Braised Pot Roast & Field to Table Red Blend

Serves 4-6

Active time: 45 minutes

In-Active Time: 3 hours

There aren’t many things that say “comfort food” more than pot roast. Slow cooking this budget-friendly cut of beef with hearty vegetables is the perfect way to feed a crowd on a chilly winter evening. We take the cooking liquid and create a rich gravy to finish off this cozy winter one-pot meal. One small time and energy saving tip in this area: rather than sprinkling from each jar, mix together the salt and pepper in advance before sprinkling onto the meat. Be sure to do the due diligence to get a nice sear on each side of the roast. This will lock in the moisture in the meat, and create a wonderfully tasty crust. Cozy winter comfort food calls for our bold & flavorful Field to Table Central Coast Red Blend. Alongside the earthy flavors with hints of bay and thyme, the tannins and structure tailor this pairing for an effortless and indulgent match.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground pepper
1 yellow onion, large chop
6 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices
4 celery ribs, cut diagonally into ¼ inch slices
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled, slightly crushed open with the flat side of a knife
1 pound baby red and gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch chunks
1 cup Field to Table Central Coast Red Blend
1 cup beef broth
1 (14 ounce) canned diced tomatoes, including juice
4 fresh thyme sprigs, tied into a bunch with cooking twine
2 bay leaves

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Heat a large oven-safe soup pot or dutch oven over high heat. Let the pan get very hot, and then add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan. Season pot roast liberally with salt & ground pepper all over two flat sides, and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side, using tongs to flip over. Remove from the pan, place on a plate and set aside.
Lower the temperature to medium, add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pan, and saute for 5 minutes stirring regularly, until slightly softened. Add potatoes and deglaze the pan with cabernet sauvignon. Scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Make a well in the center of the vegetables and nestle the seared meat in the center. Add beef broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaves. The liquid should come up about 1 inch onto the meat. Cover with lid and place in the oven for 1 ½ – 2 hours, until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 125°F. This will result in the meat cooked to medium-rare.
Remove the roast from the pot and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If the vegetables aren’t fork tender by this point, continue to cook them on the stove over medium-high for 15 minutes, uncovered. This will also reduce the cooking liquid and make a delicious gravy. If the vegetables are already tender, remove with a slotted spoon and put onto a serving platter, then reduce the cooking liquid until it is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove the thyme and bay leaves from the pot. Serve pot roast alongside vegetables and pour gravy over top both.

Test Kitchen Tip: The best way to check the doneness of meat is with a meat thermometer. Although medium-rare is 130-135°F, we remove the meat from the oven when it reaches 125°F because it will continue to cook another 5-10°F outside of the oven.