Shared by Shannon Sarna
Shared by Shannon Sarna
Red Wine-Braised Chuck Roast
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 4 hours
Red Wine-Braised Chuck Roast
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 4 hoursIf cookbook author Shannon Sarna is serving potato kugel, there’s a good chance she's made a beef chuck roast to go with it. Brisket might be more popular among Jewish-American families, but Shannon's butcher in suburban New Jersey suggested she try chuck roast (or pot roast). Like brisket, this cut of beef is forgiving and cooked over low heat. Shannon's eldest child immediately fell for it, as did Shannon. “I found it to be more flavorful, and a bit less fussy [than brisket] since you don’t have to slice it across the grain,” she says.
If you find that the liquid has not fully reduced by the time the roast has finished cooking, carefully remove it and place it into a small pot. Reduce the liquid over medium heat until it thickens to your liking.
Read more about her story in "Shannon Sarna’s Potato Kugel is Her Family's Comfort Food".
Ingredients
- One 4-pound chuck roast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 3 carrots, roughly chopped
- 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons onion salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups water, stock, or a combination of both
- Half 750mL bottle red wine
Optional
2 pounds mini red potatoes
Preparation
Step 1
Pat the chuck roast dry on all sides with paper towels. Season all over generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
Step 3
Sear the chuck roast on all sides until a golden-brown crust forms, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside, then lower the heat to medium.
Step 4
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat into a heatproof bowl. When cool, discard the extra fat.
Step 5
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the fat in the Dutch oven or pot. Sauté over medium heat until softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 6
Add the water or stock, red wine, onion salt, and pepper. Bring to a low boil, then return the chuck roast and all its juices to the pot.
Step 7
Lower the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook until the meat is completely tender, 3-4 hours. (Optional: add the potatoes halfway through cooking.) Check periodically to ensure the heat isn’t too high. When the meat shreds easily, it’s done cooking. Season with salt to taste.
Excerpted from Modern Jewish Comfort Food: 100 Fresh Recipes for Classic Dishes from Kugel to Kreplach by Shannon Sarna (Countryman Press). Copyright © 2022. Photographs by Doug Schneider.
