Ingredients
- One 3-pound boneless beef chuck roast, tied
- Kosher salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbs. tomato paste
- 1 bottle (750ml) Barbera wine
- 2 ½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, divided
- ½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg plus more for garnish
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Generously salt the beef on all sides.
In a medium, flameproof casserole or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, cook the roast until deeply browned on all sides, about 15 minutes, reducing heat if it threatens to burn. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350o F.
Add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the same pot and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are pale gold at the edge, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the wine and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine has reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes.
Stir in 1 ½ teaspoons of the rosemary, ½ teaspoon of the nutmeg, the cinnamon, bay leaf and ½ teaspoon salt. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover, and bring to a simmer. (If the pot lid is not tight, cover the pot with aluminum foil before place the lid on it.)
Transfer to the oven and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250o F and continue cooking until the meat is very tender, about 3 ½ to 4 hours more, turning the roast over in the liquid every hour or so and adjusting the oven temperatures as needed to maintain a bare simmer.
Remove from the oven and, if you have time, let rest for 30 minutes, covered, basting occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the roast to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and keep warm in a very low (200o F) oven.
Transfer the cooking liquid and vegetables (remove the bay leaf) to a blender and process until very smooth, about one minute, adding salt to taste. This will make a thick gravy. Reheat before serving, if necessary.
Transfer the roast to a cutting board. Snip the strings and remove. Using a serrated knife, cut into slices about 1 inch thick (don’t worry of the slices fall apart – keep them together as best you can). Transfer the slices to a serving plate and smother with a generous amount of the gravy. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of rosemary, and coarsely ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Pairs well with Iron Hub Barbera, Syrah or Resolute.