Betsy’s No Garlic Red Wine Braised Beef (also known as Chug-A-Lug Chuck Roast)

By Betsy Vail 10/03/15

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. chuck roast, well-marbled and cut into 2 – 2½ inch cubes
• ¼ c olive oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms, quartered (I used baby portabellas)
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1-2 c baby carrots
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges (optional) 
• 2 750 ml. bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 14.5 oz. cans of beef broth
• ½ c balsamic vinegar 
• ¼ c organic coconut sugar
• ¼ tsp thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• ¾ c butter (or margarine)
• ¾ c organic flour
• parsley or cilantro (garnish)

Directions:

1. Add the oil in a large, oven proof Dutch oven or soup pot. On medium-high heat, sear each side until it is browned (about 2 minutes per side). Season the beef with salt and pepper while searing (or a salt and pepper rub may be applied to the raw beef cubes before browning). You may need to work in batches to not overcrowd the beef in the pot and to improve browning. Transfer the beef to a plate or bowl to rest once browned. No beef should remain in the pot in preparation for the next step.
2. Add the mushrooms, onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and sauté, stirring frequently, until slightly browned. Remove the vegetables from the pot, leaving the liquid behind, and set aside in a bowl separate from the beef.
3. Add the wine, vinegar, thyme, and sugar to the pot, stirring all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot into the sauce. On medium-high heat, reduce the sauce until it’s slightly thickened (about 20+ minutes and reduced by about half to two-thirds). Preheat the oven to 350 F while the sauce is reducing.
4. Add the beef back into the pot. Add 2 bay leaves and enough beef broth to nearly cover the beef. Start the braising process by bringing the beef to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, cover the pot with an oven-safe lid (or aluminum foil), and bake for 90 minutes. Add the vegetables back into the pot, then bake for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Optional: refrigerate overnight, then remove the fat before proceeding.
6. Once cooking is complete, pour the sauce from the pot through a sieve into a bowl, setting beef and vegetables aside. In a small mixing bowl, thoroughly combine equal parts of butter and flour together (about 1 Tbs of each for every cup of sauce) to make a beurre manié thickener. Heat the sauce from the beef and vegetables on medium heat in a sauce pan and whisk the beurre manié thickener into the sauce. Taste and season if necessary. Pour the thickened sauce over the beef and vegetables in the large pot and stir. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
7. Serve over mashed potatoes, polenta, or noodles, and share with good company!
   
   

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