Dining Tip: Wine-Braised Beef Roast

Denver chef Troy Guard presents an easy-to-make take on a rib-sticking winter favorite

Pot Roast With Baby Turnips and Thumbelina Carrots

Recipe courtesy of chef Troy Guard of Guard and Grace in Denver, a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winner

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, tied

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 cup chopped carrot

• 1 cup chopped celery

• 2 bay leaves

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 3 cups (about 1 bottle) red wine

• 6 cups beef stock

• 3/4 pound baby turnips (or regular turnips cut into 1-inch-by-1-inch pieces), tops attached

• 3/4 pound Thumbelina carrots (or regular carrots cut into 1-inch pieces), tops attached

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or olive oil

• 1 lemon wedge

1. Preheat oven to 300° F with racks at highest and lowest positions. In an ovenproof pot, heat olive oil over medium-high. Season meat with salt and pepper to taste and add to pot. Turn heat to medium and sear meat until golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove meat from pot.
2. Add onion, carrot and celery to pot. Cook for 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown and soften. Turn heat to high and add bay leaf, thyme and wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce by half, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Return meat to pot. Add stock, cover and bring just to a boil. Cover pot again tightly, place on lower oven rack and cook until meat pulls apart easily with a fork, about 2 hours. If necessary, continue cooking, checking at 20-minute intervals.
4. While the roast is cooking, trim the tops of the turnips and Thumbelina carrots and place tops in an ice-water bath. Lightly scrub the vegetables under running water and pat dry.
5. Place vegetables on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Cover with butter, sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover tightly with more foil, crimping the edges so steam can’t escape. Cook on oven’s upper rack for 25 minutes while roast finishes. Raise heat to 425° F and cook for 5 minutes more, until vegetables have browned slightly.
6. Remove roast from oven. Add 2 cups of the liquid to a saucepan and heat over medium, cooking until liquid has thickened, about 15 minutes. (Keep roast and remaining liquid covered.)
7. Dry and chop the vegetable tops, tossing with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place roast on a cutting board, discarding the remaining liquid or reserving for another use. Slice roast into 4 pieces. Place 1 on each plate, scatter turnips and carrots around, pour sauce over roast and top with the salad.

Serves 4.

***Grabbed from: http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Dining-Tip-Wine-Braised-Beef-Roast?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=most_popular