This Chuck Tender Beef Roast with Gravy is a fork-tender pot roast seared until golden brown, then cooked low-and-slow in the oven.

We serve this nestled deep into a rich gravy and all the perfect seasonings.

Chuck tender roast served with carrots, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Beef Chuck Tender Roast Recipe

Get ready to dive into a plateful of pure comfort with our chuck tender roast recipe smothered in lip-smacking gravy.

We’re talking about tender, juicy beef oven-cooked to perfection, topped with a rich and flavorful gravy that will have you licking your plate clean.

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It’s the kind of meal that warms your soul and leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.

So, gather your loved ones, grab a fork, and get ready to indulge in this ultimate comfort food experience. Trust us, one bite, and you’ll be hooked!

WHAT IS CHUCK TENDER ROAST?

Chuck tender roast is a lean roast that comes from the shoulder of the cow and requires slow-cooking to become tender.

Chuck tender roast is a perfect cut to make shredded beef and will be tasty in casserole, beef sandwiches, and more.

This part of the beef shoulder gets a lot of use, making it very flavorful but if cooked to fast, the meat can be tough.

WHAT TO LOVE

Chuck tender roast makes perfect shredded beef.
Talk about rich and satisfying! Chuck tender roast is food fit for a king!
Chuck tender roast has no bones so you can eat the entire piece of meat – what a great value.

Chuck tender roast served over a bed of mashed potatoes with gravy.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

Chuck tender roast: these are typically about 2 1/2 – 3 lbs. in size in most grocery store meat cases here in the Midwest
Olive oil, for searing: you can substitute vegetable oil or canola oil, if preferred
White or yellow onion: heck, even a red onion would work just fine!
Carrots: I used regular carrots, but you could substitute baby carrots if you prefer
Pepperoncini peppers, with juice (in a jar): these will add just a bit of spiciness to the gravy. If you’d prefer less heat, substitute banana peppers.
Tomato sauce: any brand you have in your pantry works fine
Water: be sure to use water as the liquid in this recipe, not broth. There is already plenty of sodium from the gravy and seasoning packets included in this recipe to make a flavorful sauce.
Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix: any brand will work, use what you have one hand.
McCormick Au Jus Gravy Mix: or your favorite brand will work
McCormick Beef Stew Mix: use your favorite brand
Mashed potatoes: I’ve even used instant potatoes when short on time. Still delicious!

Tomato sauce and pepperoncini peppers for making pot roast gravy.

Packets of seasonings needed for making pot roast gravy.

HELPFUL TIPS FOR COOKING THIS CHUCK TENDER ROAST RECIPE

If you prefer, cutting the roast into chunks can help it cook much more quickly. You can do this with any roast to make it cook faster, no matter your chosen cooking method.

When cooking any roast, give it some good beauty rest on the counter BEFORE you cook it and AFTER you cook it. This is more important than you may realize!

Rest before meat cooks allows it to accept the heat much more easily so it can cook evenly. Rest after meat cooks lets the cooking juices redistribute throughout the meat’s fibers so it’s juicy and tender when eaten.

HOW TO MAKE CHUCK TENDER BEEF ROAST

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Remove the roast from refrigeration and unpackage.

Let the roast rest on the cupboard, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour, to remove the chill before searing the roast.

Do not season the roast with salt and pepper before searing it since the ingredients used to make the sauce with the roast have a lot of seasonings included to flavor the roast.

Add a generous swish of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add the roast to the Dutch oven.

Sear the roast on all sides until it is nicely browned and caramelized; remove to a platter.

A chuck tender roast that has been seared in olive oil.

To the pan drippings in the Dutch oven still over medium-high heat, add the onions and carrots, the jar of pepperoncini peppers with juice, tomato sauce, and water.

Aromatics and pepperoncini peppers with tomato sauce in a pot.

Lastly, add all three packages of the dry seasoning mixes (Ranch, au jus, and stew) to the pot; stir to combine everything.

Aromatics in a pot for making roast along with seasoning mixes for flavor.

Place the reserved chuck tender roast into the ingredients in the Dutch oven, spooning some of it over the top of the roast to cover it if it’s not submerged.

The seared chuck tender roast placed into the gravy in preparation for cooking in the oven.

Chuck tender roast nearly submerged in the gravy and aromatics in a pot.

Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and place it onto the center oven rack. Cook the roast for 3 1/2 – 4 hours, or until very fork-tender, and the roast shreds apart easily.

Fork-tender fully cooked chuck tender roast nestled in gravy.

Serve the shredded roast and pan sauce over bowls of warm mashed potatoes.

Shredded chuck tender roast with gravy on a bed of mashed potatoes.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHUCK ROAST AND CHUCK TENDER ROAST?

Chuck roast is more flat in shape and has more fat and marbling throughout the muscle. Chuck tender roast is more rounded and elongated.

Also, Chuck tender roast is also leaner than a chuck roast.

Some say chuck tender roast is milder in flavor while a chuck roast tastes more “beefy”. Either way, they are darn delicious.

Chuck tender roast next to a chuck roast in the grocery store meat case.

OTHER NAMES FOR CHUCK TENDER ROAST

Chuck tender roast is also a chuck filet, medallion pot roast, mock tender roast, and Scotch tender roast.

IS CHUCK TENDER ROAST TOUGH?

Chuck tender roast can be juicy and tender if cooked low and slow in the oven (braised), slow cooker, or in a pressure cooker, like an Instant Pot.

SHOULD CHUCK TENDER ROAST BE BRAISED?

Braising means the roast simmers low and slow in the braising liquid, such as broth, beer, wine, or any combination of flavorful liquids. Braising chuck tender roast is delicous.

IS A CHUCK TENDER ROAST GOOD FOR POT ROAST?

Technically, any roast in a pot is a pot roast! Nearly any roast is good for making pot roast if you cook it low and slow until it’s very fork-tender.

WILL A CHUCK TENDER ROAST SHRED?

A chuck tender roast will shred beautifully if cooked until it is very fork-tender.

Any roast, whether beef or pork, will shred if braised low and slow until fork-tender.

HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN A ROAST IS FORK-TENDER?

When a roast is fork-tender, you can EASILY insert a fork into the cooked meat. With a little twist, the meat gently gives to the pressure and comes apart.

If you insert the fork into the roast and feel resistance, this indicates the roast is not ready to take out of the oven.

The roast needs to continue to cook until it is more tender. Cook it another 30 minutes and then do the fork-tender test again. Repeat until the roast is fall-apart tender.

WHY USE A FORK TO TEST A ROAST FOR TENDERNESS

Some home cooks use a knife tip to test a roast for doneness. This can deceive us since a sharp knife tip will slide into nearly anything.

Using a knife will give you a false read and results in a roast that actually hasn’t cooked long enough to be tender – how disappointing at the dinner table.

I advise using a fork to test meat as it’s cooking since it has dull tips that won’t easily slide into the center unless the meat is fully tender and ready to be eat.

TEMPERATURE For a CHUCK TENDER ROAST

I always recommend testing roasts with a fork for doneness, not by internal temperature.

When a roast is very fork-tender, you know that the roast is tender and ready to eat.

A serving of chuck tender roast shredded over mashed potatoes with gravy.

DOES MARINATING A ROAST MAKE IT MORE TENDER?

Marinades add great flavor to meat and acids in the marinade can break down connective tissues somewhat, helping the meat be a little more tender.

However, because this recipe has so many added seasonings to the cooking liquid that make it very flavorful, you will not need to marinate the roast beforehand.

You can also cook the liquid down into a thick sauce. It is delicious with the shredded chuck tender roast as a gravy.

IS CHUCK TENDER ROAST A GOOD VALUE?

Chuck tender roast does not contain any bones. There is zero waste since you can cook and serve the entire cut of beef.

Another great roast is sliced rump roast.

DOES CHUCK TENDER ROAST MAKE GOOD LEFTOVERS?

Absolutely. It makes the most delicious shredded beef! You can enjoy Hot Beef Sandwiches and Loaded Skillet Fries with Beef and Bacon using leftover chuck tender roast.

We also enjoy using leftover chuck tender roast to make Shredded Beef Tater Tot Casserole.

Other Roast Recipes

Here’s how to cook a juicy, tender, and flavorful Frozen Beef Roast in an Instant Pot that’s a perfect dinner and makes amazing leftovers.

Garlic Butter Eye of Round Roast is a flavor-packed beef roast recipe with a simple herbed butter crust perfect for casual weekend gatherings or a holiday meal.

Beef Top Round Roast in the oven makes the most tender slices of perfectly cooked and seasoned, juicy beef roast that is budget-friendly and delicious.

This Smoked Mississippi Pot Roast is a favorite of our family!

A slow-braised Shredded Rump Roast is one of my favorite roasts.