I’m actually writing this on Saturday morning to post on Monday, and I’m wishing I’d done it last week because this easy keto balsamic beef pot roast recipe would be the perfect thing to be making today while winter storm Jonas is raging outside. ? ❄️ ⛄️
That being said, since it’s only January I’m sure you’ll have lots of other opportunities to make this Keto Balsamic Pot Roast recipe during snowstorms or otherwise. I have a feeling that once you’ve tried it you’ll be making this low carb pot roast recipe all the time like I do!
It’s a favorite with the Hungry Dudes (though I serve theirs with regular potatoes and mine with cheesy cauliflower puree) because it’s so tasty – it’s a favorite with me because it’s so easy and reheats well all week.
Everybody wins, and I love it when that happens. ?
Speaking of winning, guess who’s going to Belize for three weeks??
WE ARE! Woot! ✈️ ☀️ ? ? ?? ?
(Note to would be robbers – don’t waste your time. First of all we’re broke, because: Belize for three weeks. Also we’ll have a housesitter and my cats have violence issues. You’ve been warned.)
We leave on Saturday and are super excited for the trip! We’ll be on the island of Ambergris Caye in the town of San Pedro for most of the trip, with some side trips along the way. I’m bringing my laptop so I can post a weekly update with photos on Friday’s for anyone who is interested – assuming I can drag myself off the beach and reef long enough to spend even 10 minutes on the computer.
I’m not making any promises…
No worries though, I’m scheduling out some recipes to post while I’m gone – but even if I didn’t this easy beef pot roast is so easy and fantastic that you could just make this over and over all month and never miss me at all!
While I’m gone I’ll also be checking in once and awhile on social media – specifically Instagram where I’ll likely post lots of annoyingly sunny tropical photos of beautiful beaches and videos of us snorkeling.
Look away.
I should probably start packing soon, buuuut I’m the world’s best procrastinator so there’s that.
My to-do list is about 10 miles long, yet all I can think about is ☀️ ? ? ? ?? ? ?
I really do need to start chipping away at it though so I’m off to do that….
Soon….
Maybe one more coffee and you tube snorkeling video first….
Meanwhile you should totally make this easy balsamic beef pot roast! It’s my hand’s down favorite keto pot roast recipe EVAH.
As a side point, I first made this before I purchased my trusty Instant Pot, but now that I have it I make this pot roast in it all the time and it’s so easy and fast! I’ve included instructions on how to make pot roast in the Instant Pot below the regular instructions in the recipe section.
Keto Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast Recipe Video ??
Keto Balsamic Beef Pot Roast Notes:
I’ve updated the recipe to make it 40 minutes instead of 35 minutes as shown in the video, because some people have reported that their meat was not quite tender enough with the 35 minutes. I suspect this is because they used a larger roast or different cut of beef and failed to adjust the cooking time.
You need to pay attention to the weight of your roast. If it is larger than 3 pounds, it’s going to take a lot longer to cook and get tender. With a 2.5 – 3 pound boneless chuck roast, 35 – 40 minutes on high pressure is absolutely long enough to get tender chunks of pot roast. If you are looking for the meat to completely fall apart and shred, you should put it in for 50 minutes and allow for natural release of the steam, rather than quick release.
If you don’t have xanthan gum, arrowroot powder or konjac powder will work to thicken the gravy just as well.
For a creamy gravy, stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream after cooking.
Easy Keto Balsamic Beef Pot Roast
- Yield: 10 4 oz servings 1x
Description
This super easy and delicious low carb beef pot roast recipe can be made on the stove, in the slow cooker, or even in your Instant Pot! Keto, Atkins and Paleo friendly!
Ingredients
- One boneless chuck roast, approximately 3 lbs.
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black ground pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- Fresh parsley, chopped to garnish
Instructions
- Season the Chuck roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
- In a large heavy bottomed pan sear both sides of the roast until browned. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and cook for one minute.
- Add the water and onion to the pan. Bring to a boil.
- Cover and simmer on low for 3 to 4 hours.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pan to a large bowl. Break carefully into chunks and remove any large pieces of fat or other refuse.
- Whisk the xanthan gum into the broth and add the meat back to the pan.
- Serve over “Better Than Potatoes” Cheesy Cauliflower Purée, garnished with lots of fresh chopped parsley.
To make in the Instant Pot:
- Cut your chuck roast in half so you have two pieces. Season the roast with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder on all sides. Using the saute feature on the instant pot, brown the roast pieces on both sides.
- Add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1/2 cup onion to the meat. Cover and seal, then using the manual button set the timer for 40 minutes. When the timer runs out, release the pressure by moving the lever to the “venting” setting. Once all the pressure is released, uncover the pot.
- Carefully remove the meat from the pan to a large bowl. Break carefully into chunks and remove any large pieces of fat or other refuse.
- Use the saute function to bring the remaining liquid to a boil in the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce.
- Whisk in the xanthan gum, then add the meat back to the pan and stir gently.
- Turn off the heat and serve hot over cauliflower puree, garnished with lots of fresh chopped parsley.
- Category: Low Carb Beef Recipe
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup meat with sauce
- Calories: 393
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 3g net
- Protein: 30g
Can’t get enough delicious low carb recipes? Download all five of my e-cookbooks (over 150 delicious low carb recipes) for just $19.99 for a limited time!
Lynette Popowski says
Hi, the ingredients list says 2 cups of water then in instant pot method it says add 1 cup water?
Am I missing something..
Diana says
Seems like an easy question, but if I don’t want to make 10 servings and need only 5 would I cut everything in 1/2. Not just the amount of meat? Would all of the spices, etc. be 1/2 as well?
Sherri says
Would an Arm Roast work for this? If so, what adjustments to cooking time?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Not sure what an arm roast is?
Sher says
Yay!! I loved every bite served with riced cauliflower and steamed broccoli. To make, I got adventurous and used my pressure cooker, which was a wedding gift from 20 years ago. Shy of an intimidating piece of kitchen equipment, I think I only used it once before. Then wow! When I lifted the lid after only 30 minutes and discovered the meat was fall-apart tender and juicy, I thought “where have you been all my life!?”. Thank you for the awesome recipe, leading me to this little personal triumph. I’ll never fear the pressure cooker, or pot roast again. :-)
★★★★★
Cassandra says
It takes a while and you get really impatient because it smells so enticing but it’s totally worth the weight. I added extra balsamic vinegar, worchestershire sauce a balsamic glaze to mine and it was heavenly.
★★★★★
Enginerd says
Ding ding ding, folks we have a winner. I usually do the whole lotta spices, beef broth, bay leaves, etc… For ease and taste this will now be my go to pot roast recipe. I did add more xanthan gum to make it thicker, and did not add sour cream. Maybe I still will with the leftovers. I made it and served it with the cheesy cauli mash. Sunday dinner just became a whole lot easier.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Woohoo! 🙌🏻🎉
Sue S says
This was one of the best pot roasts I’ve made in my life. I did one cup of water and one cup of beef broth. Slow oven: 225 degrees for about 4-5 hours. My guys were so impressed. Thanks! Great recipe
Krystal says
This beef roast is divine, I used a slow cooker, came out perfectly. Thanks so much for the recipes
★★★★★
Suyeta Rose says
This made my day:
(Note to would be robbers – don’t waste your time. First of all we’re broke, because: Belize for three weeks. Also we’ll have a housesitter and my cats have violence issues. You’ve been warned.)
I will now have images of ninja cats in my head all day.
Also, incredible thanks for putting these recipes out here as well as the clean keto meal plan. You are an angel!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
ha ha forgot about that one! Ninja cats – I feel a cat costume party coming on! 😂
Martha says
Made this on the stovetop and it was SOOOOOO GOOOOD. I have way too much leftover and since I can’t invite friends over to enjoy it (quarantine!), I am wondering if this will freeze? I didn’t add the sour cream, so there’s no dairy. Any thoughts welcome! THANKS!
★★★★★
Kay says
Any cooked meats freeze well. If in freezer bags, just squeeze out as much excess air as possible. Cool in fridge before putting in the bag. Label with date put in freezer. Just don’t forget to eat it later before it gets freezer burn. That is the real trick. As they say, ask me how I know.
Anu says
This looks wonderful I love the idea of adding sour cream for the gravy. But can this be made in the slow cooker? If yes, at what setting (low or high) and for how long? Thanks :)
Karen N says
Super easy and incredibly delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
Nancy says
I did this one on the stove top, in my trusty Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Because I’ve had some very bad luck with cheap pot roast, I got a good cut from my local butchers rather than the grocery store. AND, I went the whole four hours because I like my pot roast to just fall apart, and at 7000 ft, things take longer to cook. It was EXCELLENT. I have leftovers that I love, and can pair with a vegetable for a quick and healthy meal. Thank you for sharing this one.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
So happy you enjoyed this recipe Nancy! I bet with a good roast from the butcher that it tasted amazing!
Carla says
Made this for dinner tonight. We loved it.
★★★★★
Denese says
I must be the only person in the world who detests balsamic vinegar. Any ideas for how to make this without that ingredient?
Elizabeth says
Try a dry red wine instead, like Cabernet Sauvignon.
Stephanie says
Made this last night and served it over the incomparable Cauliflower + Cheddar dish you’ve designed.
It was heavenly. This one is a real keeper!
★★★★★
Kareena says
Good, but a little too balsamic tasting for us. I think in the future I may use this but really cut down on the balsamic as it was too powerful last time. Meat was cooked well though.
★★★
Alana J says
This sounds great!! I have inputted this into the CarbManager app and my macros are higher than what you are showing here. Any insight on this? (showing 8net carbs, 12g of fat, and 29g of protein per serving).
Mellissa Sevigny says
There must be an error in their database. Literally impossible for their to be that many carbs in this recipe.
Laurie says
balsamic is pretty high in carbs
Karen says
Wow!! Just made this with roasted garlic mashed cauliflower. OMG!!!
Added rosemary and thyme before pressure cooking. 4# roast. 55 minutes cooking time. Added sour cream to gravy. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
(For roasted garlic cauliflower: cut CF into rosettes, toss with olive oil and salt, roast at 400F until brown on edges and soft along with a head of garlic that is separated, peeled, wrapped in foil with olive oil – once cooked – put all into food processor with some butter)
Christina says
This was so delicious!! I made it as written… So good! I will definitely make it again. Thank you!
Amy W says
Yum! I chose this as my first-ever Instant Pot recipe, and I’m so glad I did. It was absolutely delicious and the gravy was to die for! My roast was just a little over two pounds, so I cooked it for 30 minutes, and it was so tender. Next time, I just have to remember the onions!
★★★★★
Stephanie says
Rainy week in SoCal and wanted some warm, comfort food. Made this in my instant pot with some mashed cauliflower and Brussel sprouts. The roast was delicious and moist. Even though roast is not my kids fave, they ate with no complaints, which was an extra bonus. The only thing I did differently was to saute the onions and some chopped garlic after searing the roast since my kids don’t notice the onion taste or texture. The best part was the leftovers- YUM! Will be making this again!!
★★★★★
Nick says
Thanks, Mellissa! I followed your Instant Pot instructions exactly, and even though my roast only weighed 2 lbs, I did not adjust the seasoning or vinegar measurements, and it was yum yum tasty perfection. The only problem I ran into was the texture of the cooked meat. I cut the roast in half, per your instruction, browned each side for about 4 minutes, and I pressure-cooked on the high manual setting for 45 minutes with a quick pressure release. It was not fork-tender and didn’t pull apart like I’d hoped, and I think if cooked any longer, it might have dried out. Next time, I’ll try the same length of time but I’ll let the pressure release naturally, like you suggested. I’m still learning the timing and process, but the taste of it was enough to save your recipe for more uses. Thanks again!
Kitsy Abbott says
I had the exact same problem I have never had meat in the instant pot so tough. I cooked it longer and it was better but after spending lots on grass fed beef I would never use this recipe again. Back to slow cooking
★★
Kapu says
Crock pot directions? I’m not that lucky to have a IP yet. This looks yummy. Starting the 30DKC in a two weeks.
jmt says
. . im making this in the new year, in mom’s pot roast pan (she was always the lucky one) so im prepared to make this: win/lose or cook!
★★★★
Elana Kahan says
I don’t have an instant pot. Any idea how to make this in a regular pot in the stove?
Patricia Swenson says
SO delicious. I cut my roast into 3 pieces and it was falling apart, just the way I like it. The only other change I made was to let the pot do an NPR, because I was busy doing something else and didn’t get to release the pressure as soon as the cooking stopped.
★★★★
Margaret says
Will try again with about half the salt.My husband made this as directed and it was soooo salty I couldn’t enjoy it .
★★★
Cat says
Delish! I’ve made this with chuck roast and rump roast (when grass feed chuck roast was out of stock at the market). The rump requires a little extra time under pressure to reach the same tenderness as the chuck (about 10 minutes) and isn’t quite as flavorful but it still works. Served over creamed cauliflower ….it’s the bomb with either roast! The flavors are spot on! I’m a huge balsamic vinegar fan and this recipe suited my taste buds to a T. I have frozen the left overs in individual portions for lunches/dinners and they repeat nicely. Thank you sooo much for a quick, easy meal that’s perfect for a cold rainy day…or any day for that matter!
★★★★★
Shirley says
I used my instant pot for a 4 lb chuck roast and it was delicious. I cut the roast into 3 chunks, sauteed them in ghee for 5 minutes a side, added some minced garlic and onion, then pressure cooked for 50 minutes and 25 minutes natural release. Very tender and a great flavor. Thank you.
Kathy says
Loved this recipe. So fast and easy.
★★★★★
Sonja says
Putting out the positive energy vibe to attract that Instant Pot into my life! I’m always having to borrow the one my Mother owns. This recipe is top of the list! :)
Tammy Catterton says
wow what an awesome recipe to try love a good pot roast recipe to try. love new recipes to try for sure thanks
★★★★
Lynda says
Made this recipe tonight. Delicious!! Made the cheesy cauliflower too. Perfect combination. I used my crock pot, but followed the directions otherwise. My house has smelled amazing all day. Highly recommend. Thank you Mellissa. I’m such a fan!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Glad it was a hit Lynda, thanks for letting me know!!! ?
Talia Wheeler says
Hi! How did you do the recipe in the crockpot? We don’t have an Instant Pot. Thanks!
Gina says
I made for this dinner and it was delicious! I paired w your cauliflower mash recipes and it was big hit w my hubby. Thank you!
★★★★★
Darla Peduzzi says
I just pinned your recipe for Easy Keto Balsamic Beef Pot Roast. It looks so good and I was so surprised what I thought were massed potatoes was mashed cauliflower. Definitely going to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Beverly Slocum says
Mellisa, this is the best! I made it in my instant pot on high pressure for 1 hour. It was delicious. I served the meat and sauce over potatoes for my non Keto husband. He loved it.
Veronica Jacob says
Fantastic recipe!!!! I’ve never made a chuck roast before, and to be completely honest, cooking meat intimidates me. But I used the instapot, followed this recipe, and BAM!! Juicy, flavorful, delicious, and two BIG thumbs up from the mister!!
★★★★★
Kayla says
This came out pretty good! I made it in the crock pot, and made a few changes.
I seared the roast, then deglazed the pan and browned the onions in the balsalmic. I added some Rosemary, thyme, and salt to the onions. Then I placed whole, crushed garlic cloves in the Crock-Pot that I removed after. I also used broth instead of water. Placed the onions in, set to low and cooked for 8 hours.
The recipe seemed like it needed just a little extra flavor.
Will keep this on my permanent rotation!
★★★★
Clare says
Thanks for the crock pot advice – mines in right now and smells good!
★★★★★
Sue says
Love this pot roast! Was simple, fast and delicious. Thanks for the tip on xanthin gum. It worked great with no flavor change. Cajan was good also, but a little hot so next time I will cut back on some of the heat spices. Next on the list is the Asian Pot Roast! I am looking forward to it.
★★★★★
Halle crane says
Can I change beef for pork? Would it come out well?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Should work fine, slightly different flavor profile but still tasty I’m sure.
Elinor says
Another plug for giving the Instant Pot cooking another 15 minutes, at least. The flavor was excellent but the meat was rubbery after 35 minutes on medium pressure. So, five stars if you cook the meat for longer, I suspect.
★★★★★
Sheri Winston says
1 cup of water or 2? The ingredients list says 2, but the IP recipe directions say 1.
Dawn says
Instant pot takes less liquid. :)
Kendo says
I’ve tried this recipe 4 times now and the 4th time I thought I’d give the instant pot directions a shot. The stove top directions are perfect, but I’ve had to do a bit of baby-sitting to make sure the gravy doesn’t completely evaporate. I suspect my pots just aren’t forming a tight enough seal, but either way, we usually end up with just the meat by the end (which is totally fantastic and has little bits of balsamic char around the whole roast adding a ton of flavor). The instant pot directions are a big miss though. As others have noted, 35 mins is just not long enough to get the same tenderness of meat. I’m going to give it another go at a longer time and not use the quick-release to see if it makes it better, but if it doesn’t work out, I’ll just go back to the stove top method.
★★★★★
Becky Whitcomb says
My roast was rubbery and flavorless. I will change my rating when I try again with a different roast, if another cut of meat tastes better than this one. I used my Instant Pot, and followed the directions to a T. We bought several cuts of meat from local farmer, with free range, organic fed animals, and some cuts were absolutely delicious and tender, and a couple of the steaks (and most likely this roast) were tough and bland.
The juice had a great flavor!
★
Mellissa Sevigny says
If you suspect the roast then why give this one star? Just wondering.
Amy says
SO very delicious! The meat was so tender!! I didn’t make the gravy.
!
★★★★★
Tasty Diva says
This was my fourth IP recipe I have made and it was delicious (first being your fall apart short ribs yumyum).The whole family enjoyed this and and even went for seconds. I always read comments so these are the adjustments/additions I made.
I only had 2 1/2 Ibs meat but I still followed the receipt to the T except I added 1 bay leaf and about 8 fresh garlic smashed. I only used 1 cup of water instead of the 2 cups and cooked it for 45 min on high. Then let it natural release. When I opened my IP and took out the meat it was so tender it was falling apart. The smell was heavenly and the taste was glorious. I only used half of the Liquid that was left behind after cooking the meat to make the sauce. Then I sprinkled the xanthan iand thickened the sauce. It was wonderful over the meat that was tender. I will be making this again and again.
★★★★★
Melissa says
Anyone try this with a frozen chuck cut down to 4 pieces? How much more time in an IP would input it in for?
Thanks so much!
Savannah says
Can I substitute something else for the xanthan gum?
MR says
Generally cornstarch, but since this is a keto recipe, I believe Mellissa was probably trying to steer clear of it. Any thickener would work. Or, you could honestly leave it out – it just won’t be as thick. If you google Xanthan gum substitutes, there are some decent options.
Patrice Jones says
Arrowroot powder is my go to thickener.
Susan says
This is a WONDERFUL recipe! the BEST pot roast ever!!! Honestly, my husband and I could have gobbled up the lot in one sitting! Luckily, we showed some restraint and had the rest for lunch the next day!
CAUTION: You are going to want to pick at the leftovers all evening! :)
★★★★★
Tara says
Thank you so very much for this recipe, Mellissa!!! We’re just coming into the cooler weather in my part of Australia, so this was an absolutely perfect, easy, and DELICIOUS dinner for the family.
I only had a 750g (1.6lbs?) cut of beef, but used the same cooking time (4 hours on high in the slow cooker) and it was melt-in-your-mouth tender ❤️ Served on a bed of cauliflower mash and green beans. Keto never tasted so good haha.
Mellissa Sevigny says
So glad it was a hit Tara!!!
Erin says
Mellissa!
I LOVE all of your recipes and I’m very excited to give this one a shot since chuck roast is on sale this week at my local grocery store! I’ll be doing it in the crockpot instead of on the stove/instant pot, but I’m sure it will be FANTASTIC! Oh, and I’ll be making DF mashed cauliflower to go with! I’m drooling on my lunch break as I’m thinking about the meal plan for Wednesday! Thanks for being awesome :)
Brooke says
Hi-for the manual pressure in the IP, should I use high or low temp? Thanks!
AP says
This was my 3rd InstantPot recipe (meatballs-yum, crack chicken-yum) this pot roast-yuck! Followed directions perfectly. When it was done and I was cutting up the meat I found it smelled like “meat” and VERY tough. I added another 10min thinking this would help. No…. very tough. The edges were good and I cut it in half as recommended but… yuck.
Would NOT recommend. Wasted $18 on a chuck roast and poor animal died for this mess.
:(
Mellissa Sevigny says
I doubt you followed the directions perfectly or like everyone else who tries this recipe you would have gotten excellent results.
Vanessa says
I actually triple checked and followed the directions exactly, and mine was quite tough, but I read the comments all the way down and some had said they encountered the same thing, so I’ve just returned to to the pot for another 15 and we’ll see how that works. I did taste before putting it back in and it was a wonderful taste.
I thank you for sharing with us your recipes that you have obviously taken great care to create! AND you’re awesome to list all the various methods of cooking! That’s beyond generous of your time ?
Kim says
I have never been able to do a roast in the instant pot. Never turns out
Sher says
I followed to a T as well. I roasted in an oven. The meat turned out wonderfully, meaning very tender and fell right apart It was the flavor that was not good. I found that much balsamic vinegar made it too strong of a flavor and the meat flavor itself was drowned out.
I must say, I’m not fond of your responses to people who comment here if it’s not in your favor. I find you quite rude which is why I’ll look elsewhere for recipes. Lord knows there’s plenty on the internet.
★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
If you roasted in the oven then it’s going to cause liquid to evaporate which will concentrate the vinegar flavor. When made in the instant pot as directed you wouldn’t have had that problem.
Becki says
She’s, with this recipe shared over 28,000 times, I’m sure she’s doing something right. I think you’re extremely rude with your comment. With billions of people on the internet, you leaving isn’t going to hurt one bit.
Fantastic recipe btw ☺️
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much for the support Becki! ?
Marsha says
My first attempt did not go well. I seared the meat added the ingredients set the time and walked away. When I came back there was a mess in the pot. I knew something wasn’t right so I did it again. My seal was off in the Instant Pot so it didn’t seal correctly hence the meat did not cook correctly. 2nd roast was yummy. Moral of the story, if you get results inconsistent with other reviews maybe, just maybe, it’s something on your end. Just sayin’
★★★★★
Anelya says
This was very easy and simple stew. After my first success with a recipe from this blog, I bravely jumped onto next one and it just did not come out right. The stew lacked depth and while it was pretty simple – brown meat, deglaze with balsamic and boil for 3 hours, sadly it came out one dimensional
I served it with the cheesy cauliflower puree – that was yummy.
Ryan Cotten says
Is it possible to double this in the instapot? 6lbs of meat?
Thanks,
Ryan
Joel Embry says
1st IP recipe. 1st low carb recipe that turned out well and tasted good. I still haven’t made the plunge however and couldn’t resist putting this over rice. I’ll start my diet tomorrow I always say :)
★★★★★
Crunch says
I think once I play with the cook time, it will be a five star recipe. The flavor is great! It’s a simple recipe and we all loved the taste. Now for cook time, 35 min with QR makes for a much less tender roast. Next time I’ll go 45 min with 15 minute NR… I’m sure that will work well. It’s more inline with every other twist revote I’ve done under pressure.
Thank you!!
★★★★
Crunch says
Gah! I hate autocorrect! “Roast recipe”
Erika says
I’m going to try your times next time – thanks! I made this recipe for dinner tonight, and the flavor was fabulous but it just wasn’t as tender as I wanted. Thanks again for the suggestion!
★★★★★
Jem says
Have to agree it wasn’t tender enough with 35min and QR. And I didn’t even quite have a 3lb roast. I will try 45min and 15NR next time. Thanks for the suggestion! That said the recipe itself was good and flavors were delicious. :)
Gayle says
HI Mellissa,
I am new to the LCHF eating, so am just learning. This recipe looks awesome! I have a weird question, that you may not know the answer to, but I thought I’d ask anyway. My husband is not doing LCHF, so if I make this, I need to throw some cut up potatoes into the pot. Do you think just cooking potatoes with the beef and other ingredients will increase the carb count for me? I won’t eat any of the potatoes of course. Thanks for any answer you may have. :)
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
The potato starch and carbs will definitely leach into the broth giving you a lot of carbs without the satisfaction of actually eating the potatoes – I’d cook them separate and serve the roast over them for your hubby.
Gayle says
Ok, thanks for answering! :)
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Oh for PETE’S SAKE use your head! MFP is notoriously inaccurate and it’s obvious based on the ingredients list that there is NO WAY a 4 ounce portion of this recipe is going to be 35g net carbs! My numbers are correct – I know this because I spend a LOT of extra time calculating the ingredients individually and adding them up manually to get the right number for all of my recipes, rather than plugging it into a database like MFP that is loaded with errors and averages and spits out random numbers that are wrong more than they are right. I’m “very disappointed” and downright angry that you come here and drop this comment claiming my recipes aren’t keto and that I’m misleading people and causing them to waste money! All based on some faulty and so obviously wrong number that you got from MFP and didn’t bother to question before coming here and making accusations!
Jeanie says
When I imported your recipe this is what came of it. I have found the error it is with the garlic powder which created all the carbs….My apologizes for a MFP malfunction.
Flabbergasted says
Whoa….even if you were upset by the post there are surely better ways you could have responded. More diplomacy less vitriol. I actually was not going to try the recipe based on this response. As a business woman, you should know that everything you put out there is a reflection of you, and even if you are upset you should do your best to deal with negativity in a constructive manner.
I’m trying this recipe and the cauliflower too, but wow.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You’re absolutely right. I let this person get to me and it showed. I hope that you enjoy the recipes regardless.
Larry says
Sheesh. I can’t even get to sleep. All I keep thinking about is Basalmic pot roast.
Larry says
First IP recipe! Yay! That was sooo good….. I braised mine in organic butter and squished a few cloves of fresh garlic to soak into the meat and holy Mary Mother of God Sweet Baby Jesus that was the best pot roast and gravy that I have ever had. This was supposed to kick off my new Paleo diet but I absolutely cannot stop eating it! Yes. It’s that good. Thank you, I think. I’ll have to go somewhere else for my next recipe so I can make something which isn’t so damn good that I eat it all before I can store the leftovers!
Toni says
If I’m making a smaller roast (probably about 1 1/2 lb) do I half the other ingredients too? Thanks
Joel Embry says
1/2 the meat, 1/2 the other ingredients (except maybe the spices)
Claudine Czerny says
Melissa – you are my fave low carb blogger! I need more instant pot recipes from you please! I only trust yours :)
Suzy says
Hi there , do you think Guar gum would work in this ?? Thankyou ?
Gina Scavonne says
This was delicious! Reminded me of Saurbraten which I love! I made mine with stew beef cubes in my instant pot and over potatoes. Would have been grate with some pickled cabbage but now I know for next time because it’s definitely going to be a repeat! Thank you!!
Sara says
This was delicious! I used 2 cups beef broth and put my dutch oven in a 300 degree oven for about 4 hours. The roast was FALLING apart. Can’t wait for leftovers :-) Thanks again for what you do.
★★★★★
Stacy says
Has anyone replaced the water called for in this recipe with beef broth?
Sara says
Yes. I replaced the water with 2 cups beef broth. Turned out great!
Jeff says
I used homemade chicken bone broth and it was fabulous!
Melanie Martinez says
YES! Easy Balsamic Pot Roast is the one I’ll try first! My mouth is watering… while I eat Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin Recipe for BREAKFAST!
★★★★★
Ms Maggie Maye says
I made this last week when the planned Roast Beef turned into the Boyfriend getting a 3 lb of Chuck. Did it in the slow cooker replacing water with low sodium beef broth and added in about 1/4 Dry Sherry, and some thyme sprigs I had. Came out more flavorful than I thought. Once it was done, I pulled the beef apart and added in a lb of roasted button tomatoes and a pint of roasted grape tomatoes, simmered in a skillet, added the xanthan gum and it was a delicious lunch all week! Definitely would do again!
★★★★★
Kimm says
I can’t believe how good this is. Served it over basmati rice w/ fresh parsley. Still can’t believe how good this is.
★★★★★
Kate says
I’m making this today. It’s been on the stove about an hour and half so far and smells amazing. I plan to use sour cream rather than a thickening agen. There’s just two of us, so the left overs will become a shepherd’s pie tomorrow.
wendy says
This was easy and delicious – thank you!
Kathy Shires says
Wait… So you brown the meat….take it out of the pan …..them make sauce…. Put the meat back in the pan after boiling it and then cook all together in the oven? Sorry…just want to be clear. Would like to do I’m the oven.
Belinda says
Well, I just made this and OH MY GOODNESS!!! Delish!! Super tasty and super easy! The balsamic vinegar really gives this it’s amazing flavor, and the “potatoes”? Thy are aptly named!! They WERE better than mashed potatoes. So much flavor. I had bought a 1- 1/2 lb roast (It’s just me) and it was already reduced and I wasn’t going to use it right away so I stuck it in the freezer. A few days later, I pulled that and another hunk of pork out to look for something and the next morning saw that I had not put them back! Yikes. I still was not planning to cook it yet so I stuck it back in the freezer knowing I was committing a big no no. Well, I’m sure under ideal circumstances the meat would have been super tender, but mine was wonderful none the less. Thank you for all of the recipes, I am working very hard to bring my A1C level down below a 6.0, and I have only had one cheat day (ok, ok, cheat weekend) since May 1st and get I get tested again August 1st. With all of these fantastic foods, it has been very easy. Since May, I have lost 17 lbs! I wouldn’t mind losing about 10 more, that would be ideal AND, more importantly, match my drivers licence weight. Here’s another bonus, some gals at my workplace started a weight loss challenge, and it just so happened to start May 1 and end August 1. There’s $220 at stake, think I’ll win??
★★★★★
Belinda says
Thanks to your Jamaican Jerk pork roast recipe, I now own an instant pot! I’d not thought too much about pressure cookers until I saw that recipe and I certainly didn’t know there were electric ones. Back in the 80’s I had one for the stove top. Scary! I had made a chicken recipe and could never get it open after that! Somewhere, in a landfill, sits a pressure cooker with some interesting contents inside! Thanks for this recipe, I’m making it for sure!
Mellissa Sevigny says
You’re going to love the Instant Pot Belinda!!!! I miss mine so much!!!
Jodie says
Hi,
How long does this take in a slow cooker?
Also, do you still sear the meat in a pan and then add to the slow cooker?
Looking forward to trying this :)
Thanks
Mellissa Sevigny says
Definitely sear it first for the best flavor Jodie, and depending on the size of your roast, 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high should do it!
Jodie says
Thanks Melissa, trying this today :)
Jodie says
Damn auto correct!
I did type ‘Mellissa’ :)
Ryanne says
Does this freeze well?
Christina says
How about the crockpot? Or do you think it would somehow not be as flavorful?
Christine says
Can I use a regular (non electronic) pressure cooker? I don’t have an electronic. Same time?
By the way – Mellissa, love you! So many great recipes and entertaining introductions! My gut is happier with your advice!!!
Enjoy Belize!! Super vacation!!!☀️☀️☀️
Bacon & butter friendly culture, gotta love it!!!
Judith says
Christine, This isn’t my blog but you can use the old style pressure cooker and depending on what the weight of the pressure element is, 10 or 15 pounds, the heavier it is, the less time it will take. My cooker has a low and high pressure function. I always use the high except to hard cook eggs when I use the low pressure. I would suggest you try the same time, 35 minutes, and if the meat seems to still be a little tough, either build up the pressure and add 15 minutes OR the next time you try the recipe, increase the time if it was a little tough with 35 minutes.
Judith says
It is SO much nicer to have the electric pressure cookers like Instant Pot!! I grew up with the old ones and one time, when we entered the house and the door banged a bit hard, dinner ended up on the ceiling!! Very scary time for the dog who ran out of the house and didn’t stop until he hit the sidewalk! Those were the days. But we survived. I cook almost everything in my cooker of a different brand name.
★★★★★
Cristina says
Yeah! I’m so excited that you got an Instant Pot! I love love love mine and I love when other people make amazing recipes for it! Happy Vacation!
Toria says
I 2nd that, Cristina! So happy to see the low-carb recipe with Instant Pot directions. I LOVE my Instant Pot so much that I bought a 2nd one! I use it for as many recipes as possible. Thank you, Melissa and have a great trip!
Toria says
So sorry, Mellissa that I spelled your name wrong!
Mellissa Sevigny says
No problem Toria, I don’t know what my mother was thinking with the 2 ll’s – most have just one so it gets misspelled all the time and I’m used to it! :)
Karen L. says
This looks yummy even though I’m not looking for low carb. I don’t have xanthan gum. How much cornstarch or flour would do the trick?
Thanks so much!
Karen L. says
Also, I’ve started following you on Pinterest because all your recipes look so good! I watch my carbs, even though I can’t say I’m really DOING low carb!
Mellissa Sevigny says
1 Tbsp of cornstarch mixed into some of the liquid and then poured back in should do it Karen!
Karen L. says
Thank you so much! I’ll be trying this soon. The first of many of your recipes I will be making.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hopefully you’ll enjoy it and it won’t be the last! ;)
Kate says
This looks excellent. I’m going to add this to next week’s menu !
★★★★★
Muna Kenny says
Hope you enjoy the trip and thanks for sharing this recipe, the beef looks tender!
Mitzi says
Love your site and getting your emails. Can I use a dutch oven and then bake? If yes, how long? Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes! Sear the meat, then add the liquids and bring to a boil, then cover and bake at 350 for about 4 hours or until the meat is tender!
Elizabeth Fitzaurice says
I do my pot roasts in the oven (in a dutch oven tightly covered) at 350*F, for 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on how thick it is. That’s for a 3 lb. chuck roast. It always comes out perfecto!
★★★★★
Mike S. says
Great recipe, but this heat recommendation for the oven is very excessive, in my experience. I made this today (using 2 3 lb roasts halved) and set the oven to 340º for the first half hour, then checked the liquid temperature and it was starting to boil. I turned the heat down to 250 for the remaining 45 minutes but this cooked the roast way too fast and it was overdone. I’m going to try setting the oven at 200º next time and then I think it might be a true low, slow cook for 2.5-3 hours.
★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
This roast is meant to be cooked until it falls apart and is very tender – if you want a roast that is sliceable then I suppose doing it your way would get those results.
Jeanette says
Have a fantastic trip :) I love Belize.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Jeanette! It will be our first time there and we are really excited about it!
Kelli says
How long would you think to cook this in the crockpot ? Sounds so yummy , I can’t wait to try it!
Mellissa Sevigny says
4 hours on high should do it!
movita beaucoup says
I don’t think robbers eat low carb or gluten free. You should be fine.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You know, I didn’t think of that but you’re probably right! I guess I don’t need to booby trap the front door now…
Gayle Moeller says
Can I ask a question about the xanthan gum? I’ve not used it to thicken sauces before, the first time I tried I just dropped a teaspoon in my soup and whisked, after a minute of vigorous whisking I found a teaspoon size white blob in my soup which was the xanthan gum still in its teaspoon shape, so I plucked it out and threw it away. The second time I tried to mix it with a bit of tepid water first, then whisked the goo into my soup. This worked a little better, but not great. Both times I was making Jalapeno Popper Soup, if that makes a difference.
Maybe arrowroot would work better for me, I’ve historically used sweet rice flour or cornstarch for thickening graves and sauces.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Gayle
Mellissa Sevigny says
Maybe because the popper soup was so thick and it had nothing to dissolve into – not sure Gayle, whisking usually does the trick for me! It might have been the brand you are using though I don’t know if it matters. Arrowroot is another good option if you have it.
Gayle Moeller says
Thanks Melissa, the brand I’m using is Bob’s Red Mill. I’ll have to try hardworking next time.
Vivianne says
Try dissolving it first into a bit of olive oil! :-)
Valeria says
Vivian is correct. Xanthan gum will immediately bind to any moisture and start to expand. You end up with a glob of glue with no way for the inside powder to spread out and the water seeps in and turns the whole amount to a ball of gum. By dissolving the powder into an oil first, you can more easily distribute it among your liquid and it will slowly take up liquid and be more even. sprinkling it over the liquid as a fine mist while you whisk the liquid works as well but is more intensive and easier to accidentally drop a load in. When I use Xanthan gums for soups, I sprinkle it over the oil sauteed meats and veggies and stir it in BEFORE adding the broth. It always works.
Mary Anna says
The trick with xanthan is to use just a tiny bit (more like 1/8 or 1/4 of a teaspoon – a whole teaspoon would be make it uber thick), and it mixes best with a bit of fat. The liquid from the meat will have fat, so should whisk in nicely. You could also take like a quarter cup of the liquid out, mix that with the xanthan until incorporated, then mix it back in with the rest of the liquid and simmer a bit. But mostly – don’t plop a clump in. sprinkling works better than plopping. :)
Gayle Moeller says
Mary Ann, I tried your suggested sprinkling technique and it worked a treat, thank you for suggesting it!
Mary Anna says
yay! glad to hear. :)
Shannon Strickland Brown says
You could always add some butter!! This sounds awesome!
Claudine says
Can you sub something for xantham gum? I’m allergic. Or skip it?
Mellissa Sevigny says
You can use arrowroot or another thickener – or skip it and it will be thinner, but just as good!
Judith says
I also always set my electric pressure cooker on high whenever I’m doing a beef roast such as this. I am old fashioned of German heritage so I use contained-in-a-tea-mesh pickling spice for a sauerbraten taste. Just a preferen But I agree — low carb is not about adding a lot of other veggies. Muddies up the carb calculation waters. Great idea — hadn’t thought sauerbrautaten in a while.
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sauerbraten is a great idea Judith, might make one myself soon too!!!
Terri says
Do you change your Instant Pot setting from Saute to Low or High Pressure for the 35 minutes? This looks so good. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks! Have fun on vacation!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes – sorry if that wasn’t clear! My instant pot I set to Manual and then plug in the 35 minutes. If you have the option to set the pressure I’d go with high!
Angela says
I’m making this right now (my first IP dish ever). I followed the steps but after 35 minutes on high pressure it’s tough and still mostly pink in the middle. Based on your pictures I was expecting it to be really tender and cooked through. I can’t figure out what I did wrong. Any ideas? Since I’m in the midst of it I recovered and went for another 15 minutes on high pressure. This will be interesting. :)
Angela says
haha.. re-covered.. it’s yet to be determined if I actually recovered. ;)
Angela says
It’s still tough :( . I’m going for another 15 minutes. Anyone?
Betz says
I did mine for 90 minutes, and it’s absolutely delicious! I did 90 minutes because every other pot roast I’ve ever cooked in the instant pot said 90 minutes! Give it another try! I was glad I cooked mine on the trivet because the meat would’ve completely fallen apart had I tried to remove it with tongs!
DK says
Same thing happened to me :(
★★★
Vicky says
I just made thus today and after 35 minutes mine was tough too. I put it back in for 15 minutes and it was perfect
★★★★★
Laurie tobin says
I did the same… After 35 minutes it was still tough so I put it back in for another 25. I have a question the recipe calls for 2 cups of h2o but the directions only use 1 cup????
Mellissa Sevigny says
Are you sure you were on high pressure and not low pressure? I can’t imagine needing another 25 on top of the original 35 if it was set to high pressure?
Nick says
I had the same issue with a tough roast tonight. I suspect it has to do with the recipe calling for a quick release at the end. I suspect a full natural release would result in it coming out more tender. I really enjoyed the flavor of the recipe though, so I’ll probably give it another try with natural release.
helene says
I lways put veggies in my pot roast pan and bake it in the oven. That way they get all the flavorings too. Garlic, celery, carrots, turnips, celery, whole shrooms, brussel sprouts; maybe rutabaga, acorn squash or sweet potato for the carb-eaters. I want that meat to flavor as much veggie as I can get out of it! Gravy over the top just isnt the same as vegs roasted/braised in with meat, then with pan juices or gravy over them Y.U.M.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I don’t disagree Helene but I do like the pure, rich flavor of this version and without the extra veggies in the mix it’s easier to count the carbs for the gravy as well! But yes to all of the veggies you mentioned as well!
Becky says
I had a 4.5 lb chuck roast so I cut it into 3 equal pieces. It turned out superb, this will be my go-to pot roast recipe from now on! My husband who dislikes most pot roasts because they are “too” done, raved over it.
I am an experienced IP user so I knew that I needed to deglaze the pot after browning the beef to keep from getting a “burn” notice. After deglazing with 1 cup beef broth (I subbed that for the water), I added the balsamic vinegar, the chopped up onion and then placed the 3 pieces of beef on top of that. I allowed for a 10 minute natural release.
My family doesn’t think a pot roast is a pot roast without veggies so after releasing the pressure, I removed the beef to a large pan and tented it with aluminum foil. I then added baby carrots and red potatoes cut in half to the pot and cooked on high for 3 minutes followed by a QR. I then removed the veggies and added them to the dish with the beef. I then followed your instructions again, cooking down the liquid and then thickening it. I then poured the yummy gravy over the roast and the veggies. I have a gorgeous photo of it but I don’t know how to share it here.
Also, I hope you don’t mind, I added this recipe to Carb Manager for my own use.
★★★★★
kathleen says
this looks yummy!
And, don’t you have a big beastie family member who packs a gun and know karate stay at your house when you go out of town? *wink* *wink*
;)