Italian Pot Roast in Tomato Sauce
A slow-braised Italian style pot roast simmered in a rich tomato sauce with herbs and vegetables until fall-apart tender.
Equipment
- Large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven
- Tongs
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
Ingredients
- 4 oz bacon or pancetta diced, optional
- 3 lb beef, such as chuck cut into 3 large pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 cup carrot, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 2 cup beef broth
- 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes 1 can
- 1 tsp thyme, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 tsp rosemary, chopped or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large oven-safe pot (Dutch oven), over medium heat, before setting aside.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and sear/brown in the bacon grease, over medium-high heat, about 4-6 minutes per side, before setting aside.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and bacon, and mix before adding the beef.
- Either: bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer covered until the beef is falling-apart tender, about 2-4 hours; or cover and cook in a 275°F oven until falling-apart tender, about 2-4 hours; or transfer to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, remove the bay leaves, and serve.
Notes
Can be cooked on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. Optional additions include red wine in place of some broth, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, or Worcestershire sauce. Serve over pasta, gnocchi, polenta, or mashed potatoes. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 4 days and freeze well.
