Paleo Pot Roast is comforting, nourishing, and it freezes well. I make it once a week because it’s the ultimate in comfort food.
My Favorite Pot Roast Method
There’s really nothing magic about this other than letting the ingredients cook slowly so the meat becomes so tender and the veggies are soft. In other words, you need a bit of time.
(Now, I’m sure you can do this in an Instant Pot – and I admit to just grabbing one from Amazon while it was on sale – but I haven’t tested this in there quite yet. To adapt the recipe, you’d reduce the broth about 1 cup and cook on Manual / high for about an hour. Let the pressure release naturally.)
My favorite method of cooking a paleo pot roast recipe like this is browning the outside in a Dutch oven, then braising the meat in broth with some veggies, and throwing the whole thing in the oven to bake low and slow.
What is Braising?
Braising sounds complicated and scary, but it’s really pretty simple. When you braise meat – or veggies – you sear the outside of the meat with dry heat, then finish cooking with moisture. That usually means putting it in a pan, adding some broth, and cooking low and slow until the meat is tender.
Can You Make This in a Slow Cooker?
Of course, you can do this Paleo Pot Roast in a slow cooker, but I find this gives a better result. If you opt for the slow cooker, use low heat for at least 5 to 6 hours. However, it may need more time if you think it’s too tough.
Make sure you have enough liquid in your slow cooker to keep the meat from drying out.
Which Cuts of Meat Work Best for Pot Roast?
I used sirloin tip roast which is usually less tough – though more expensive – than pot roast, a cut which typically comes from the chuck and is less tender. But, use what you have or what’s affordable for you.
I rustled up some of my favorite root veggies for this Paleo Pot Roast: fennel, carrot, rutabaga, and onion. You could also add potatoes, turnip, parsnip, or any others that you like.
I chopped the pieces pretty large because with 3 hours of cooking time, a dice would result in mushy bits that would’ve disintegrated.
And I got the idea to put whole parsley in while we were watching the new Michael Pollan documentary series, “Cooked.” (We watched it on Netflix.) Hat-tip to you, Mr. Pollan. I just fished out the parsley before serving.
Paleo Pot Roast Recipe (Gluten-Free, Whole30)
This Paleo Pot Roast recipe is simple & perfect for a weekend. The root veggies and bone broth slow cook with the beef and add a lot of nutrient value. It's gluten-free, paleo, and whole30 friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 3 lb pot roast
- Sea salt & black pepper
- 3 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1/2 cup dry red wine optional, omit for whole30
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 2 carrots large, chopped
- 1 rutabaga small, chopped
- 1 fennel medium, chopped
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 4 cloves garlic peeled & left whole
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300ºF.
- Place your Dutch oven over high heat and add the ghee. Heat until the pot is very hot and the ghee is shimmering. Pat the meat dry with paper towel and sprinkle the meat liberally with sea salt and pepper.
- Add the meat and brown for about 5-7 minutes per side. You want a nice crust to form.
- Remove the meat temporarily from the pot and pour in the broth and red wine. If you omit the wine, just use an extra ½ cup of broth. Scrape up any brown bits from the meat at the bottom of the pan.
- Add the meat back to the pot.
- Add the onion, carrots, rutabaga, and fennel under and around the meat. Nestle the parsley under the meat. Toss in the garlic cloves. If your fennel came with some fronds attached, you can lay those on top of the meat.
- Bake covered for about 3 hours.
- Discard the parsley. You can slice the meat or shred it into chunks. Serve the some of the broth.
Recipe Notes
My recipes are all in a meal planner. Check it out!
Did you love this Paleo Pot Roast recipe? Leave a rating and comment below.
Pin this Paleo Pot Roast for later!
21 Responses
Great recipe! I have one question though – is it necessary to add rutabaga? Can I replace it with something else?
You could leave it out and double the potatoes.
This was so delicious and flavorful! my picky kids devoured it. I pureed the juice with carrots and celery from the pot (didnt have the other veggies on hand) to make a gravy. So tasty.
Markella, I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed it!
Yum! This looks so great! Did you or anyone try it in the Instapot yet??
I’m not sure if anyone has, Cait. Similar parameters for a tough piece of meat, just be sure to allow the pressure to release naturally so the meat stays tender.
This recipe is *amazing*…made it today in my slow cooker. I topped it with pomegranate seeds. Perfect for a chilly day!
Kari, I’m excited to hear that you enjoyed it!
Do you have the nutritional information available for the recipe?
Hi Linda,
I don’t provide nutritional information. My best suggestion is to enter the ingredients into the app My Fitness Pal. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile/iphone
I made this recipe last night in my slow cooker. I converted it per the article and let it cook for 5 hours. The meat was incredibly tough and chewey. I let it cook another 2 hours. Same result. By that time it was time to go to bed… I figured what the heck, and with nothing to lose, let it cook overnight for another 5 hours.
When I woke up, it was done PERFECTLY. But that is a LONG way from the 3-4 hours promised in the recipe (more like 8-12 hours).
Oh – and by the way – it was DELICIOUS for breakfast!! 🙂
Hey Andy…unfortunately sometimes what’s labeled as pot roast can vary in terms of the cut of meat. I used a sirloin roast and it fell apart, but that could be due to the amount of intramuscular fat, etc or the exact cut you used. 8 to 12 hours is a long time for beef so I’m wondering if there’s something up with your slow cooker (could be taking longer to come up to temp). Admittedly, meat is very tough to gauge recipe-wise sometimes because it can vary based on age, diet (grass- vs grain-fed), and what the exact cut is. And the description gives a range of 5-6 hours minimum, with perhaps more time needed 🙂 In any case, glad there was a happy ending! A
Hello! How much less time do you think it would take for a chuck roast that is just over 2 lbs?
Maybe 2.5 hours instead of 3.
Would it work/taste alright to use thyme instead of parsley?
Yes but start with a smaller amount! Thyme is much more pungent than parsley. A few sprigs would probably be plenty.
Do you peel the rutabaga?
If it’s been dipped in wax, then yes. If not, then not usually. If you want, you can.
Oh, I thought this recipe was lost and never to be found again! So glad to find it again, because it’s so delicious. I am not generally a fan of fennel, but in this it is great! I like to add even more vegetables. Thanks!!
All the recipes are still here 🙂 Glad you like it!