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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
This was fabulous! I treat myself to beef roast only once or twice per year, and this was well worth it. The cider gravy is amazing, and the coating of apple butter on top adds a marvelous flavor. I did sear my roast first, then followed the rest of the recipe using the wine instead of water. Next time, I might consider using red wine instead of white, and adding a bit of Better than Bouillon to deepen the beef flavor even further. What’s really nice is that the flour coating also automatically thickens the braising liquid, so you don’t actually have to “make” the gravy…it’s automatic. Next time, I would add some carrots so that I have a complete meal in the Dutch oven. And the potatoes…delish! Love the crispy edges. This splurge was worth it! My husband agreed that this was a keeper.
Hey Julie,
I appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was a winner:) x
Just made this and it’s a huge hit!! Made it exactly as is. My husband already told me we have to make it again!!
Hey Jodie,
I appreciate you giving this dish a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was a winner:) x
I am planning on making this for Thanksgiving! Two questions – is boneless chuck what you used or bone in? And also, if I do decide to sear the beef first, should I flour the beef before or after searing? Sorry, that may be a dumb question. Thank you!!
Hi Anne,
No worries at all! You can use bone in or boneless, the recipe will work great with either! You will want to flour the beef before searing:) I hope this helps! xT
This was outstanding! Two questions: how big is a large crockpot, my 5 quart round didn’t seem to be big enough because the liquid almost covered the whole roast? Also, can I stop the cooking process right before I pull the potatoes out then refrigerate until the grease flows to the top and can be removed…..warm everything back up again to the 325° temperature and then pull the potatoes out to make the crispy sage smashed potato?
Hey Maureen,
So glad to hear this dish was enjoyed!! I like to use a 7 or 9 quart pot for this recipe. Sure, I bet that would work well for you! I hope this helps! xx
Yummmm! Thank you for this amazing recipe. You turned my pot roast hater hubby into a lover. For the two of us, I used a 2 lb. Chuck roast and added whole chunks of carrots. I also cut the liquids by a half cup, and it made the most delicious gravy. The smashed sage potatoes were also a hit. Leftovers were even better the next day. Can’t wait to make it again.
Hey Sharon,
Happy Wednesday!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this dish, thanks a lot for trying it out! xT
Ohmyeverlovingoodness! This was so YUM! My husband and I were making homemade venison sausage while this was roasting in the oven. We absolutely couldn’t wait for dinner after smelling it for hours. Soooooo good!
Hey Jodi,
Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for trying it and your feedback! xT
My dad used to make a very basic pot roast when I was a kid and I was not a fan, but I tried this and WOW I’m mad at myself for avoiding good pot roasts all this time.
Hi Karen,
Awesome!! So glad to hear that this recipe was such a hit, thanks for making it:) xT
This was amazing! And if you use a big piece of roast, I could totally see using the meat and the onions w/ some swiss cheese on a grilled sandwich. Loved every part of it.
Thanks so much Jessica! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for your comment and feedback! xT
QUESTION: Are you cooking both the smashed potatoes AND the roast at 425 for 20 – 30 minutes? (Planning to make this Wednesday — when it rains:))
Hi Kate,
Yes, that is correct! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I don’t have a working oven right now and have been living off of my air fryer. Can I make this in my Dutch Oven on the stove top? Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Hi Mary,
You could definitely give that a try, I might add some cook time to the recipe! Let me know how this turns out for you! xx
Made this tonight! Such a hearty November meal on a Sunday. It was perfection and the kitchen actually smelled like apples when it was cooking! Think I will add those rainbow carrots next time – I had lots of extra gravy!! My daughter is your biggest fan and has made pretty much everything in all of your cookbooks. She lived here during Covid and cooked for us nightly. She lives in Denver now and I swear she moved because of you, Tieghan! Thank you for bringing such flavor, warmth and joy into our homes!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Hey Stephanie,
Wonderful!! I am so glad that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a go! Thanks for your kind message and to your daughter for making so many recipes:) Wow!! I hope she is loving Denver:) xx
Made this tonight exactly as written. One of the best pot roasts we have ever eaten. Full of flavor and the potatoes were the icing on the cake. A must try. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Hi Linda,
Love to hear this! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your feedback:) xT
Frickin’ amazing!
Lol love to hear this Rita!!
This is quite possibly the best roast I’ve ever made. Perfect flavors and really hits the cozy fall mark. Made exactly as described except used rump roast vs chuck.
Hey Jessica,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it turned out well for you:)
Finally had a quiet Saturday to make this dish and it didn’t disappoint! I followed the recipe exactly and all turned out yummy! I paired with roasted brussel sprouts. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks for another wonderful recipe!
Hey Stacey,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it turned out well for you:)