Red Wine Braised Pot Roast
We are heading into the dreary months of winter. The first snowfall and all the excitement of the holidays are behind us, and now we’re counting down the days until the sun once again graces us with her warmth. But even though the weather outside is indeed frightful, I’ve got a delightful meal that is sure to warm you right up.
I don’t know about you, but whenever I hear “pot roast” I immediately think of a warm, comforting winter meal. This is a great meal to put together on a Sunday afternoon or on the weekdays after you pick the kids up from school. It fills your home with the most delicious herby aroma and believe me, your mouth will be watering from the moment it goes into the oven up until it’s served on the table. And don’t be alarmed by the cook time! This recipe really only takes the 30 minutes of prep and then you can put it in the oven and forget about it until it’s time to eat. Serve the roast with a side of potatoes - my preference is on top of a bed of mashed potatoes - and don’t forget a nice crusty loaf of bread to mop up all that delicious sauce with.
What’s your favorite winter comfort food? If you do try out this recipe, don’t forget to tag me! I’d love to see your recreations.
Red Wine Braised Pot Roast
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* prep time: 30 minutes
* cook time: 3 hours
* total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
* servings: 4===========
Ingredients:
– 2 lb boneless beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 1 medium onion, diced
– 1 1/2 cups baby carrots, whole
– 2 tsp minced garlic
– 2 cups dry red wine, I like a Cabernet Sauvignon
– 2-4 cups beef broth
– 1 tbsp brown sugar
– 2 sprigs fresh thyme
– 1 sprig fresh rosemary
– 2 bay leaves
– salt and pepper
– mashed potatoes for serving===========
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high.
- Season the beef chuck on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to the Dutch oven and sear on all sides, about 2-3 minutes each side.
- Remove the beef chuck to a cutting board or plate. It will not be fully cooked at this point.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and carrots to the Dutch oven and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the carrots become aromatic. It sounds weird, but you will be able to smell them, I promise!
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Deglaze with the wine. Add in 2 cups beef broth, brown sugar, and herbs and bring to a low boil. Let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Season broth with salt and pepper then add the beef chuck back to the pot. Cover and transfer to the oven.
- Cook for 3 hours. For bigger cuts of meat, cook anywhere from 3-5 hours but begin checking for doneness at 3. The roast is done when the internal temperature is 202°F and you can begin to pull it apart with a fork.
- Shred the roast into chunks and spoon the beef and carrots over a bed of mashed potatoes. Drizzle with the broth and enjoy with a side of crusty bread.
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Notes:
– You can chop whole carrots, or even chop the baby carrots in half, but they will cook quicker and may become mushy. I find the texture of a whole baby carrot is the best.
– Start with 2 cups of beef broth. Ideally, your meat should just barely fit in the Dutch oven and be fully covered by the liquid. If you do have to use a larger pot, start checking the meat around 2.5 hours as the liquid may evaporate quicker. If you notice the meat is not fully covered, add in the extra broth.
– Any type of mashed potatoes will work for this recipe. Costco is selling 2 packs right now in the refrigerated section. For easy homemade potatoes, peel and chop 4-6 russet potatoes and boil in salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until potato chunks can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add in 1 tbsp of butter per potato used, a good splash of milk, salt, and pepper. Mix on low until incorporated and then increase speed to medium. Continue to drizzle in milk until you reach the desired consistency.
