Dad’s Favorite Roast Beef

This is the “Dad” in our family’s absolute favorite roast beef. It will be your favorite, too!

The day he left for his 3rd Deployment to Iraq.

This is the “Dad” in our family’s absolute favorite roast beef. It will be your favorite, too!

To begin, turn your oven on to 275 degrees, with your oven rack lowered enough to fit a Dutch Oven with lid.

Wash, trim and cut 8-10 carrots into 3 inch pieces. I don’t feel the need to peel them, but do whatever floats your boat.

 

In an oven-safe Dutch Oven, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil until it is quite hot, but not smoking. Add in your carrots. Allow the carrots to cook until they get a little color on them.

 

Remove them to a dish, and in their place, add 5 peeled garlic cloves, and a large onion that has been peeled and halved. Cook these until they have some lovely color as well.

 

While those are cooking, pat dry, salt and pepper both sides of a beef “Underblade Chuck” roast.

 

Remove your onion and garlic to the dish with the carrots, and in with the roast.
Set it in the Dutch oven, and don’t touch it. Let it sit and sear for about 4 minutes.

 

Carefully turn it over and sear the other side.

 

While the roast is browning, measure out a teaspoon and a half each of Rosemary, Thyme and Parsley, a cup of Red Wine, two Bay leaves, and grab a carton of beef broth.

 

When the roast has browned on both sides, remove it from the heat.
Arrange the carrots, onion and garlic around the roast, then toss in the herbs. Pour in the wine…

 

And the broth.

 

Put the lid on your Dutch oven, stick it in your oven and walk away from your kitchen for about 4 1/2 hours. Your house will begin smelling heavenly!
After the afternoon has gone by, remove it from the oven, and carefully scoop the roast and the carrots out to a platter. Pull the meat apart with a couple forks.

 

For the finishing touch, ladle some of the broth through a sieve into a saucepan. You’ll want between 2 and 3 cups of the broth – however much gravy you would like to make. Begin heating the broth, and bring it to a gentle boil.

 

While it is heating, in a cup or a small bowl, combine a half cup of cold water and 3 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch. Beat them together with a fork or whisk until smooth.

 

Pour about half of the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan, whisking it together. Allow the broth to return to a boil. If it isn’t thick enough, add the rest of the cornstarch mixture, and again let it come to a boil.
Pour it into a dish and serve.

 

Enjoy!