VIRAL CHUCK ROAST
on Apr 07, 2023, Updated Oct 29, 2025
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This Viral Chuck Roast is my most popular recipe to date! It’s one of the simplest meals you can whip up with literally only three ingredients.
This chuck roast recipe is incredibly versatile and is just as good for a weeknight when you’re looking for something low-maintenance, as it is for a gathering or even a holiday dinner!
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Pin ItIn the Wild West of social media algorithms, we can’t control what goes viral, but out of all of my recipes, I’m so glad this easy chuck roast recipe took the bait!
It’s literally only 3 ingredients: chuck roast, salt, and pepper.
So many of you have fallen in love with this meal and I’ve received hundreds of messages and photos of how you enjoy it with your family and friends!
It’s become a weekly staple for so many people!
If you’re intimidated by cooking a roast, give this one a try! The technique couldn’t be easier and it requires zero prep. Can’t wait to see what you make out of it!
Ingredients for This Viral Easy Chuck Roast Recipe
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast, about 4 pounds
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Tender Chuck Roast In The Oven
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Season the chuck roast generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Be generous here!
Add the roast to a Dutch Oven or baking dish with a lid. (Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil if you don’t have a baking dish with a lid).
Bake for 1 hour per pound of meat, so a 4 pound chuck roast will bake for around 4 hours.
When the roast is done, remove it from the oven and shred into large chunks using two forks. If the roast isn’t literally falling apart, put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes or so.
Increase the oven temperature to 425°F.
Toss the shredded pieces in the rendered fat and place back in the oven, uncovered for about 25 minutes. This will crisp up the edges and make it truly irresistible. Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions For Making the Easiest Chuck Roast Recipe
Now, as this is one of my most popular recipes you can imagine that I’m asked a lot of questions about it. Thankfully, cooking a chuck roast is really forgiving so there really isn’t much that can go wrong!
If you have a Dutch Oven (I love my Le Creuset Heritage Rectangular Casserole), definitely use that. If not, you can absolutely use a baking dish with a lid. Or, use a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Others have found success making this in a crockpot. Just cook it on high heat for 6 hours or on low heat for 8 hours. You won’t get the crispy bits like you do in the oven, but the flavor will still be amazing!
You don’t have to take the extra step to brown the meat. That said, if you want to sear it ahead of time you certainly can. Because a chuck roast is a nice fatty cut of meat, there’s no need to add any additional oil, broth, or water to the pan either. The meat will roast slowly in the oven and all those delicious juices will help keep the meat tender and moist.
A 4-pound roast will typically serve 6 to 7 people. I typically account for 1/2 pounds of meat per person. So even if you’re not hosting people, you’ll have plenty of leftovers throughout the week for easy lunches and dinners.
When picking a roast I like to look for a fatty cut with a lot of marbling. I don’t always have the best of luck with grass-fed roasts — most are just too lean and tough. The important thing is using a nice fatty roast or else it will never get to the point where it shreds easily. If you’re finding that it isn’t shredding as easily as you’d like, it’s likely a tougher cut of meat. Next time, just look for something that is more on the fattier side.
Try This Chuck Roast With:
- Viral Chuck Roast Tacos
- Honey Glazed Carrots
- Herb and Maple Roasted Cauliflower
- Crispy Baked Salt and Vinegar Potatoes
- Homemade Baked Beans (Refined Sugar-Free)
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VIRAL CHUCK ROAST
Ingredients
- 1 boneless beef chuck roast, about 4 pounds (see note 1)
- Salt and pepper, to generously season
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Season your roast generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to a baking dish, cover, and bake for 1 hour per pound of meat.
- Remove the roast from the oven and shred it into large chunks using two forks. If the roast is not pulling apart easily, put it back in the oven for 30 min.
- Raise the oven heat to 425° F.
- Toss the shredded pieces of roast around in the rendered fat and place it back in the oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes until you see some nice crispy caramelized ends.
- Serve and ENJOY!!
Notes
- Pick a nice fatty roast otherwise it won’t shred easily.
- While this recipe only requires salt and pepper, I make different versions depending on what else I’m serving. Taco seasoning, for example, is a great addition especially if you’re planning to make my Viral Chuck Roast Tacos. Season however you like — the important thing here is the cooking technique.
- I like to cook my roast in an enameled cast iron that has a fitted lid but you are welcome to use a glass baking dish and can cover with aluminum foil.
- I like to serve this with roasted potatoes and carrots. Just cube them up, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and roast at 425°F for 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Going to make for large crowd. I’d like to cook
In advance and freeze in airtight bags. Any tips on reheating day of event?
Hi, Tracy! You can crisp this up in an air fryer or back in the oven to reheat the next day. Even on a pan with a little oil would be great too. Let me know what you tried!
If I wanted double the amount of portion from a 4 lb roast, would it be best to roast two 4 lb roasts side by side in one big pot? Or do they need to be in separate Dutch ovens? I’m looking for a turkey alternative for Thanksgiving and this looks amazing. I’m also doing a roast chicken for the poultry people no worries.
Easiest weekly staple! Never fails, is so easy, and so versatile!!
Thank you, Erin! Glad to hear you love it.
What a great recipe! Simple and delicious- this is a total win. Thank you!!
So easy but so good and flavorful. This will be on repeat for dinners!
So happy you love it, Kayla! Thank you for letting me know!
So much better than any other pot roast recipe! I poured out some of the rendered fat before mixing back in the shredded chuck roast (Very fatty piece). I like that this gives more control over the fat than the crockpot/broth version I am used to. SO SO SO Good!
So happy to hear it was a hit, Carolyn!!
My new favorite way to cook chuck roast. So easy and absolutely delicious!
The best! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a review, Jennifer!
This recipe has earned its title-I see why it went viral. Absolutely easy to make and so delicious. We loved this recipe so much and plan to make it many more times in the future.
Thank you so much, Theresa! I’m so glad to hear you love it.
Haven’t made it yet, but if I wanted to use my slow cooker – how long should I keep it in for? On low I would assume?
Hi, Michael! I haven’t personally tried a slow cooker. You won’t get the same crispiness on the top, but you can absolutely use a slow cooker to make a shredded chuck roast. 8 hours on low is usually the rule of thumb to get the roast to shred easily, or 4-5 on high.
Are YOU SUPPOSED TO DRAIN THE FINISHED MEAT ON A PAPER TOWEL BEFORE SERVING?
I don’t! But you can if you prefer less fat or oil.