes that are simple enough (yet delicious) for someone like me that does not cook/bake. Yours have gone above and beyond. Thank you, thank you, thank you. My husband and 4 children thank you as well. I love that you link pictures to your ingredients and even link pots and pans. You will never know how useful it is for people that don’t cook, but really want to give it their best effort. So, that brings me to my question for this recipe. I need to buy a dutch oven. In this recipe, you linked to a 4 quart dutch oven by Staub. Is 4 quart big enough? I am going to invest in real pots and pans now that I am starting to enjoy cooking (thanks to you). I want to start off the investment wisely. Thank you with all my heart. Jennifer
Hi Jennifer! Wow, this is the most thoughtful comment! Thank you so so much! I am so glad that you and your family are enjoying these recipes! xT
As Tieghan did not answer your question, I will :). Typically, 5-7 quart Dutch oven is the “sweet spot” for most home cooks. Given that is a bit of a range, look for a size guide like the one on the le creuset site….not that you need to go with le creuset, for sure! 😉 These will share both size and typical items or meals cooked to help you decide. A 4 quart is a bit small for most. Once you get one, you will wish you had done so earlier!
This was fantastic!! My husband said it was one of the best pot roasts ever. Recipe was easy to follow and oh so yummy!
Hi! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
I made this in the Dutch oven last night and it was AMAZING. This is absolutely one of our new favorite pot roast recipes.
Just incase it helps anyone, we made a few adjustments – my husband is gluten free, so I subbed the flour for GF flour, and I couldn’t find apple butter, so I used applesauce mixed with a little cinnamon and nutmeg.
Thanks so much for the input Lesley, it’s super helpful! xT
My hubby is gluten-free. Could I sub out the flour for arrowroot or gluten-free flour?
Yeah definitely! xT
I also cook for large family, there will be 50 for Christmas. What do you think of doing several roast of this recipe in an electric roaster? Any adjustments?
Hi Kelly! I think that should work well! xT
Hi Tieghan! This looks incredible and I can’t wait to make it. Here in the UK we only really have hard cider. Would it be ok to use that or could I sun apple juice? Thank you so much!
In America apple cider is fresh-pressed, unfiltered apple juice. If you can source unfiltered apple juice great, if not I’m sure regular apple juice would be OK 🙂
I used hard cider and it was delicious
Yes, you could definitely use hard cider or apple juice! xT
I can’t wait to make this recipe.
Hope you love it Linda! xT
I made this for dinner tonight. I had everything but the cider and the potatoes, so ran to the store and changed my menue up. This was delicious! The potatoes were to die for. When I make this for my extended family, I will double those potatoes!! They will go quickly.
So very good! Thanks!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe!! Have a great week! xT
Hi it looks like you cut up your roast in the pics did you do that to cook it or just for serving?
Hi there! Just for serving! I cooked it whole 🙂 xT
Would you recommend searing the roast on all sides before cooking the onions or not needed?
Hi if I am making this for 10 servings the amount of beef is
1.67 3-4 pound beef chuck roast.
So 1.67lb 3/4 thick and is that enough for 19 servings. Making it on 10/28. Also the beer bread is the best to service it with?
Could I do this it a slow cooker?
Thank you
Deborah Souza
You would want to multiply that number…1.67×3.5lbs to get a now accurate weight.
Yes. Searing would bring so much flavor.
Hi there! Yes, you can definitely sear if you’d like! xR
Is there enough cooking liquid to double the potatoes? One lb between four of us isn’t going to cut it.
Hi Amber, if you’re doubling the potatoes I would definitely add more liquid so they are fully cooked! xT
I wanted to ask the same thing! Thank you
I am so excited to try this (as with all your recipes) but I’m allergic to onions and shallots. Any alternatives?
Hi Stephanie! I would maybe just add in some extra garlic? xT
Making this and the beer bread this weekend!!
Hope you love it, Kayla! xT