Shared by Shannon Sarna
Shared by Shannon Sarna
Red Wine-Braised Chuck Roast
Yield: 8-10 servings
Red Wine-Braised Chuck Roast
Yield: 8-10 servingsIf there’s potato kugel being served on Shannon Sarna’s table, there’s a good chance a chuck roast is there with it. Brisket might be more popular among Jewish-American families, especially Ashkenazi ones like Shannon’s, but her butcher in suburban New Jersey recently suggested she try chuck roast (or pot roast). Like brisket, this cut of beef is forgiving and cooked over low heat, and Shannon and her eldest child immediately favored it.
“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 are finding 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 Shannon's family and try her recipe for potato kugel.
Ingredients
- One 4-pound chuck roast
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large carrot, rough chopped
- 3 carrots, rough chopped
- 3 celery stalks, rough chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons onion salt or other seasoned salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups water, XX stock, or a combination of both
- Half 750-millilter bottle red wine
Optional
Add 2 lbs mini red potatoes to pot halfway thru cooking time.
Preparation
Step 1
Pat the chuck roast dry on all sides, using paper towels. Season all over 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 bowlful of fat.
Step 5
Add the onion, carrots, and celery to fat remaining in the same 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, or until combined.
Step 6
Add the water or stock, red wine, onion salt or other seasoning, 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 for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is completely tender. Check periodically to ensure the heat isn’t too high. When the meat is easily shredded, 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.
