Back to Beef
Last updated
Overview
Chuck roast cooks with onion, garlic, herbs, and a little broth or wine until it is fork-tender. Finish the juices as gravy and serve the beef with carrots and potatoes.
Time and temperature
Swipe to see all columns
| Texture | Bath setting | Check before serving | Cook time | Longest time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall-Apart Tender | 155°–165°F | 145°F | 24–36 hours | 48 hours |
Choose the time that matches the texture you want. Start timing when the bag goes into the fully heated water bath, and read the Cook safely section before serving.
Choose your texture
- 155°–165°FFall-Apart Tender
- Soft, juicy beef that pulls apart with a fork.
Best for
- Sunday dinner
- Family meals
- Comfort food
Tips
- Chuck roast is the traditional cut — well-marbled and flavorful
- Sear before or after sous vide for deep flavor
Get it ready
- Season the roast generously with salt and pepper.
- Brown it on every side in a hot skillet, then let it cool slightly.
- Seal the roast with onion, garlic, herbs, and a little broth or wine.
- Keep the bag fully submerged for the long cook.
Finish and serve
- Take the roast out of the bag and rest it for at least 3 minutes.
- Strain the bag juices into a pan and simmer them into gravy.
- Slice or pull the beef and serve it with the gravy and vegetables.
Useful tips
- Brown every surface before bagging — this is non-negotiable. Pot roast has minimal connective-tissue browning naturally, so all the flavor depth has to come from the sear. Use a heavy Dutch oven over high heat, render plenty of fat, and don't rush.
- Bag the roast with the aromatics: onions, carrots, garlic, thyme, a bay leaf, a splash of red wine. Sous vide concentrates everything you put in the bag, so a little wine goes a long way. Skip the stock — the roast makes its own.
- Cook at 155°–165°F for 24–36 hours. Lower and you don't get full collagen breakdown; higher and the lean parts dry out. The 24-hour mark is when the texture transforms from sliceable to spoonable. Pull early for a Sunday roast feel, late for shreddy.
- Anti-tip: don't add potatoes to the bag. Potatoes turn to mush at 165°F over a long bath and release starch that clouds the jus. Cook them separately in their own bag at 190°F for 1 hour, then combine on the plate.
Questions
QFall-Apart Tender: What cut of beef for pot roast?
Chuck roast is traditional and best. Bottom round or brisket work too. Chuck has the most marbling and flavor.
QFall-Apart Tender: Can I cook vegetables with the meat?
No — vegetables turn mushy at 24+ hours. Cook them separately or add to pan at the end for finishing.
Cook safely
Use the chart for timing, then check the thickest part of the roast with a food thermometer. It should reach 145°F. Rest it for at least 3 minutes before slicing, and keep the cooked food away from raw juices. If the meat is ground, injected, mechanically tenderized, rolled, or stuffed, follow the package directions or a guide written for that form.