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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
What about instapot? I’m sure it can be done but just wasn’t sure about how long it would need to cook using intaspot
Hi Shannon,
Sorry, I have not tested this recipe in the instant pot, I would stick with the crockpot or oven:) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Hi! Planning on making this in a crock pot. Should I brown/sear the roast on all sides first?
Thank you!
C
Hi Christine,
For added flavor, yes, you could definitely give this a good sear! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xx
What veggies would be good to cook in this? Love EVERYTHING you post. Just FABULOUS!!
Thank you Diane:) Carrots would be great to add to this dish!! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xx
So excited to try! How would I make this in a crockpot??
Hi Jay,
The crockpot instructions are written above:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi! First of all, I LOVE your recipes. Thank you for sharing them. As for this one, I’m cooking for 12, so need a much bigger roast. Would you recommend cutting a bigger roast in half (or getting two ~4lb roasts) and bake them together? Would this extend the cooking time? TIA!
Hi Katie,
If you can make the recipe twice in 2 different pots, I think that would be your best bet for the best results. I hope this helps! xT
Could I use a rump roast of a similar size instead of a chuck roast?
Looking forward to trying it!
Hey Nancy,
Totally, that would also work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
This was fairly simple and flavorful. Perfect cold Sunday evening meal. We are always looking for meals with beef as we get half a beef each year. I had everything on hand except the cider which is always great too.
Thanks so much Athena! So glad to hear this dish was a winner, I appreciate you making it! xT
Look, this has to be one of the best roasts I have ever tasted or made in my life! The flavors are incredible. The meat was falling apart and I was refraining from eating the whole 3lbs right from the pot! The gravy… Ooh, the gravy. It turned into a perfect slightly thick gravy, that just happened to be easily scooped up by the smashed crispy potatoes. Coincidence, I think not. Thank you for such creative recipes, these are flavors I would never have been brave enough to do, but man… this was just spot-on delicious. I made 5 of your recipes yesterday, and every one of them was fantastic! Your talent is appreciated.
Hi Michelle,
Thank you so much for your kind message and making so many recipes yesterday:) I am so glad to hear that you loved this one! Thanks for sharing! xT
Sounds delicious. Can it be prepared a day ahead? Thanks.
Hi Cathy,
Totally, that would be great to do! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
So I definitely changed this up based on what I had… I made this in my pressure cooker because I was short on time. Cooked the onions and meat for 30 minutes then quick released to add potatoes for 15 minutes. I didn’t have apple cider, so I doubled the apple butter to make up for apple flavor. And I only used 2 cups liquid (chicken broth) since I was using the pressure cooker. Also I simmered the broth at the end with a couple TBSP arrowroot instead of coating with flour to make gravy. It turned out delicious! The sage potatoes and gravy made for a hint of thanksgiving deliciousness. I will make this again, maybe in the oven next time.
Hi Rosie,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for trying this dish and sharing what worked well for you! I love to hear that it was a winner! xT
Was very delicious! My girlfriend and I really enjoyed. I definitely added more potatoes and didn’t have apple butter but it still came out great. I will be sharing it with my mom!
Hi Sarah,
I appreciate you trying this dish and your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
I just made this tonight. Fabulous recipe. Sage potatoes are so delicious. I did cook the onions, take them out, and then brown the meat on the stovetop in my Dutch oven to get a nice color on the beef. Followed the recipe from then on. This will be my go to pot roast recipe. Great flavor. Served it with coleslaw and I liked the cold and hot.
Thanks so much Julie!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you:) Thanks for making it! xT
To die for! One of the top recipes I’ve ever made and I cook a lot. I also roasted carrots when you roast the potatoes. So good!
Hi Maria,
Happy Monday!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for trying and your feedback! xT
I love all your recipes and this one I’m sure will not disappoint. This looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it. Do you prefer a boneless chuck roast for this recipe? Thanks!
Thanks so much Dani!! Yes, boneless works great for this recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
We made this tonight and it SO good. The potatoes alone are worth all the hours spent in the oven! I didn’t have apple butter on hand so swapped it for pumpkin butter and it turned out just fine! Our roast was in the Dutch oven for 2 hours 45 minutes and came out perfectly!! 100% will be making again!
Hey Lauren,
Happy Sunday!!🍂 Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your review, so glad it was enjoyed:) xx