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.
Amanda says
This is the best Chuck Tender Roast recipe I’ve come across in a long time. A must-try!
Pam D says
I’ve saved this recipe to write down later. Reading the recipe and seeing the picture made me hungry and could almost taste it, and thinking a baked potato and a small salad would round it out with either some kind of biscuit/crescent roll or garlic bread, No need to reply, I just wanted to thank you for it. I LOVE roasts and remember my mom making them while growing up.
Debbie says
Made this for Christmas dinner and it turned out perfect. Any suggestions for what I can make with leftovers? There were only 3 of us and had a 6# roast. Need to serve it again instead of wasting. Not too keen on reheating
Tabatha Sisneros says
Great looking recipe but I’m cooking for 30 with a 24 lb roast, how long should I cook it??
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Tabatha, we have not tested the recipe with that large of a roast. Let us know if you tried it and what you did. Thanks!
Tabatha Sisneros says
I used Leigh’s suggestions and it was perfect!
Leigh says
Lovely rub for the roast! I’ve been cooking roasts in almost this way for years with one difference – well, two. Well, three …. Do not brown the roast on the stove, just prep it and let it come to room temp. Preheat the oven to 500, and preheat the roasting pan in the oven, then put the roast in. Shut the door and turn the oven to 475. Based on weight, roast on 475 for 6, 7, or 8 minutes per pound for rare, medium, or well. THIS will do the browning for you and save a step and a pan. Turn the oven off after that and leave the door closed for 2 hours. Do not open the door at all once the roast is in. Same idea, different method, and this has never failed me with beef or pork.
Sarah says
Are you saying that I can use the same cut of meat that I would normally cook a really long time “pot roast style”, use this recipe and it will come out pink and tender? I’m looking at using a beef chuck roast. Just want to make sure I understand.
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Sarah, yep! We just recommend reading through the notes section of the recipe card to ensure you have all the details for the recipe.
John Bickle says
I followed the instructions to a tee for a 2.25 lb roast. The 15-17 minute per pound recommendation was much too low! Fortunately, I love rare beef. I think 21-24 minutes per pound would have been better.
Vickie says
This was made for Christmas Eve dinner and it was easy and excellent! This is definitely a keeper.
Jess Jankowski says
Vickie, so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for letting us know!
Susan says
I followed this instruction exactly as the recipe was written. After 2 1/2 hours the internal temperature got to 120°, and I didn’t know what to do. I turn the oven back to 350° and I am now waiting for it to reach 130°. I hope it wont be overcooked. Wish me luck!
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Susan, it sounds like your oven does not hold heat well. In this situation, we recommend turning the oven back on to 500 degrees, checking it every 20 minutes, until the roast reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees.
Anahid says
Can I use a sirloin tip roast? Also, do you know approximately what the internal temperature is after resting the roast?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Anahid, we have not tested this recipe specifically with a sirloin tip roast but some suggestions of what other meats will work well include a beef bottom round roast, eye round roast, New York strip roast, or a ribeye roast. The internal temperature after resting the roast will drop from 130 degrees but I do not recall specifically what that number will be.
Anna K Bauers says
I really want to try this recipe, but I have a whole eye roast. Would this still work with the recipe? Thank you!
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Anna, the recipe calls for center-cut boneless beef chuck-eye roast, it sounds like that is what you have?
Thanh O says
Hello, my oven only goes to max 445 and it’s a convection oven. Could you please help me to what to do a so don’t want to mess this up for Christmas . Thank you! With all your great reviews I’m so looking forward to showing off this amazing roast recipe.
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Thanh, none of us have a convection oven so have no tried this recipe with one. We’re sorry we could not provide you with any other info but hope you will let us know if you try it and how it goes.
Heidi Turner says
I made the recipe exactly as written. My oven cooled off completely, and the roast never reached a temperature higher than 117 degrees F. The roast ended up cooling down to 105, so I had to turn the oven back on.
Jess Jankowski says
Heidi, we are sorry to hear that. It may be that your oven does not retain heat well. If you try it again, you may need to leave the oven on and cook it until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees F.
Debby says
Hello,
I do not have a roasting pan and would also like to cook some potatoes and carrots at the same time. I have read that you put a layer of small potatoes and carrots under the roast acting as as “rack” so that the drippings fall through. Do you think small potatoes and carrots would get cooked if I did this? Mabye I should par-boil first?
Looks like an amazing recipe
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Debby, we have not tested this but we think it will work to do it this way. You may need to put the veggies in the microwave at the end for a couple of minutes to finish cooking them all the way through though. Please let us know how it goes if you try it before we do!
Marcia Cunningham says
Would this recipie work for a pork shoulder roast?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Marcia, we have not tried it with a pork roast and are not confident that this method would work the same on pork as it does on a beef roast. If you try it please come back and let us know.
Jackie says
Do you put a lid on the roasting pan or leave uncovered ?
Jess Jankowski says
Leave it uncovered
Lydia says
I wondered if you cover this roast? Can I do in my Dutch oven? Cover?
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Lydia, no you do not need to cover the roast while it is in the oven. 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 Dutch Oven.
Micki says
This recipe deserves more than the five stars…10 stars!! I have shared this with my daughters, my patients, other caregivers! Tried it for the first time last week and already have it back on the weekly meal plan for this week. Super super easy to make. Super super delicious! And I made it with the suggested glazed carrots and naughty potatoes which were both yummy too. My husband raved about it.
Jess Jankowski says
Micki, we so appreciate your feedback and review. Thanks for sharing it with your friends and family too! And we LOVE those carrots and naughty potatoes too…such a great dinner combo.
CSK says
This recipe maybe works if you have a good oven, but apparently I do not. I followed the recipe to the letter (but with a smaller roast) and when I went to check it after 90 minutes, I didn’t even need an oven mitt to take out the pan. The only thing I did even a little bit different was to leave the oven on at 500 for 10 minutes after putting it in to make sure it was at the right temperature. So if you’re not sure if your oven holds temperature, make sure you check it (or have a back up dinner plan!)
Jess Jankowski says
Hello. Yes, with this recipe it is very important to know if your oven holds temperature or not.
Kathy Baird says
I am preparing to make this roast recipe even though the holidays have passed! Should I just sit in roasting pan? Or use an insert to allow roast to sit up off bottom of pan…thank you!
Jess Jankowski says
Hi Kathy, if you have a rack to set in the roasting pan for the roast to sit on, that is ideal.