This is a basic braise that you can apply to any type of roast. Here we're using a chuck roast but you can use a tougher cut (like outside round) and still have great results.
Ready Time: 2 to 3 hours
Ingredients
1.2 kg boneless, chuck roast
salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 dry bay leaves
1 to 2 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine (optional, replace with extra beef stock if desired)
Method
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Salt the roast well on all sides.
Pour the oil into a Dutch oven (or a large oven-safe pan) and heat over med-high. Sear the beef on all sides til golden brown.
Remove from Dutch oven
Add carrots, celery and onion to the dutch oven and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until browning.
Add back the roast.
Add the stock, wine and bay leaf to come one-third up the side of the roast and bring to a simmer.
Cover and put in oven.
Cook in oven until fork tender (2 to 3 hours)
You can remove the roast and keep it warm while skimming the fat off the cooking liquid and reducing it to a sauce. Strain out the vegetables first if you wish.
Sue Riedl