Ingredients
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2 tablespoons vegetable oil
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One 3-pound beef chuck roast, tied
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Salt and freshly ground pepper
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1 cup dry red wine, such as Barbera
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2 cups beef broth
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3 cups water
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1 medium onion, halved and stuck with 2 whole cloves
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6 large garlic cloves
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4 large carrots, halved crosswise
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2 medium fennel bulbs, quartered
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1 bay leaf
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 325°. In a skillet, heat the oil. Season the roast with salt and pepper and sear on all sides over moderately high heat; transfer to a roasting pan.
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Add the wine to the skillet and boil for about 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the wine, broth and water to the roasting pan and bring to a boil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, fennel and bay leaf. Cover and braise in the oven until the fennel is tender, about 1 hour; transfer the fennel to a baking dish and cover.
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Return the roast to the oven; cook until the roast is tender and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 180°, about 1 hour longer.
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Discard the onion and bay leaf. Transfer the roast and carrots to the baking dish with the fennel. Cover and keep warm in the oven. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, pressing to mash the garlic. Boil until reduced to 11/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
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Transfer the roast to a carving board and remove the strings. Cut into 4 thick slices and transfer to plates with the carrots and fennel. Pass the sauce at the table.
Suggested Pairing
Barbera.