Red Wine–Braised Chuck Roast with Herb Gremolata
A deeply savory oven braise: chuck dry-brined for a day, seared hard, braised low in red wine and stock, then served in large rustic pieces under a glossy butter-mounted jus and a sharp lemon-garlic gremolata.
- bone-in or boneless beef chuck roast, tied if loose, for even cooking3 lb
- kosher salt, for dry-brining2 tsp
- freshly ground black pepper1 tsp
- neutral oil2 tbsp
- yellow onion, diced1 large
- carrots, cut in 1-inch pieces2 medium
- celery, cut in 1-inch pieces2 stalks
- garlic cloves, smashed6 cloves
- tomato paste2 tbsp
- dry red wine, structured and dry — Cabernet, Syrah, or Côtes du Rhône1½ cups
- beef stock, low-sodium2 cups
- fresh thyme sprigs4 sprigs
- fresh rosemary sprigs2 sprigs
- bay leaves2 leaves
- cold unsalted butter, cubed, for finishing the sauce2 tbsp
- flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped½ cup
- lemon, zested1 large
- garlic clove, minced or grated, for gremolata1 clove
- extra-virgin olive oil, for the gremolata(optional)
- flaky sea salt
- 1
A day ahead: pat the chuck dry, season all sides with the kosher salt and black pepper, and set on a rack over a plate. Refrigerate uncovered 12–24 hours, then pull it out 45 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.
- 2
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C). Pat the roast dry one more time.
325°F - 3
Heat your 5 qt Winco Dutch oven over high until just smoking. Add the neutral oil, swirl, then sear the roast undisturbed 4–5 minutes per side, including the edges, to a deep mahogany crust. Transfer to a plate and lower the heat to medium.
high - 4
Add onion, carrots, and celery to the same pot. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened and the onion edges color. Add the smashed garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
medium - 5
Push the vegetables aside, add the tomato paste to the bare center, and cook 2 minutes, pressing it into the hot surface until it darkens to brick-red. Deglaze with a splash of the wine to loosen the paste and stir everything together.
medium - 6
Pour in the rest of the wine, scraping up all the fond with a wooden spoon. Simmer hard until reduced by half, 5–6 minutes, then add the stock and nestle in the thyme, rosemary, and bay.
high - 7
Return the roast and its juices. Liquid should reach halfway up the meat — top with stock if needed. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and braise in the oven 3–3.5 hours, turning once at the halfway mark.
low325°F - 8
Transfer the roast to a board and tent with foil. Discard the herbs and bay. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into your 12.5-inch skillet or a wide saucepan, pressing the solids. Skim the fat, then boil to reduce until it lightly coats a spoon, 10–15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time until glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
high - 9
While the sauce reduces, make the gremolata: toss the parsley, lemon zest, and minced garlic with a few drops of olive oil. Make this fresh, no more than 30 minutes ahead.
- 10
Pull the roast into large rustic chunks along the grain — don't shred fine. Arrange on a warm platter, spoon the glossy jus over, scatter the gremolata, and finish with flaky salt. Serve at once.
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