Not your everyday pot roast!
Braise chuck roast in red wine with pancetta for an elegant pot roast recipe.
No, indeed it isn’t.
Elise Bauer
The sauce includes an entire bottle of bold red zinfandel wine.
The beef, braised for hours is fork tender.
But it is important to keep some fat, as this will keep the roast moist while braising.
Elise Bauer
In many supermarkets chuck roasts will already be properly trimmed.
Salt the roast well and set aside at room temperature while you prepare all the other vegetables.
Pour a little water into a Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot.
Elise Bauer
Set the pot over medium heat and add the diced pancetta.
When the pancetta is crispy and brown, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 300F.
Elise Bauer
Once the meat has browned remove it to a bowl and add the onions, carrot and celery.
Sprinkle salt over the vegetables while they cook.
Increase the heat to medium-high and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Elise Bauer
Add the tomato paste and stir well, saute for another 1-2 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook a minute more.
Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes, the pancetta, herbs and red wine.
Elise Bauer
At the halfway point, use tongs to turn the beef roast over.
Remove the pot from oven and transfer beef to a large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm.
If you have an immersion blender, use it to blend the contents of the pot.
Elise Bauer
If you don’t, use a whisk to help break down the vegetables.
Boil the sauce until it is reduced to about 3 1/2 cups.
Add any accumulated juices from the bowl you have the beef in.
Elise Bauer
Boil the sauce again until it has reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the meat into roughly 1/2-inch-thick slices and pour the sauce over them.
Serve with a bold red wine and crusty bread or mashed potatoes.
