How to Season Pot Roast

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: October 25, 2021 References

Preparing a pot roast can be time-consuming, but the flavorful, fall-off-your-fork meat you get in the end makes it all worth it. Making a pot roast involves searing some beef and then slow roasting it for several hours with your choice of vegetables. While the cooking process for pot roast is usually the same, the seasonings you use don’t have to be. You can experiment with all kinds of different seasonings depending on the flavor you’re going for, from savory to spicy to tangy and sweet, and you can easily prepare a seasoning mix right at home.

Ingredients

Classic Pot Roast Seasoning

2 teaspoons (6.2 gram) of garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2.3 grams) of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon (0.07 grams) of parsley flakes

Makes enough seasoning for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef

Sweet and Tangy Sauce

1 cup (240 mL) of ketchup
¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of red wine
1 envelope of brown gravy mix
2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 grams) of garlic powder

Makes enough sauce for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef

Cajun Seasoning

2 tablespoons (19.4 grams) of garlic powder
2 tablespoons (6 grams) of Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons (13.6 grams) of paprika
2 tablespoons (16.5 grams) of salt
1 tablespoon (14.8 grams) of pepper
1 tablespoon (5.3 grams) of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon (2.7 grams) of dried thyme
1 tablespoon (6.9 grams) of onion powder

Makes enough seasoning for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef with extra left over

Ranch Seasoning

1 cup (96 grams) of powdered whey
1/2 cup (62.4 grams) of dehydrated minced onions
1/2 cup (3.2 grams) of parsley
1 tablespoon (9.7 grams) of garlic powder
1 tablespoon (6.9 grams) of onion powder
3 teaspoons (3 grams) of chives
1 (0.19 grams) teaspoon of dill weed
1/2 teaspoon (2.47 grams) of pepper.

Makes enough seasoning for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef with extra left over

Pot Roast Marinade

3 tablespoons (37.5 grams) of brown sugar
2 teaspoons (4.33 grams) of ground whole cloves
2 teaspoons (4 grams) of allspice
2 teaspoons (5.2 grams) of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (1.38 grams) of salt
1 teaspoon (4.93 grams) of black pepper

Makes enough marinade for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:
Making Your Own Seasoning

1
Use garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley flakes for a classic seasoning. For 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef, use 2 teaspoons (6.2 gram) of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon (2.3 grams) of onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon (0.07 grams) of parsley flakes. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix them together before using your seasoning.^{[1]
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- You can use more or less of each seasoning depending on your preference and how much meat you’re roasting.
2
Make a ketchup- and wine-based sauce for a sweet and tangy pot roast. Add 1 cup (240 mL) of ketchup, ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of red wine, 1 envelope of brown gravy mix, 2 teaspoons (9.9 mL) of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of Worcestershire sauce, and 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 grams) of garlic powder to a bowl. Then, stir everything until the sauce is thoroughly combined. The sauce should be enough for 3 pounds (1.4 kg) of beef.^{[2]
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Tip: If you don’t want to use red wine, you can use ¹⁄₄ cup (59 mL) of beef broth instead and still get the same sweet and tangy flavor.
3
Try using cajun seasoning to make a pot roast with a kick. You can use store-bought cajun seasoning, or you can make your own by mixing 2 tablespoons (19.4 grams) of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons (6 grams) of Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons (13.6 grams) of paprika, 2 tablespoons (16.5 grams) of salt, 1 tablespoon (14.8 grams) of pepper, 1 tablespoon (5.3 grams) of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon (2.7 grams) of dried thyme, and 1 tablespoon (6.9 grams) of onion powder. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly.^{[3]
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- This recipe should make more than enough seasoning for a 3 lb (1.4 kg) pot roast. You can use more or less depending on how spicy you want your pot roast to be.
4
Use ranch seasoning to make pot roast with a subtle, savory flavor. A store-bought ranch seasoning packet will work, or you can make your own ranch seasoning by mixing together 1 cup (96 grams) of powdered whey, 1/2 cup (62.4 grams) of dehydrated minced onions, 1/2 cup (3.2 grams) of parsley, 1 tablespoon (9.7 grams) of garlic powder, 1 tablespoon (6.9 grams) of onion powder, 3 teaspoons (3 grams) of chives, 1 (0.19 grams) teaspoon of dill weed, and 1/2 teaspoon (2.47 grams) of pepper.^{[4]
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Research source} For even more flavor, mix your ranch seasoning with some Italian seasoning and brown gravy mix.^{[5]
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- This recipe will make 1 1/2 cups of ranch seasoning, which is more than enough for a 3 lb (1.4 kg) pot roast. You can cut the recipe in half, or you can save the extra seasoning to use in other dishes.
5
Make a brown sugar marinade for a tender, sweet pot roast. Marinating a pot roast will require more prep time, but the extra flavor may be worth it if you have time to spare. To make an easy marinade for your pot roast, combine 3 tablespoons (37.5 grams) of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons (4.33 grams) of ground whole cloves, 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of allspice, 2 teaspoons (5.2 grams) of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (1.38 grams) of salt, and 1 teaspoon (4.93 grams) of black pepper in a large bowl. Then, put the beef in the marinade and refrigerate it for 12 hours.^{[6]
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- If you marinate your beef, there’s no need to season it again before or during the cooking process.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:
Applying Seasoning to a Pot Roast

1
Wait to add your seasoning until after you sear the beef. Most pot roast recipes will have you sear the beef on both sides in a pan with some olive oil before you slow cook it. If your recipe calls for this, do it before you add your seasoning so you’re not losing a lot of it in the pan or affecting the flavor.^{[7]
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- An exception to this is salt and pepper. It’s normal to sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of the meat before searing it. If your recipe doesn’t call for searing the meat, or if you’d prefer your pot roast without salt and pepper, you can leave it out.
2
Season the pot roast right before you slow roast it. Adding your seasoning of choice should be one of the final steps before you cover the meat and let it roast. Once you’ve seared the meat, cooked any vegetables you’ll be including, and added everything to the pot, you’re ready to season the pot roast. Simply sprinkle the seasoning over the meat and then put the lid on the pot.^{[8]
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- If you’re seasoning the pot roast with a marinade, you can just put the meat in the pot and then roast it (after searing it, depending on your recipe).
3
Garnish your pot roast with fresh rosemary and thyme for extra flavor. You don’t have to garnish your pot roast, but it can enhance the flavor and final presentation. Just take some fresh rosemary and thyme and slide your fingers down the sprigs to pull off the leaves and needles. Then, use a knife to chop the leaves and needles into small pieces before sprinkling them over your finished pot roast.^{[9]
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Tip: You can also garnish your pot roast with other vegetables and herbs, like chopped green onions, fresh parsley, and chopped garlic.