Red Wine Braised Chuck Roast - Best way to Cook a Chuck Roast

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: beef broth

Non-alcoholic wine maintains flavor without alcohol.

beef chuck

🥗Healthier: sirloin

💰Cheaper: brisket

Sirloin is leaner while brisket is cheaper.

Cut the chuck roast in half lengthwise, then cut each half into three even pieces.

Slice off any large pockets of fat from the pieces.

Liberally season each piece with salt and let it sit for at least 20 minutes.

Roughly chop 2 carrots, 2-3 stalks of celery, and 1 yellow onion to prepare the mirepoix.

Crush and peel 2 garlic cloves.

After 20 minutes, pat each piece of meat completely dry with paper towels.

In a Dutch oven on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil.

Drop in each piece of meat, pressing them down and letting them sear untouched for a couple of minutes until golden brown.

Flip the meat and repeat, searing at least three sides of each piece before removing them from the pan.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the chopped carrots, celery, and onion along with a pinch of salt.

Toss the vegetables and add a drizzle of olive oil if the pan looks dry.

After a couple of minutes, let the vegetables release moisture to help remove the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Switch to a wooden spoon to scrape everything up.

Make room for the garlic and toss it in, cooking together for another couple of minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and stir until everything is well coated and has changed color.

Pour in 1/2 bottle of red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes to cook out the alcohol.

Gather thyme sprigs and tie them together in a bundle using butcher's twine or a longer thyme sprig.

After the wine reduces, add another pinch of salt and pepper before returning the meat to the pot in an even layer.

Add a couple bay leaves, the thyme bundle, and about 2 cups of beef broth, enough to almost cover the meat but leave the tops exposed.

Bring it back to a simmer, then cover with a lid and place in a 350 degree oven.

Braise for a little over two hours, flipping the meat every 30 minutes to ensure even cooking.

Check the meat at the two hour mark; if it can't be easily cut with a fork or tongs, return it to the oven for another 15 to 30 minutes.

Once tender, remove the meat from the pot and let it rest on a plate.

Remove some oil from the top of the pot with a paper towel, if desired.

Pour the liquid from the pot through a strainer into a saucepan, stirring the vegetables to extract all the liquid.

Add back most of the carrot pieces and one or two pieces of celery from the strainer to thicken the sauce.

Blend the mixture with an immersion or normal blender until completely smooth.

Heat the sauce on low for a couple minutes to reduce slightly until it coats the spoon.

Plate with your choice of starch, adding sauce to the bottom of the plate before placing the meat on top and adding more sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens