Ingredients
- 1 4-pound chuck roast (boneless)
- 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 to 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 1-oz packet onion soup mix
- 2 cups chicken stock, beef stock, or water
- 1 cup red wine
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses
- Pomegranate arils for garnish (optional)
- Rice pilaf, couscous, or mashed potatoes, for serving
Directions
- Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels on all sides. Season all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chuck roast on all sides until a golden-brown crust forms, around 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and set aside, and reduce the heat to medium.
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat into a heatproof bowl. When cool, discard.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the same Dutch oven or pot. Sauté over medium heat until softened, around 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, until combined.
- Add the stock, red wine, onion soup mix, and pomegranate molasses. Bring to a low boil, and return the chuck roast and all juices to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is completely tender. Check periodically to ensure heat isn’t too high, and when the meat is easily shredded, it’s done cooking. Season with salt to taste.
- Remove the meat from the pot and place on a cutting board. Break apart the meat into pieces (I like roughly 4-ounce pieces, but you can go larger or smaller depending on your preference) and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over the meat. Serve alongside rice pilaf, couscous or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- This is the best roast I’ve ever made
- Goes very well with creamy mashed potatoes