Beef Braised in Wine

This is one version of pot roast, and really consists of my basic recipe for any braised beef or lamb.  Start with browning the meat (chuck roast, short ribs, veal or lamb shanks), remove and brown a pureed mirepoix, add wine and reduce, add canned tomatoes/stock/water and herbs, and cook for hours.  Voila - a delicious cold weather meal with tender meat and a deeply flavorful sauce!  I tend to make these braises at least a day ahead since I like to chill them to make excess fat removal easier.  Braises are a wonderful winter dinner party do-ahead meal since you can - and should - make at least a day ahead, and it can be made weeks ahead if you freeze it.  

Please feel free to adjust any ingredients to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 pound chuck roast
• 1/4 pound of pancetta - diced
• 3-4 carrots
• 3-4 celery stalks
• 1 large onion
• 4-6 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1-2 tablespoons umami paste (optional)
• 1 bottle of dry red wine
• 1 14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• bunch of thyme tied with string into a bundle
• 4 bay leaves
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
  

Directions:

1.  Heat oven to 300 degrees.  
2.  Saute pancetta in a large dutch oven over medium heat (I used a #26 Le Creuset) in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until crisp.  Remove and set aside on a paper towel lined plate.  Pour off all but a couple of tablespoons of fat.

3.  Season roast with salt and brown deeply on all sides in now empty pan over medium high heat.  This should take about 8-10 minutes Remove and set aside.  Again, pour off all but two tablespoons of fat.

4.  Finely chop the carrots, celery, onions and garlic in a food processor (almost puree) and add the the pan.  Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat, scrapoing the pan frequently as the vegetables brown.  This will take about 10-15 minutes.

5.  Clear a spot in the pan and add the tomato paste and umami paste and stir until brown, about one minute.

6.  Pour the bottle of wine into the pan, scraping up any brown bits, and reduce over meduim high heat for 8-10 minutes.  

7.  Add the tomato3s, thyme, bay leavess and the roast to the pan.  Taste and adjust the salt.

8.  Cover and put in the oven for 3-4 hours, checking now and then on the progress.  The roast is done when it is very tender.

9.  Refrigerate the roast overnight and remove the hardened fat.  Reheat and enjoy (or freeze to enjoy later).