Italian Pot Roast
This Italian Pot Roast is a flavorful dish with tender beef simmered in a rich sauce, perfect for a comforting meal.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 4 hours hrs
Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 697 kcal
Beef
- 3.5 pounds rump or chuck beef roast
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Oils & Sauces
- 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil
Vegetables
- 1 large carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large rib celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium red onion, diced (1 to 1 ½ cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
Liquids
- 3 cups medium-bodied Italian red wine (e.g., Barbera)
- 1 can Italian plum tomatoes (28-ounce, put through a food mill to remove the seeds)
Preparation
Trim some of the fat from the meat. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, shimmering but not smoking, add the roast and cook, turning it a few times, until it is nicely browned on all sides, about 10-12 minutes.
Transfer the meat to a platter.
Cooking Vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the carrot, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are golden brown and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, about 10-12 minutes.
Add the garlic, parsley, and sage, and stir until the herbs are lightly colored and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Deglazing and Returning Meat
Add 1 cup of the wine and stir quickly, lifting up the richly browned caramelized vegetables that stick to the bottom of the pan.
When the wine is almost all evaporated and thickly coats the vegetables, return the meat to the pan and turn it over a few times to coat it with the savory base.
Simmering
Raise the heat to high, adding the remaining wine, the bay leaf, and the tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, turning and basting the meat every half hour or so, until the meat is very tender and flakes away when pierced with a fork, about 3-4 hours.
Resting and Reducing Sauce
Turn off the heat and let the roast sit in its juices for an hour.
Remove the meat from the pot and place it on a cutting board, covered loosely with aluminum foil. If the sauce is too thin, bring it to a fast boil and reduce it until it has a medium-thick consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 697kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 8gFat: 42g
Keyword beef roast, comfort food, family recipe, hearty meal, Italian Pot Roast, slow cooked