Sunday Yankee Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 lb carrots, cut into chunks
• 1½ lb small red potatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Method

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the roast dry and season it all over with the salt and pepper.
2. Brown the roast well on all sides in the oil in a Dutch oven, about 12 minutes, then set it aside.
3. Cook the onions until browned at the edges, add the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and scrape up the browned bits.
4. Return the roast with the stock, thyme and bay leaves, cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
5. Tuck the carrots and potatoes around the meat and braise until everything is fork-tender, about 1 hour more. The beef will be well past 145°F; rest it at least 3 minutes, ideally 10, before slicing.
6. Mash the flour into the butter, whisk it into the simmering pan juices and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve the gravy over the beef and vegetables.

Notes