Red Wine Braised Beef
A classic French-style braise adapted for a family kitchen. The wine does the heavy lifting on flavor; the oven does the heavy lifting on texture. Chuck is the right cut because it has enough connective tissue to turn silky rather than dry.
- Cut
- Roasts
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Season
- Fall / Winter
- Method
- Braise
Ingredients
- 3½ lb Alaron Farms chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 3 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, cut into 1-inch rounds
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup pearl onions (optional)
What You'll Need
- Large Dutch oven with lid
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Fine-mesh strainer
Before You Start
- Pat the beef chunks dry and season all sides with salt and pepper. Let them sit out 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Have the wine and stock measured and ready — once the pan is hot you won't want to stop and measure.
Method
- 01
Sear in batches
Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the beef on all sides in batches, about 3 minutes per side, moving finished pieces to a plate. Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it.
- 02
Soften the vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the onion and carrots 5–6 minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then sprinkle the flour over and stir for another minute.
- 03
Deglaze with wine
Pour in the red wine and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot. Simmer 4–5 minutes until reduced by about half and the raw alcohol smell is gone.
- 04
Braise
Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven for 2½–3 hours, until the beef shreds under a fork.
- 05
Finish the sauce
Strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat 10–12 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon. Add the pearl onions in the last 15 minutes if using. Return the beef to the sauce.
Kitchen Notes
- The flour dusting thickens the finished sauce. Skip it and reduce the liquid further instead if you'd rather keep it gluten-free.
- Chuck, round and rump all work. What you need is connective tissue, not tenderness at the start.
- This is genuinely better on day two. Cool it, refrigerate overnight, lift the solid fat off the top, and reheat gently.
- For beef food-safety guidance, follow the USDA's current minimum internal temperature recommendations.
How to Serve It
- Serve over buttered noodles, polenta, or crusty bread.
- A pinch of fresh gremolata — parsley, lemon zest, garlic — wakes the whole dish up.
- Pairs naturally with a glass of whatever wine went into the pot.
Storage & Leftovers
- Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 3–4 days; the flavor deepens overnight.
- Freeze with the sauce for up to 3 months and thaw in the refrigerator.
- Reheat covered at 325°F with a splash of stock.
Using Another Cut?
Short Ribs
Use the same method with bone-in ribs and add 30 minutes.
Rump Roast
Cut into chunks; slightly leaner, so check at 2½ hours.
Roasts, delivered from the farm.
Choose the Alaron Farms box that fits your household, set your delivery rhythm and tell us how your family likes to cook.