Ingredients
- 3-5 pound chuck or shoulder beef roast
- 1-2 cups each of chopped celery, white onion, carrots
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 cups dry red wine (preferably cabernet, merlot or a Bordeaux)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 bay leaves
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 10-12 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Prepare the beef chuck roast. One hour before you begin cooking, pull the beef chuck roast from the refrigerator and allow it to come up to room temperature. Just before cooking, use a paper towel to pat all sides of the roast as dry as possible. Season liberally with kosher salt and ground black pepper – a good rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat.
- Add the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-quart capacity) and let cook over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and simmering, carefully add the chuck roast. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Don’t forget to brown the skinnier edges! Once seared, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic to the pot used to sear the chuck roast. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine. Cook 2-3 minutes, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the red wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook 1-2 minutes, then add the seared beef chuck roast back into the skillet, nestling it into the vegetables. Add in the beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, bay leaves, fresh rosemary and thyme. Stir to combine well.
- Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cover and braise, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender – it’s ready once it shreds easily.
