In order for this recipe to work properly, let the roast sit (wrapped) for one to two hours outside of the refrigerator so that it comes to room temperature (between 65 and 70°F) before cooking. Otherwise, it will take a lot longer to cook at the low heat called for in this recipe.
Tip: If your pot’s lid doesn’t fit tightly, cover the pot first with foil, then secure the lid over it.
You’ll Need
3 1/2 pound of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast (look for a piece that is well marbled with fat for best results)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste
2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced, lengthwise (root to tip), about 4 cups sliced onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup red wine
1 bay leaf
Several carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch segments
Directions
1 Brown the roast on all sides: Use a thick-bottomed covered pot (ovenproof if you intend to cook in oven), such as a Dutch oven, just large enough to hold roast and vegetables. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium high heat (hot enough to sear the meat).
Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Sprinkle and rub salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning all over the meat. Brown roast in pot, all over, several minutes on each side. Don’t move the roast while a side is browning, or it won’t brown well.
2 Brown the onions, add garlic, carrots: When roast is browned, remove from pan and set on a plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes, until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and carrots to sit on top of the onions.
3 Add roast and simmer: Set the roast on top of the onions, garlic and carrots. Add 1/2 cup of red wine. Add the bay leaf and cover.
Bring to simmer and then adjust the heat down to the lowest heat possible to maintain a bare simmer when covered (we cook our roast on the warm setting of our electric range).
Tip: If you use a gas range, you may find difficulty getting the flame low enough to maintain a bare simmer. In this case, roll up some aluminum foil tightly, shape it into a donut, and put it on top of the burner to create a little more distance between the range and the pan. If you use a high-BTU range, you may want to cook the roast in the oven instead.
(If cooking in the oven, bring to a simmer first on the stovetop, then put in the oven, start the temp at 350°F for 15 minutes, then drop it to 250°F for the next hour, and then to 225°F after that.)
4 Cook several hours until fork tender and serve: Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or longer, until meat is tender.
After 3 1/2 hours, the meat will release a lot of liquid, which comes from slow cooking at a very low temperature. If your pot roast is too dry, make sure the pan you are using has a tight fitting lid and that you are cooking at the lowest possible heat to maintain the low simmer.
Serve with green beans and potatoes.
