Braised Italian Beef Stew

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 5 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (shoulder and blade will work too)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tbsp)
• 2 cups red wine or 2 cups beef broth
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Recipe

• 1 sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.
• 2 place it in a wide, deep baking pan (like a turkey roaster).
• 3 preheat the broiler, and put the rack 4" from the heat, or enough room to allow for the pan.
• 4 put the meat under the broiler and leave the door ajar so the element stays lit.
• 5 broil for about 15 min, or until a deep brown.
• 6 turn it over, and broil for 5 min more.
• 7 as the meat cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• 8 add the onion, celery, and carrot.
• 9 increase the heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 min, or until softened. if the vegetables begin to burn or stick, turn the heat down.
• 10 add the garlic to the softened vegetables.
• 11 reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally for another 3-4 minute.
• 12 scrape the softened vegetables into the pan with the browned meat.
• 13 add the wine (or beef broth), tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf.
• 14 heat oven to 300ºf.
• 15 cover the pan with foil, and crimp it tightly.
• 16 bake for 3 hours.
• 17 remove the pan from the oven, and remove the meat to a serving platter.
• 18 remove and discard the bay leaf from the sauce.
• 19 put the sauce into a blender (or use a hand held immersion blender) to blend the liquid and vegetables into a smooth sauce.
• 20 cover the meat with the sauce and serve.
• 21 serve with mashed potatoes. leftovers freeze well.
• 22 **note: for a great leftover dish. shred the leftover roast in a skillet with the leftover sauce (like bbq lamb/beef) with two forks. it is easier to do when the roast is warmed. serve this over the pasta of your choice, we like fettuccine.