The Best Pot Roast and Gravy I’ve Ever Eaten

A pot roast should be juicy, tender, and falling apart in your mouth, and this pot roast recipe is all those things! It is the best pot roast I’ve ever had!

Sunday dinner to me is always one of two things- slow cooker roast or roasted chicken. Now, Mom always had more options than just that, but those are the two I remember the most. Mashed potatoes that Dad accidentally added sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk to, that time I loved the fluffy raspberry jell-o so much I licked the bowl clean and most of all, my mom in the kitchen with her apron and Sunday dress on prepping dinner before church. That was my childhood, and it was a pretty good one.

We have several pot roast recipes on the blog, like our slow cooker Mississippi pot roast and our oven braised beef roast, and they are all fantastic and all have their place, but this classic pot roast recipe is my new favorite.

Ingredients Needed for Pot Roast

For this recipe, you’ll need a few ingredients for browning the roast, several ingredients for the sauce, and then a couple of items for making the gravy. Your pot roast is never going to be the same! I like to see a quick list of the ingredients so I can see how many things I need to buy before I get into all the details, so here is your list:

Roast

• Boneless Chuck Roast
• Flour
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

Sauce

• Yellow Onions
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper
• Beef Stock
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Apple Cider
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Water
• Liquid Smoke
• Better than Bouillon (chicken flavor)
• Canned Peeled Tomatoes
• Fresh Thyme
• Fresh Rosemary

Gravy

• Butter
• Flour

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make the Best Pot Roast

I hear people get intimidated by making pot roast. No need, my friends! No need at all! I’m going to break this up into 3 sections and walk you through each step. You will have flawless and flavorful pot roast every single time!

Roast

1. Pat the roast dry using a paper towel and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place on a large plate and let it sit in the fridge uncovered for up to 24 hours.
2. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature. This wil

How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time [+Video]

Learn how to make the perfect turkey gravy for the holiday season with this step by step guide! Impress your guests with this delicious and easy recipe.

It has been over 10 years that I’ve sat down with the intent of posting about how to make turkey gravy. But then I get busy with Thanksgiving and the next thing you know, we are moving on to Christmas and I didn’t even notice that I failed once again. And so this year it’s March, and I’m tackling Thanksgiving. You’re welcome. 

Turkey gravy is something I’m a little picky about. I don’t want it clumpy, lumpy, salty or herby. I want it perfectly flavored and perfectly smooth. The richness comes from cooking down the neck, giblets or leg meat and the best part is…

YOU CAN MAKE IT AHEAD!

AND FREEZE IT!

So let’s jump in!

How to Make Turkey Gravy Ahead of Time

Ingredients for Homemade Turkey Gravy

We are going to start this recipe by making our own turkey stock which we will then use to make the gravy. Here is what you will need for each step:

For the Homemade Turkey Stock

• Turkey Neck, Giblets, Legs, Wings, etc: We will roast and simmer these to infuse maximum turkey flavor. You can even add a ham hock if you have one for deeper flavor.
• Olive Oil
• Seasonings and Herbs: Salt, Fresh Parsley, Black Pepper, Bay Leaves, Fresh Thyme
• Vegetables: Celery, Carrots, Onion, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Garlic
• Chicken Broth
• Turkey Trimmings
• White Cooking Wine

For the Gravy

• Unsalted Butter
• All-Purpose Flour
• Turkey Drippings
• Homemade Turkey Stock

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card down below. Keep scrolling for all the details.

Turkey Gravy Recipe: Step by Step Guide

This is a make-ahead recipe, so it should be started a few days, to even a few weeks before Thanksgiving. If you don’t have time, store-bought will work but will not be as flavorful. You’ll also be surprised about how easy it is to make your own. Here are the basic steps:

1: Roast the Turkey Pieces

• Place the turkey neck, giblets, legs, wings, etc on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive

How to Cook a Turkey in a Bowl [+Video]

Stressed at the thought of cooking a turkey? Don’t be! We’ve made dozens of turkeys over the years and we’ve figured out how to cook a turkey perfectly every time. Spoiler: the best way to cook a turkey is in a bowl! 

I know, this isn’t your typical roast turkey recipe, but look how brown it got and can you see how it’s falling apart?!

The BEST Turkey Recipe

My friend Brittany was chatting with me over Thanksgiving dinner last year all about turkeys. You see, Brittany doesn’t cook a turkey in the traditional way. In fact, she totally blew my mind when she told me, the best way to cook a turkey — this turkey in a bowl recipe — is life changing.

Yes, it’s a turkey that is literally cooked in a big bowl in the oven.

You’re going to want to buy a big bowl and try this one out for yourself. It’s the simplest and quickest way to prepare turkey that I’ve ever seen, but the results are fall apart moist and tender.

Watch How to Make the Juiciest Turkey in a Bowl

Turkey Basics

Before we get too far into this, I want to cover a few of the basics so you know if is the right fit for your eating schedule:

• A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
• Turkey will need to cook for 1 hour per pound.
• Safe internal temperature for a turkey is 175 degrees F the thigh and 165 degrees F in the breast.

So let’s assume you are going to roast a 18 pound turkey that is frozen when you purchase it and you want to have your meal on Thursday afternoon. Here is your brief timeline:

• Remove turkey from freezer to thaw in the fridge: 4 days ahead of time (Sunday afternoon – Wednesday afternoon)
• Turkey roasts in the oven: 15 hours
• Turkey rests: 30 minutes

The turkey will be falling off

The Most Amazing Apple Pecan Smoked Turkey Breast [+Video]

Impress your family and friends with this delicious apple pecan smoked turkey breast recipe. With a step-by-step video tutorial, you’ll have the perfect centerpiece for your holiday meal!

There is not a more juicy and flavorful turkey than this smoked turkey breast. It is our current favorite for Thanksgiving. I thought that Instant Pot Turkey was incredible, but man, this one just totally one upped that recipe.

We aren’t lacking for turkey recipes on our site. We love a juicy turkey slice for dinner, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t keep adding to it. That fried turkey from years ago is still ad favorite, the classic oven roasted whole turkey never disappoints, and we make the herb roasted turkey breast all year round for a healthy dinner recipe idea that isn’t chicken.

So even if you’re like us and there are other turkey recipes you’ve made before, take a chance and make the most amazing apple pecan smoked turkey recipe this Thanksgiving.

Ingredients for Smoked Turkey Breast

This list might look a little overwhelming at first, but there are a few components to this recipe in order for it to come together just perfectly! You need your smoker supplies, brine ingredients, rub ingredients and turkey gravy ingredients. Here is everything you’ll need:

For the Smoker

• Pecan Pellets or Chips
• Tin Pan

Turkey Brine

• Maple Syrup
• Brown Sugar
• Kosher Salt
• Apple Juice
• Orange Juice
• Chicken Broth
• Smoked Paprika
• Turkey Breast: Buy a bone-in turkey breast for the best flavor and texture.

Turkey Rub

• Brown Sugar
• Seasonings and Spices: Smoked Paprika, Ground Mustard, Kosher Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Chipotle Chili Pepper Seasoning, Pepper and Cumin
• Butter

Steaming Liquids

• Pineapple Juice
• Water

Gravy

• Cornstarch
• Water

This is meant to be just a quick overview of the ingredients you will need. The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Turkey Basics

Before we jump in to making this smoked turkey, I want to cover a few of the basics:

• A frozen turkey will need thaw 24 hours per every 5 pounds.
• Turkey will need to smoke for 25-30 minutes per pound.
• Safe internal temperature fo