The One Secret to the Perfect Pot Roast, According to 4 Food Pros

Pot roast is a comforting classic: beef slowly braised with aromatic vegetables in a modest liquid that transforms into a rich, velvety sauce. It can be cooked on the stovetop, in the oven, in a slow cooker, or even a pressure cooker. No matter the method, the goal remains the same: a hands-off dish that yields flavorful, fall-apart tender beef that warms you from the inside out.

And yet, pot roasts often fall short. Too tough. Too dry. Too bland. With no flashy techniques to hide behind, every misstep shows. Pot roast is prized for being low-effort, but it requires trust—trust that you seasoned well, browned deeply, added the right amount of liquid, and cooked it long enough at the proper temperature. With so many ways things can go wrong, I turned to the experts to uncover the path to pot roast perfection.

They all agreed: The secret starts with the cut of beef. 

Meet the Pot Roast Pros

• Kai Borghesan: Head Butcher and Senior Manager of Retail at Walden Local Butcher in Boston
• Jonathan Warnock: Executive Chef of State Road on Martha's Vineyard
• Yoko Koide: Head Butcher at Marlow & Daughters in Brooklyn
• Morgan Bolling: Executive Food Editor at America's Test Kitchen

The Secret To Perfect Pot Roast

No amount of seasoning, searing, or simmering can make up for using the wrong cut. Experts unanimously pointed to chuck, a shoulder cut that's well-exercised, richly marbled, and packed with collagen. When cooked slow and low, that collagen melts into the braising liquid, producing tender meat and a luxurious sauce.

Chuck, which comes from the front shoulder, is further divided into different roasts and steaks. When it comes to pot roast, a few chuck cuts in particular work really well, our experts said.

Borghesan describes the beauty of pot roast as "one of those dishes that feels special without being precious." His go-to is chuck roast, which has "enough connective tissue and intramuscular fat that, when cooked low and slow, breaks down into something incredibly tender and rich." Borghesan adds that well-raised, grass-fed beef needs little embellishment: "You don’t have to overcomplicate the cooking."

However, Warnock prefers chuck flap (also known as chuck flat or edge roast), a shoulder cut prized for its uniform shape, as well as rich marbling and buttery texture when slow-cooked. The consistent shape "helps with searing, uniform cooking, slicing, and presentation," he explains. Warnock emphasizes patience, from salting the night before and thoroughly browning the meat to cooking it slowly at a low temperature.

Fat alone doesn't guarantee a moist roast, says Koide. "The amount of fat is less important than where on the animal the cut came from," she says. Koide also favors chuck, along with the neck and brisket, and avoids lean cuts from the round, which tend to dry out and become mealy during long cooks.

Bolling of America's Test Kitchen recommends using chuck eye roast, noting its uniform shape allows for even cooking. Like the others, she stresses low, gentle heat to properly break down the collagen "so the meat becomes meltingly tender rather than tough and chewy. "

Bonus Tip: Sear It

While choosing the right cut is foundational, the experts also stress the importance of pan searing. (Don't skip that step!) Proper browning builds deep, savory flavor in both the meat and the gravy. As Borghesan puts it: "That deep, hard sear is everything...it's where the flavor is built."