Red Wine Pot Roast with Honey and Thyme

Cookbook Category: Beef

This is one of Dave Lieberman's recipes from his cookbookDave's Dinners. Dave advises "Pot roast refers to the way the meal is cooked, not the cut itself, so there are a few cuts that make for good pot roast. I've listed the most common ones but chuck is the best because of its good, even marbling."

1 4-pound) chuck roast, rump, top, or bottom round if chuck is not available
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 small onions, cut into medium dice
10 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
1 pound carrots, cut roughly into 1-inch pieces
3 ounces tomato paste
2 cups reduced-sodium beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
2 cups red wine
2 tablespoons honey
8 fresh thyme sprigs
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

Season the roast with salt and pepper to taste.

Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot, such as a Dutch oven, over high heat for a couple of minutes. Add the meat and brown well on all sides. Remove and set aside on a plate. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a couple of minutes longer. Add the stock, wine, honey, and thyme, stir, and then add the roast back to the pot.

Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake 2-1/2 hours, turning twice. Uncover, add the potatoes to the pot, and bake, uncovered, 45 minutes longer, until both the potatoes and meat are fork-tender.

Serves 6.