|
3 1/2 to 4 pound rump, blade or chuck beef roast
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large celery stalk, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, diced (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp each, oregano & basil
1 cup medium-bodied Italian red wine
1 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes
Trim some of the fat from the
meat. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously
with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large,
heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When
the oil is hot, shimmering but not smoking, add the
roast and cook, turning it a few times, until it is
nicely browned on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Transfer
the meat to a platter.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the
carrot, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring
occasionally until the vegetables are golden brown
and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, 10-12
minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil, and
stir until the herbs are lightly colored and
fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir
quickly, lifting up the richly browned caramelized
vegetables that stick to the bottom of the pan. When
the wine is almost all evaporated and thickly coats
the vegetables, return the meat to the pan and turn
it over a few times to coat it with the savory base.
Raise the heat to high, adding the
remaining wine, the bay leaf, and the tomatoes, and
bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to
low, and simmer, turning and basting the meat every
half hour or so, until the meat is very tender and
flakes away when pierced with a fork, 3-4 hours.
Turn off the heat and let the roast sit in its
juices for an hour. (You can also put the pot into a
300°F oven and turn the roast every hour.)
Remove the meat from the pot and
place it on a cutting board, covered loosely with
aluminum foil. If the sauce is too thin, bring it to
a fast boil and reduce it until it has a
medium-thick consistency. Taste and adjust
seasoning. Cut the meat into thick slices (it will
probably fall apart), and place on warm serving
dishes. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve hot.
Serve with rice, mashed potatoes, or polenta.
|
|