1Cut about a 3 to 3.5 pound chuck roast into 3 to 4 inch chunks to ensure more surface area for searing.
2Season the beef chunks well with an even layer of salt, pepper, and garlic powder on all sides, using the beef to pick up any seasoning that falls on the cutting board.
3Get a pan nice and hot and sear the beef in stages if necessary to get a good, deep, crusty sear on all sides, flipping when it naturally releases from the pan.
4Add a little butter to the pan drippings for flavor, then sauté vegetables like mushrooms and carrots in the pan, seasoning them with salt and pepper.
5Add a whole head of garlic, cut in half, to the vegetables.
6Deglaze the pan with about 1 cup of red wine, scraping up any remaining bits from the bottom.
7Add a couple of sprigs of thyme (optional) and a couple of bay leaves (traditional).
8Nestle the seared beef back in among the veggies and add any accumulated juices from the plate.
9Add a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
10Add enough broth to come up about half to two-thirds of the way up on the meat, ensuring no pieces are fully submerged.
11Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop.
12Cover the pan and place it in an oven at about 350 degrees for about two hours, or until the beef falls apart.
Ingredients
3 to 3.5 lb chuck roast
salt
pepper
garlic powder
butter
mushrooms
carrots
1 whole head garlic, cut in half
1 cup red wine
2 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
dashes Worcestershire
broth
Equipment
pancutting boardoven
Tips
Cut the chuck roast into smaller pieces for better browning and crust development.
Season all sides of the beef generously.
Use any fallen seasoning on the cutting board by using the beef as a magnet.
Sear the beef in stages if your pan isn't large enough to avoid overcrowding.
Do not rush the searing step; aim for a deep, crusty sear.
The beef is ready to flip when it naturally releases from the pan bottom.
Add butter to the pan drippings for flavor when sautéing vegetables.
The acid from vegetables helps lift flavor from the bottom of the pan.
Mushrooms are great in this dish because they soak up a lot of flavor.
Deglaze the pan with red wine to lift any remaining bits from the bottom.
Nestle the beef back among the veggies and add any accumulated plate juices.
Add enough broth to cover the meat about halfway to two-thirds; the pieces should not be fully submerged.
Bring the liquid to a simmer before placing it in the oven to maintain temperature.
The knife is just for looks, the beef should be so tender it falls apart.