Wine Braised Beef with Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 5 lbsChuck roast, cut into 3-4" pieces
• 2 tbspOlive oil
• Generous amounts of kosher salt and pepper
• 1Medium sized onion, finely diced
• 2Large carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2Bay leaves
• 4Garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tbspTomato paste
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 1 lb Crimini mushrooms
• 3 cupsLight red wine, like a pinot noir
• 3 Sprigs of fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pat dry meat and generously salt and pepper all sides.
3. In a large braiser or Dutch oven, heat oil until shimmering. In small batches, brown all sides of the meat. About 2 minutes per side. Set meat aside.
4. Reduce heat to medium low and add onions, carrots and bay leaves. Saute until carrots and onions are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
5. Stir in tomato paste. Sprinkle the mixture with flour and stir until absorbed. Slowly stir in the wine and add the mushrooms.
6. Place the meat back to the braiser in a single layer. The meat should sit just above liquid line. For a good braise, you don't want it fully immersed in the liquid. Tuck the thyme between pieces of meat and bring the dish to boil. Cover and place in preheated oven. Cook for 2 ½ -3 hours. Meat should gently fall apart with a fork when done.
7. Serve in a shallow bowl over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes and along side some hearty vegetables.