Braised Beef Pot Roast With Root Vegetables

Makes six to eight servings

Hands-on preparation time: 45 to 60 minutes

Total preparation time: 4 to 4 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 tbs. apple-cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tbs. rice-bran oil or other high-heat oil
• 3 to 31/2 lbs. grassfed beef chuck roast
• 11/2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups beef or chicken stock or broth
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• 2 medium onions, sliced, about 3 cups
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled, whole
• 4 to 5 cups chunked root vegetables (carrots, turnips, rutabagas, parsnips)
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Combine thyme, vinegar, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper, then rub over chuck roast. Refrigerate overnight or allow to rest while you prepare vegetables.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Heat Dutch oven to medium-high to high on stovetop. Add oil. Sear the roast, turning to brown well on each side. Remove meat and set aside.
4. Lower heat to medium. Pour in red wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits left in the pan. Cook until wine is reduced to half its original volume, about five to 10 minutes. Add stock, bay leaves, onions, garlic, and meat, and bring to a simmer.
5. Cover and move pan to the oven, and cook for two hours. After two hours, add mixed root vegetables to pan. After one more hour, check to see if roast is tender and vegetables are soft. If not, check again every 20 minutes. When done, reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F. Place roast and vegetables on a covered tray in oven to keep warm while you prepare a sauce.
6. Discard the bay leaves from the broth and skim off the fat. Keep 4 cups of cooking liquid in the pan; cook at medium to medium-high heat until it is reduced to half its original volume. Serve over the meat and vegetables, seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.