Kathy Casey’s Sunday Slow-Cooked Roast Beef
with half a bottle of wine and 20 cloves of garlic...

Makes about 6-8 generous servings.

1 beef chuck roast (3 to 3-1/2 pound)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 bottle (about 1-1/2 cups) Washington red wine

3 tablespoons flour

20 cloves garlic, peeled

5 springs fresh thyme

4 carrots, cut in 1-1/2 inch pieces

4 stalks celery, cut in 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. With paper towels, pat the roast dry. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until hot.

3. Rub the roast with salt and pepper. Place in the hot pan and sear on all sides until well browned. Remove the meat to a platter. Add the onion wedges and mushrooms to the pan and stir around for a few minutes, then tuck the roast back into the pan, pulling the onion and mushroom mixture up from under the roast.

4. Whisk together the wine and flour until smooth and add to the roasting pan, along with the garlic and thyme. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast for about 2 hours. Add the carrots and celery and continue to roast for 1/2 to 1 hour, or until meat is fork-tender. Stir the basil into the sauce.

5. Cut roast into thick slices or a large chunk, depending on your preference, and serve with sauce drizzled over.

Kathy's Tip: If the sauce is not thick enough, make a cornstarch slurry using 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Whisk slurry into the simmering sauce, a little at a time until the desired thickness is reached.

© 2003 Kathy Casey Food Studios