This Christmas Beef Chuck Roast Recipe is different from any other recipe because of how we cook it. This unique cooking method, in combination with the dry rub and gravy from the drippings, creates the most juicy, flavorful roast.
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You’ll love this Recipe for Chuck Tender Roast
Make this Oven Baked Roast Recipe for Christmas dinner to enjoy a special dinner your whole family will love without taking a lot of time to prepare it.
The secret to this juicy roast is in the rub and the cooking process. Everyone who tries this recipe agrees this roast is a flavor explosion in your mouth when you try it!
After preheating the oven to a high temperature, you will turn the oven off and let the roast cook in the preheated oven. This method creates a perfectly tender roast everyone raves about. cooking in the oven for a few hours, the roast comes out so juicy and tender.
It is definitely the perfect meal for Christmas dinner. However, this beef chuck recipe is one we serve throughout the year for Sunday dinner with the family.
Beef Chuck Roast Recipe Ingredients and Estimated Cost:
This time of the year, there are usually really great deals on beef roasts. Keep an eye out for these deals, and the recipe cost below will be substantially less!
- 5 pounds Beef Chuck Roast – $34.95
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil – $0.12
- 2 teaspoons salt – $0.02
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar – $0.03
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper – $0.03
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary – $0.06
- 1/4 cup beef drippings from the roasting pan – $0
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.04
- 2 cups beef broth – $0.84
- 1 Tablespoon paprika – $0.11
- 1/4 cup flour – $0.02
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce – $0.02
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil – $0.04
The recipe cost is calculated by the amounts needed for the recipe. To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained. The pricing for this recipe was updated in November 2024.
What is the best roast?
The tougher meats make for the best roasts because they get very tender the longer they cook (on a lower heat, of course). Three main cuts will make the best roast. The three cuts are chuck, brisket, and round.
Beef Chuck Tender Roast cook’s tools
- prep bowl
- roasting pan
- large cast-iron skillet
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- medium saucepan
- whisk
How to make this Oven Baked Chuck Roast Recipe Without Vegetables
- First, use paper towels to pat dry the roast.
- Then, using a small bowl, whisk together the rub ingredients.
- Next, completely cover the roast with the dry rub and let the roast sit at room temperature for twenty to thirty minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F and spray a roasting pan rack with nonstick cooking spray.
- Then, place one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet and preheat over medium-high temperature until the oil begins to simmer.
- Add the roast to the pan and use tongs to sear the roast on all sides for about two minutes per side.
- Set the roast on the roasting pan rack and place the pan in the 500 degrees F oven.
- Turn the oven off and let the roast cook for two to two and a half hours or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F.
- After removing the roast from the oven, loosely cover it with foil.
- Then, add the beef drippings to a medium saucepan on medium-high heat.
- Next, whisk in the flour and stir for three minutes.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth and whisk continually until the gravy has thickened. Season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper.
- Finally, slice and serve the chuck roast with the gravy.
Chuck Tender Roast Recipe variations
- With this recipe, the type of cut of meat is extremely important as different cuts cook differently.
- It is also important to know your oven and if it holds heat well or not. All ovens are different, and not all ovens retain heat as well as others do. If your oven does not retain heat well, then you may need to leave the oven on at 500 degrees F and cook until it reaches the internal temperature of 130 degrees F. We recommend checking the temperature every 20 minutes.
- Instead of a beef chuck roast, you can use a more expensive cut of meat like a prime beef eye round roast.
How to get kids involved in making this recipe for Chuck Tender Roast
- Ages 2-3: Let them help you pat dry the roast and rub the dry rub on all sides of the roast. This is a great opportunity to teach young kids kitchen safety when handling raw meat. Teach concepts such as not eating raw meat and washing your hands really well before and after handling raw meat.
- Ages 4-5: Let them help measure and stir together the dry rub ingredients. They can also help with rubbing the mix on the roast.
- Ages 6-8: Let them help whisk the gravy until it has thickened. You can also have your child help you plan the rest of the menu. Our kiddos love to be involved in menu planning.
- Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
- Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe unsupervised while you do the happy dance in the corner!
How to store Chuck Tender Roast
- Serve: You can keep the meat at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours before it will need to be refrigerated.
- Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: I like to freeze leftover pieces of meat with a little bit of brown gravy. That way, the meat is less likely to dry out in the freezer. You can freeze the meat for up to 3 months.
Recipe for Chuck Tender Roast FAQs
The most tender cut of the roast is the cut with the fattest marbling. This type of meat typically comes from the least-exercised parts of the cow. The roasts that are tender and moist are usually the least healthy and the most expensive. That’s negative in our book!
In this case, less is more. You do not need to add liquid to this chuck roast. A chuck roast is not a lean cut of meat, which means it releases more fat and moisture while cooking. Therefore, no additional liquid is needed as it may actually delude the overall flavor of the roast.
Salt helps to tenderize the meat, and that is exactly why we add some to the dry rub. No additional salt is needed outside of what is listed in the dry rub ingredient list.
A chuck roast is a tough cut of meat, and so the longer it cooks, the more tender it becomes. Our unique cooking method allows the roast to become perfectly juicy and tender.
What to serve with this Beef Chuck Roast Recipe
- Pomegranate Salad
- Jenna’s Naughty Mashed Potatoes (these are shown in some of the pictures)
- Green Beans Almondine
- Orange Cranberry Sauce
- Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
- Yorkshire Pudding
- French-Bread Stuffing
- Green Bean Casserole
- Mom’s Broccoli Casserole
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
How to Make Christmas Roast Recipe:
Beef Chuck Tender Roast
Recipe Cost 36.28 Serving Cost 4.54Equipment
- Prep bowl
- Roasting pan
- Large cast-iron skillet
- tongs
- instant-read thermometer
- medium saucepan
- whisk
Ingredients
ROAST:
- 5 pounds center-cut boneless beef chuck-eye roast
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
RUB:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
BROWN GRAVY:
- 1/4 cup beef drippings from the roasting pan
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
PREP THE ROAST:
- Use paper towels to pat the defrosted roast dry.
MAKE RUB & RUB ROAST:
- Whisk together all of the rub ingredients in a small prep bowl.
- Rub the roast all over with the rub, and then let the roast sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
PREPARE OVEN & PAN:
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Prepare a roasting pan by spraying the rack with nonstick cooking spray.
SEAR ROAST:
- Once the roast has sat at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, place 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet and preheat over medium-high temperature until the oil begins to simmer. Add the roast to the pan and use tongs to sear the roast on all sides for 2 minutes each side.
ROAST IN OVEN:
- Place the roast on the prepared roasting pan and put it in the preheated 500 degrees F oven. Turn the oven off completely and let it cook for about 2-2 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
- Loosely cover the top and sides of the roast with aluminum foil while you make the brown gravy.
MAKE BROWN GRAVY:
- Add the beef dripping to a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to stir for 3 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the beef broth while you continue to whisk. Keep whisking until the gravy has thickened a little, about 1-2 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and season the gravy to taste with salt and pepper (the gravy will thicken as it cools). Transfer the gravy to a gravy boat
SLICE AND SERVE:
- Slice the roast and serve the brown gravy.
Notes
- In our experience, we rarely see large chuck roasts like this one in the supermarket’s refrigerator section. We almost always have to ask the butcher at the meat counter to cut us a 5-6 pound center-cut boneless beef chuck-eye roast.
- We have seen this cut of chuck roast at Costco around the holidays.
- This recipe will also work for other beef roasts like a beef bottom round roast, eye round roast, New York strip roast, or a ribeye roast.
- With this recipe, the type of cut of meat is extremely important as different cuts cook differently.
- It is also important to know your oven and if it holds heat well or not. All ovens are different and not all ovens retain heat, as well as others, do. If your oven does not retain heat well, then you may need to leave the oven on at 500 degrees F and cook until it reaches the internal temperature of 130 degrees F. We recommend checking the temperature every 20 minutes.
Nutrition
This Christmas Beef Chuck Roast Recipe is juicy, tender, and packed with great flavor thanks to the rub and brown gravy made with the pan drippings.
Toni Dash says
This is so amazing!! Really a huge hit a t my house!
Jess Jankowski says
Toni, so happy to hear that it was a hit!
Angela says
This is a great recipe with such great directions. I love the rub, it is so flavorful.
Jess Jankowski says
The rub is our favorite part Angela!
Laura Tobin says
Very nice recipe, I could make it every day, no need to wait for Christmas!
Jess Jankowski says
That’s right! It’s perfect for Sunday dinners all year long!
Jenn says
I love this beef roast recipe – it turns out perfectly for me every time! Your tips make me feel like a kitchen pro!
Jess Jankowski says
So happy we can help you!
Beth says
We love a beef roast for Christmas dinner! I can’t wait to try this one!
Jess Jankowski says
Enjoy!
Victoria says
Absolutely perfect!
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you so much, Victoria! We are thrilled you loved it as much as we do!
Harriet says
Super easy and delicious!
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you, Harriet! So happy you found it to be easy and delicious!
omer says
hi!
another question regerding the off oven….
usually in my oven i think it will get to normal after 20-30 minutes becuase it has a fan that works and make it to cool faster (probably as most ovens). and you are saying 2-2.5 hours….
so how will that work? :). i do understand that if i start at 500 it will take some time to get to 150 but not that long.
i will try to do a small cut of 2.5 pounds.
best!
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Omer. We have made the roast in several different ovens with this process and have not had any issues with the oven cooling off too quickly. All ovens do work a little different though so if yours cools faster you might try leaving the oven on for about 20 minutes while the roast is in the oven before turning the oven off. Please note we have not tested this method and would love to hear your feedback if you do try it that way.
Emily says
Would it work in the crock pot as well?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Emily, because of the cooking method for this recipe with the end result of having it still be a little pink on the inside this is not one that can be adapted for the crock pot.
anne Russell says
After the roast has been in the off oven…I still can’t get it to an internal temp past 106*. What am I doing wrong?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Anne, does your oven retain heat well? Some ovens do not retain heat and may need to be left on a little longer to get the roast to the correct internal temperature.
Lynn Arnold says
Any way I can cook the roast the day before?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Lynn, we have not tried cooking the roast the day before yet but you can try it! Let it cool completely before covering and placing it in an airtight container in the fridge. Save the cooking liquid and store it in the fridge as well. The next day, remove the fat from the cooking liquid and then place the liquid in a pan with the roast (after you slice it) to warm it. Please let us know how it goes!
hana says
The roast looks great, but I did not understand, heat the oven to high temp. and turn it off immediately when inserting the beef? Bake in the oven off ?? The matter of baking is not clear
Jess Jankowski says
Hello. I know the baking directions sound a little crazy. But yes that is the process! Preheat the oven to the high heat and then when you put the roast in turn off the oven and it will back in the oven at the high heat it has been preheated too. Turning it off helps to not overcook the roast. Let us know if you have any other questions. Thanks!
Madison says
How long should this cook if you only have a 3lb roast?
Jess Jankowski says
Hello. A good rule of thumb to follow is to roast for about 15-17 minutes per pound. The roasting time will vary depending on how well done you would like the roast to be so I would check it often.
Janel says
How would you adjust the cooking time for a 1 lb chuck roast instead of 5 lbs?
Jess Jankowski says
Hello. A good rule of thumb to follow is to roast for about 15-17 minutes per pound. The roasting time will vary depending on how well done you would like the roast to be so I would check it often.
Anthony S says
Awesome and easy to make!
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you so much for your review! We sure do appreciate it!
Laura | Wandercooks says
This is perfect for my Christmas dinner! So excited to impress the fam with this one!
Jess Jankowski says
Awesome! Let us know how it goes!!
Monique says
I absolutely love that you share tips on getting children involved in the kitchen. I was cooking meals for my family, by myself, by the age of 9. I was so grateful my parents trusted me in that kitchen because I had so much fun cooking & surprising them by having dinner done!
Jess Jankowski says
That is amazing! We are hoping to raise our kids to be like you!
Genevieve says
We love making a roast for Christmas and your recipe breaks it down perfectly!
Jess Jankowski says
It really is perfect for Christmas day! Enjoy!
Sonja says
This was amazing!!! Perfect roast! Tender, juicy, and very hassle free. Will always use this method from now on!
Jess Jankowski says
Sonja, we are thrilled to hear this! Thank you so much for coming back to let us know!
Mel says
I absolutely love the fact you’re suggesting things for children to do depending on their age within the post. That’s a brilliant way to make sure kids get involved in the kitchen! Sounds like a brilliant roast!
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you so much! We love having our kids help and believe it makes a big difference when they help with the cooking.
Veena Azmanov says
This looks so flavorful, moist and juicy. Your recipe looks awesome. Best as you say with the Christmas platter.
Jess Jankowski says
Thank you for your kind words!
Kelly Anthony says
I have never seen a more beautiful Chuck Roast! Perfectly tender and such a budget-friendly cut at such an expensive time of year! Perfect for the holidays 🙂
Jess Jankowski says
It is so perfect for the holidays! Enjoy!
Denay DeGuzman says
I just made this beef chuck roast recipe and it is delicious! So juicy, tender and flavorful. This recipe’s a keeper!
Jess Jankowski says
That’s awesome! Thank you for the feedback.
Christal L Reinsmith says
Hello. I just want to make sure I’m reading this correctly. So after I put the roast in a 500° oven, I turn the oven off and just let the roast sit in the oven for 2-2 1/2 hours at zero degrees??
Jess Jankowski says
Hi there. You are reading it correctly. However, the oven will not be at 0 degrees. It will be at 500 degrees and will take time to cool down to 0.