Pot Roast, Tuscan-Style

By Golfwidow7

by Rachael Ray A braised roast and vegetables makes for the ultimate cold weather comfort food. Rach
recommends serving this with charred bread or roast potatoes wedges with olive oil, rosemary,
crushed garlic and salt.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds meaty chuck roast, well-trimmed, about 3 to 3½ inches thick
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil, or olive oil
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 onions, red or yellow, stem end intact, cut into wedges
• 3 ribs leafy celery, thick cut on bias
• 2 parsley root, thick cut on bias (or parsnips)
• 3 to 4 medium carrots, thick cut on bias
• 2 bulbs garlic, ends cut off to expose cloves
• 3 to 4 generous sprigs rosemary
• 2 large fresh bay leaves
• 1 small bundle thyme, parsley stems or parsley root tops, and carrot tops, tied (optional)
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries (optional)
• 1/2 cup sundried tomato paste, a tube (or tomato paste)
• 1/2 bottle Italian red wine, such as Rosso di Montalcino
• 3 to 4 cups beef stock

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325˚F with rack at center or 1 rung below if necessary for your pot.
Bring roast to room temperature.
Heat a large Dutch oven or a heavy braiser pan over medium-high heat with oil. Pat meat dry
and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil, 3 turns of the pan, and brown meat
on both sides and edges, then remove to platter or pan. Add butter to the pot and melt it, and
when it foams, add vegetables, garlic bulbs, rosemary and bay, and season with salt and
pepper. Add in stems bundle and juniper, if using, then reduce heat a bit, partially cover and
cook 12 to 15 minutes to soften, stirring occasionally. Add sundried tomato paste and stir. Add
wine and bring to a bubble, scraping up any fond on the bottom of the pot. Add beef back, add
enough stock to just come up to meat edge, 3 to 4 cups, and replace the pot cover, tightly
covering it. Place in oven and roast 2½ to 3 hours to tender.
Remove the pot roast to carving board to rest 15 minutes, then slice against the grain. Remove
bay, herb bundle, garlic skins and rosemary sprigs. Serve sliced meat and vegetables in
shallow bowls -- and with charred bread or roasted potatoes for mopping, if you'd like.