Best Chuck Roast Recipe for Beginners : Affordable, Flavorful, and Foolproof

This Best Chuck Roast Recipe is Easy, Tasty & Nourishing

This simple recipe will become a staple in your weekly carnivore menu or in any traditional family dinner rotation. It is worry-free, incredibly easy, budget-friendly, and absolutely delicious.

I started making chuck roast regularly because it is one of the most affordable cuts of beef, and yet one of the most flavorful. When you have to feed a family on a limited budget and limited time, this cut becomes a true blessing.

This is our Sunday meal. Once it is seared, it goes straight into the oven for about 3½ hours. When it is done, I don’t even worry about taking it out right away. I simply let it rest in the oven until we are ready to eat. The oven is on a timer, so it shuts off automatically, making this a truly stress-free meal.

Easy. Nourishing. Economical. And deeply satisfying.

You can serve it with any sides you like: salad, baked potatoes, French fries, or vegetables. Personally, I enjoy it plain and always add a side of sauerkraut or kimchi for digestion.

And voilà.

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Why Chuck Roast Is So Delicious

Chuck roast comes from the shoulder and neck area of the cow, right next to the rib-eye.

Because of this, it carries much of the same marbling, fat, and flavor as rib-eye, which is why it’s often called “the poor man’s rib-eye.”

While rib-eye can cost $18–$24+ per pound, chuck roast is usually around $5–$11 per pound. The grass-fed, locally raised chuck roast I buy is about $10 per pound.

It is rich in collagen, fat, and connective tissue, which makes it perfect for slow cooking. Over time, it transforms into a tender, juicy, gelatinous, deeply nourishing piece of meat.

Don’t be afraid of the fat. It supports hormones, provides essential fat-soluble vitamins, and aids digestion. If you are not yet fat-adapted, you can always trim excess fat on your plate after cooking, but never trim it before cooking. The fat is what makes this cut so succulent.

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Ingredients & Tools

Ingredients

• 1 chuck roast (any size, preferably with the visible fat seam through the center)

• 2–4 cups water (depending on dish depth)

• 1 tablespoon animal fat (tallow, lard, bacon grease, or coconut oil)

• 1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt

• Optional spices (I usually keep it just salt, but you may add your favorites)

Tools

• Large, heavy, oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven with lid

• Heavy-duty metal tongs

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My preferred brands:

As a rule of thumb, buy something locally made in your region.

Animal Fats (choose what you prefer):

• Grass-Fed Tallow

• Pork Lard

• Unrefined Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

• Bacon Grease (This is homemade, it's not something you can buy)

Sea Salt (Unrefined):

• Redmond Real Salt

• Celtic Sea Salt (Le Marinier)

• Baja Sea Salt

Cookware I Use & Love:

• SCANPAN 5.5 qt Braiser (what I use and love for all my roasts)

• Le Creuset Dutch Oven

• Cast Iron Skillet (I started with two of these one for the roast the other as a lid)

Seasoning & Spices: 

Add any flavor of spices you’d like. I prefer my chuck “au natural” without anything other than seasalt. 

• Pluck Spicy Organ Meat Blend My favorite! Best to add before serving your meat after it is cooked.

• Hardcore Carnivore Tex Mex

• McCormick Grill Mates Spices

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and trust.

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Instructions for The Best Chuck Roast Recipe for Beginners

1. Remove the chuck roast from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes.

2. Generously salt all sides of the meat with unrefined sea salt.

3. Preheat your oven to 285°F (140°C).

4. Heat your skillet on the stove until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of fat.

5. When the fat is sizzling, carefully place the chuck roast in the pan. Cover to prevent splattering.

6. Sear for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply browned on all sides.

7. Add enough water to reach about halfway to three-quarters up the side of the meat.

8. Cover with loosely with a lid (to let a little bit of steam out) and transfer to the oven.

9. Bake for about 3½ hours, depending on size.

10. The roast is ready when it easily pulls apart with tongs. If it resists, return to the oven for another 20–30 minutes.

11. You can leave it resting in the warm oven until mealtime; it only gets more tender.

Serve with some of the cooking liquid and your favorite sides, or enjoy it on its own.

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Bonus: Don’t Waste the Liquid Gold

Save the cooking liquid in a glass container in the fridge. The fat will rise to the top and can be used for future cooking. The bottom will turn into a beautiful gelatin, pure collagen and minerals.

I eat it by the spoonful throughout the week, but you can also add it to soups, stews, or sauces for deep nourishment.

Simple food. Real nourishment. Traditional wisdom. This will become the best Chuck Roast Recipe for Beginners.