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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
So comforting and yummy! I cooked today for 4 hours in my Le Creuset, but I had a roast closer to 4#s. I added beef bone broth instead of wine and my hubby loved the sweetness of the cider! Well done! Served with the roasted potatoes and roasted broccoli!
Hi Tara,
I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you! Thanks for your comment and giving it a try! xT
Hi!!
I made this today and oh wow was it good. I did add some extra seasoning to the meat and marinated over night. I also added baby carrots as one reviewer mentioned they were going to do next time. I also mixed in some grated garlic after I removed from the oven and let it sit for a bit before serving.
The potatoes were so good! I forgot to buy sage so I used parsley instead. Crispy, buttery, flavorful goodness. Next time I’m definitely adding more potatoes.
I also can’t believe how EASY this was.
This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you for sharing!!
Hey Nat,
Happy Sunday!!🍂 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your review, so glad it was enjoyed:) xx
Ridiculous flavor! I will definitely be making this again for my family. They couldn’t stop talking about it. I don’t usually leave reviews but I have to give credit for this one! Dutch Oven, wine and I doubled the potatoes because they were amazing as well. With extra potatoes, I went 4 hours in the oven and I wasn’t getting the dark caramelization in your photo so I turned on the broiler for 5 minutes at the end. Perfect.
Hey Ed,
Wonderful!! I am delighted to hear that this dish was such a winner, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT
3 stars for crock pot, 5 stars for oven! Crock pot is okay if you’re in a pinch but definitely ends up being some work to thicken the gravy and caramelize the ovens on the stove after slow cooking. Which kinda kills the point of using the crock pot for me haha
Hey Mairin,
Happy Weekend! Thanks so much for making this dish and your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
I also tried the crock pot version and it failed. The meat was way too tough, lots of liquid, no gravy. Luckily I was able to save the meat by finishing it off in the instapot. I was disappointed that the crock pot version did not work as directed.
Hi Katie,
So sorry to hear the crockpot did not work for you. I wonder if the meat was over-cooked? You could add 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the gravy. I hope this helps if you give it another try! xx
My husband had been asking me to make a pot roast so I was excited to find this and read that it’s your favorite recipe right now. Like Alison (who commented), I did the crockpot version. This is the second time I have done one of your recipes crockpot version (short ribs last week) where the meat was not tender and did not fall apart – it was tough and grey. I even cooked it an extra hour on high and it still was not tender. As for the gravy, it was liquid, not thick, so I had to reduce it in a separate pan. After cooking the potatoes, there was no butter to spoon onto them – it had all cooked into the potatoes – so the potatoes were very dry. While I was disappointed in this recipe (and the short ribs last week), I will try again – oven version!
Hi Georgianne,
So very sorry to hear this recipe did not turn out for you! It sounds like your crockpot might be over-cooking the meat, especially if you cooked for an extra hour on high. The meat should fall apart and be super tender. As for the gravy, you can just add 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken. Again, apologies that the recipe did not turn out for you! xx
The flavors of fall are all over this dish! I used apple cider/Kettle & Fire chicken stock. The potatoes were a nice touch but I under-salted so didn’t get that wow but will put this on my list of recipes for entertaining. What type of salad would you use to complement this dish? Perhaps a spinach pear and blue cheese?
So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish Karen! Thanks a lot for trying it out! Sure, here are some salads that would pair nicely with this:
https://fett-weg.today/brussels-sprout-candied-bacon-salad/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/apple-and-kale-salad/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/winter-salad-maple-candied-walnuts-balsamic-fig-dressing-big-giveaway/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xT
thank you!!
If you dont use a Dutch oven, what would you recommend?
Hi Amy,
You could use the slow cooker method or use a large braising pot covered with foil. I hope this helps! xx
What can you suggest subbing the apple butter with? I’d like to make this and have all the other ingredients on hand
Hi Elena,
Some apple sauce would also work nicely for you! Let me know how this dish turns out, I hope you love it! xx
This recipe turned out PHENOMENALLY! Used a Creuset Dutch oven for the max times listed for 2.5 lbs of meat. In order for it not to be too sweet, I subbed in apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider. I also added 1/4 cup of butter in the initial mixture with the onions to keep the roast moist, and left out the butter on the pan with the potatoes to make them crispier. Served over some kale to soak in the juices. Truly a restaurant quality meal, and without any of the difficult prep!
Hey Madeline,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your notes, so glad to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Do you recommend the chicken broth or white whine? It seems like the flavor could take the recipe in a two different directions. Cannot wait to try!
Hi Gillian,
The dish is great with either, if you can use the white wine I say go for it! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
I added to much wine and Cider So I cooked the cider and wine mixture down to a glaze. Can I drizzle the glaze on the pot roast when I served it Well, how good was that? That was really delicious.
Hey Walter,
So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish! Great idea to make the glaze:) Thanks for trying the recipe! xT
I wanna make this dish on Sunday for my Friendsgiving. There’s gonna be about 20 of us should I double this recipe?
Hi Chelsie,
I would definitely double the recipe and cook in 2 separate dutch ovens for best results. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
My pot roast was yummy for friendsgiving. I cooked in my dutch oven kne 325 for 3 hours. Meat was still a bit tough so I cranked up heat for another hour. next time i will cook on a higher heat the whole time. Great flavor
Thanks so much for your review, Chelsie! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you! Have a great week! xT
My husband said this is best thing he has ever eaten in his life. We did the it in the Dutch oven and it was incredible.
I did 1lb of golden potatoes, my husband wants to double (or triple) and add carrots.
Wow thanks so much Brooke!! So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you and I appreciate the feedback:) xT
Oven vs crockpot results are completely different, I’m not even sure the crockpot recipe was even tested. Followed the recipe to a T and resulted in tough, grey meat in liquid– had to reduce the liquid into gravy in a separate pan, and just accept the state of the meat.
If you decide to make this yourself, stick to the oven version. While I’d like to attempt that myself, having had such a terrible experience to start, I’m not returning to this site for recipes again.
Hi Alison,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. I tested both the slow cooker and oven versions which is why I shared both. Was there something that I could help with? Sorry you didn’t have great results with the slow cooker! xx
Would love to know how to make this in the insta pot please ❤️
Hi Courtney,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot, so I do not have those exact instructions. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Yes, I wish I could make this is the Instapot. I am not going to use the crock pot based off of all of the comments here and I don’t have a working oven right now. Oh well.