Whiskey Pot Roast
Whiskey Pot Roast is the classic family favorite taken to new levels in both flavor and ease making dinnertime a real crowd pleaser. With meal prep this easy, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights but is tasty enough for company.
Teriyaki Beef Udon Noodles and Beef Stroganoff are two of our favorite easy beef recipes that the whole family will love.
Why add whiskey to pot roast?
Flavor! Pure and simple flavor.
Contrary to some reports, whiskey and alcohol in general does not tenderize meat. But it does great as a marinade and flavor enhancer.
We’re not using whiskey as a marinade but as part of the ingredients that make the gravy. If you’re not a fan of the taste of whiskey, don’t fret, it is muted and basically unnoticeable, but what it does do is embolden the flavors of everything else. It’s quite remarkable.
I was worried that the whiskey would be strong causing the family, especially the kids, to not enjoy this recipe, but that was not the case. The whole family loved it; amazing flavor. It’s now one of our favorite recipes.
Recipe ingredients
- Beef Roast —we used a top round rump roast. We recommend a roast between 2 1/4 and 3 lbs, but if it’s larger, it will take a bit longer to cook and you could have several meals in leftovers.
- Produce — baby gold potatoes, carrots (or baby carrots), green beans, a large onion, and button mushrooms.
- Seasonings — salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. You can use garlic powder instead of granulated.
- Gravy — cream of mushroom soup, beefy onion soup mix packets, and Jack Daniel’s whiskey.
- Oil — we used olive oil, but any high heat cooking oil will do.
How to make Whiskey Pot Roast
Note: we used a convection oven which tends to cook faster than a conventional oven. The cut of your beef roast will also factor into the total cook time.
Step 1 — Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the roast dry with paper towels then season on all sides with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Heat the Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil. Sear beef on all sides of the roast
Step 2 —Add the potatoes and carrots around the roast.
Step 3 — Add the trimmed green beans over the potatoes and carrots around the roast.
Step 4 — Cover the entire Dutch oven with the sliced onions and mushrooms.
Step 5 —Whisk together the whiskey, cream of mushroom soup, and the beefy onion soup mix packets together in a small bowl.
Step 6 —Spread the whisky sauce over everything in the Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and cook roast 75 minutes or until the roast has reach an internal temperature of at least 145°F and the vegetables have reached the desired tenderness. Remove meat and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy.
Tips and Notes for making Whiskey beef roast
- The cook time will vary on the size and actual cut of beef, so use a meat thermometer to truly gauge doneness.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F for a longer cooking time. A tougher roast will benefit from slow cooking. A 3 1/2 pound roast took 10 hours at 200°F.
- If you’re sensitive to sodium, we recommend using low sodium cream of mushroom or even no salt added.
- Conventional oven will take at least 2 hours to cook the roast. However consider a the low and slow times above for tougher cuts of meat.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. It will cook a bit faster, will be fork tender, and easy to shred when it is done. Make sure the vegetables are cut smaller/thinner if they are bigger so they cook in time.
Fresh or dried parsley, dried oregano, fresh or dried thyme, fresh or dried rosemary all are excellent options.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Add the meat and vegetables to a cast iron skillet or baking dish, then cover with the gravy, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until heated through.
Beef broth or stock, cola (not diet), even apple juice will work. Of course, water will too.
Whiskey Pot Roast
Equipment
- 6 quart Dutch Oven or larger
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb beef rump roast
- 1/2 tsp salt +/- to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper +/- to taste
- 1/2 tsp granulated garlic +/- to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb petite baby gold potatoes
- 1 lb baby carrots
- 1 lb green beans trimmed
- 1 onion sliced
- 8 oz button mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup whiskey
- 22 2/3 oz cream of mushroom soup or 2-10.5 cans
- 2 beefy onion soup mix packets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat the Dutch oven over medium high heat and add the oil.
- Season the roast and sear it on all sides, once brown, remove from heat.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, green beans, mushrooms, and onions over and around the meat.
- Whisk the whiskey, cream of mushroom soup, and soup packets together in a bowl then layer over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven.
- Cover and cook for 75 minutes or until the roast has reach an internal temperature of at least 145°F and the vegetables have reached the desired tenderness.
- Remove meat and allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- The cooking time will vary on the size and actual cut of beef, so use a meat thermometer to truly gauge doneness.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F for a longer cooking time. A tougher roast will benefit from slow cooking.
- If you’re sensitive to sodium, we recommend using low sodium cream of mushroom or even no salt added.
Nutrition
Dutch Oven Daddy is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
This pot roast is a total crowd-pleaser. Love the flavors. Thanks for sharing.
I made this for Sunday dinner and it was amazing. The flavors are fantastic
This pot roast hit the spot! Comfort food at its finest and a cinch to make!
This looks super delicious and inviting. Whisky for flavor sounds unique and a must try recipe too. Presentation amazing. Definitely a festive platter.
The meat is so tender and flavorful, and the whiskey adds a unique depth of flavor. The veggies are perfectly cooked and soak up all the delicious juices.
This is my new favorite pot roast recipe! Easy to make and so packed with flavor. Thanks so much for sharing!
The meat was so tender and flavorful, and the whiskey added a unique depth of flavor. It’s definitely going to be a new staple in my dinner rotation.
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a savory success! Turned out hearty and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe!
I can’t wait to try this whiskey pot roast recipe! It looks so flavorful and perfect for a cozy night in or entertaining guests!
Such a delicious one-pot meal with a hint of whiskey flavor!