Classic Italian Stracotto
The house begins to smell like a rustic Tuscan kitchen the moment this Italian Pot Roast, or Stracotto, hits the oven. Unlike a traditional American pot roast that relies on brown gravy, this version is slow-cooked in a rich base of red wine, aromatic herbs, and crushed tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 3.5 lb beef chuck roast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups dry red wine Chianti or Merlot
- 1 can 28 oz crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 5–7 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pot. Let the wine simmer for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, broth, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Return the beef to the pot. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the oven.
- Bake for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
- Remove the herb stems and bay leaves. Shred the meat into large chunks and serve drizzled with plenty of the pot sauce.