French-Style Pot Roast

Adapted from French-Style Pot Roast

Ingredients
1 beef chuck roast, boneless, pulled apart into 2 pieces and fat trimmed (4-5 lbs.)
2 t. kosher salt
1/2 (750 ml) bottle medium-bodied red wine
10 sprigs fresh parsley
2 T. minced fresh fresh parsley leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
ground black pepper
4 oz. thick-cut uncured bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 T. all-purpose flour
2 c. beef broth
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut on bias into 1 1/2" pieces
2 c. chopped sweet onions
3 T. unsalted butter

1⁄2 c. water
1⁄4 c. cold water (to bloom gelatin)
10 oz. white mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed, halved if small and quartered if large
table salt
1 T. powdered unflavored gelatin

Directions
Season meat with kosher salt. Place on wire rack in rimmed baking sheet, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring wine to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 2 c., about 15 minutes. Using kitchen twine, tie parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves into bundle.

Pat beef dry with paper towels and season generously with pepper.

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 300°F.  Cook bacon in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper-towel lined plate and reserve. Pour off all but 2 T. of bacon fat; return Dutch oven to medium-high heat and heat until fat begins to smoke. Add beef to pot and brown on all sides, 8-10 minutes total. Transfer beef to large plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2-4 minutes. Add garlic, flour, and reserved bacon; cook stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reduced wine, broth, and herb bundles, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; increase heat to high and bring liquid to simmer, then place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Set pot in oven and cook, using tongs to turn beef every hour, until dinner fork slips easily in and out of meat, 2 1/2 -3 hours, adding carrots to pot after 2 hours.

While meat cooks,
large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoons table salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and glazed 8-12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Place remaining 1/4 cup cold water in small bowl and sprinkle gelatin on top.

Transfer beef to cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow braising liquid to settle for about 5 minutes, then using wide shallow spoon, skim fat off surface. Remove herb bundle and stir in onion-mushroom mixture. Bring liquid to simmer over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is slightly thickened and reduced to 3 1/4 cups, 20-30 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Add softened gelatin and stir until completely dissolved.

Remove kitchen twine from meat and discard. Using chef's or carving knife, cut meat against grain into 1/2" thick slices. Divide meat among warmed bowls or transfer to platter; arrange vegetables around meat, pour sauce on top, and sprinkle with minced parsley. Serve immediately.

Serve with boiled potatoes, buttered egg noodles or steamed rice.

Nutrition Facts