Melt-in-your-mouth, tender red wine braised beef is the ultimate comfort food. You may think a dish like this is reserved only for fancy restaurants, but I assure you it’s easily attainable at home. 👩🏻🍳
Think of the braising liquid as a velvety sauce, infusing the flavor of earthy fresh herbs into the every bite. The beef itself becomes incredibly tender, falling apart effortlessly, while the onions, leeks, and garlic practically melt into the sauce.
Have I convinced you to make this chuck roast recipe yet?! Okay, good.
I’ve got tons of elevated dinner recipes to inspire your next restaurant-worthy meal at home, like this tender braised beef pappardelle pasta. Or try my easy braised chuck roast (the same cut of meat used here, but an even simpler preparation, perfect for tacos and sandwiches) next!
Quick Ingredient Highlights
- Other cuts of beef you can use: bone-in short ribs, boneless short ribs, or brisket. Note that bone-in ribs take longer to cook.
- I recommend a medium- to full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, or Montepulciano.
- Soy sauce can be replaced with tamari (gluten-free) or Worcestershire sauce.
- Beef broth: Let’s be honest, I often do not keep beef broth on hand. You can swap this for chicken broth or vegetable broth.
Directions
There’s about 30 minutes of prep work at the beginning, but then the oven takes over and does all of the work. This is easier than it looks!
Note: Red wine adds depth and complexity, but if you prefer not to use it, you can substitute with more beef broth (or bone broth!) and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for acidity. And for a different flavor, you can of course use white wine, but that tends to have a higher acidity.
Make sure that the pot you use has a tight fitting lid. This helps to prevent the braising liquid from evaporating too quickly, which can lead to dry meat. And trust me, we want to keep all that glorious flavor locked in there.
Serving Suggestions
Braised meats of any kind (chuck roast, lamb shanks, or pork shoulder) pair beautifully with creamy mashed potatoes, perfect for soaking up the braising liquid. I also really love braised meat over creamy parmesan polenta. It’s never a bad idea to have crusty bread on standby for mopping up excess beef sauce!
For something green, add oven-roasted vegetables (these root veggies are perfect in fall and winter!) or a simple side salad with a light and fresh shallot vinaigrette.
Chef-Tested Tips!
- Let the chuck roast come to room temp for even cooking and a better sear.
- Don’t rush the browning — a deep sear adds rich flavor.
- Deglaze with good red wine and scrape up the fond for maximum depth.
- No fresh herbs? Use 1 tsp each of dried thyme and rosemary.
Alternative Methods For Cooking
- Stove-top: Cook over a gentle simmer (covered) for 2½ hours.
- Slow cooker: Cook for 7 hours on low or 4 hours on high, browning the beef and sautéing the vegetables on a stove-top first.
Luscious, utterly fork-tender, and seriously impressive. It’s truly one of my husband’s most requested recipes. Give this a try ASAP, and celebrate the badass chef that you are! 👩🏻🍳
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Utterly Delicious & Tender Red Wine Braised Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
For the beef
- 3½-4 lb beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed oil
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 leeks, rinsed well, halved and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine, full-bodied or medium-bodied, see note below
- 2 cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium
- 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, or Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 10-12 sprigs of fresh thyme, or a mix of thyme and rosemary
For serving
- Mashed potatoes or polenta
- Chives, thinly sliced
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Bring the beef to room temperature. Allow the chuck roast to sit out at room temperature 30 minutes prior to cooking. This will ensure even browning and cook time.
- Season the chuck roast. Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C). Pat the beef dry on all sides with paper towels, then season generously with about 3-4 tsp Kosher salt and as much black pepper as you like.
- Brown the beef. Heat 2 Tbsp neutral oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or pot with deep sides. Allow this to heat up for a few minutes. Once hot, add the seasoned chuck and cook for about 4 minutes per side. Use tongs to carefully transfer to a plate. Do not drain the grease.
- Sauté the aromatics. To the pot, add 1 chopped onion and 2 sliced leeks. Season with ½ tsp Kosher salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add 4 cloves chopped garlic, then cook 1 minute more. Add 2 Tbsp tomato paste, then use a spatula to break it up as you stir it into the veggies.
- Deglaze with wine. Pour in 2 cups red wine, then use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Allow this to simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients. Pour in 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 bay leaves, and fresh herbs. I like to tie the herbs together with kitchen twine to make for easier removal later, but this is optional. Stir in the chopped carrots.
- Return the beef. Nestle the chuck roast back into the pot. You want there to be enough liquid that the beef is about ⅔ submerged in the liquid.
- Cook until tender. Cover with a tight fitting lid, transfer to the preheated oven, then cook until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours, then remove.
- Shred the beef. Carefully uncover the pot, then use a spoon to remove any fat or scum that accumulated at the top. Transfer the braised beef to a cutting board. Allow it to rest until it’s cool enough to handle, then use two forks or tongs to pull the meat.
- Finish, then serve! Remove and discard the herbs and dried bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If desired, you can strain the vegetables, but I like to keep them in. When ready, spoon the red wine braised beef over creamy mashed potatoes or polenta. Serve with some of the braising liquid and tender braised vegetables on top. Garnish with thinly sliced chives and a generous pinch of flaky sea salt. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include side dishes like mashed potatoes, polenta, or bread.
- As a rule of thumb, use 1 tsp of kosher salt per pound of beef — adjust based on the size of your chuck roast.
- If you prefer a smooth sauce, feel free to strain out the veggies — I like to leave them in, but it’s totally personal. For tacos or sandwiches, straining works best.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4–5 days. To reheat, warm the beef, sauce, and veggies in a saucepan over medium-low heat or microwave until hot. To freeze, cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above — add a splash of wine, broth, or butter if the sauce is too thick, or simmer to reduce if it’s too thin.
- You can also use bone-in or boneless short ribs, or brisket — just keep in mind that bone-in cuts may take a bit longer to become tender.
Nutrition
Photography by: Megan McKeehan
The recipe has good bones but WAY too salty even when I cut back. Also your pictures shows screws the carrots being sautéed with the vegetables but your instructions way down the recipe add the carrots later. I wish I had seen that because the carrots soaked up the salt.
I ended up adding 2 or 3 cups of broth to tone down the salt.
Good news is that when shredded it was delicious on heated flour tortillas.
PS I used some grape tomatoes and mushrooms I need to use up
Hi Kathy! Unfortunately, my photographer for this recipe added the carrots a bit earlier in the recipe than was indicated (she let me know when it happened, but it’s not detrimental to the recipe so we didn’t reshoot it). The instructions are correct as written — adding the carrots a bit earlier shouldn’t have seriously impacted the saltiness of the dish in any way. Beef can handle a lot of salt, which helps to enhance its natural flavors. I’m sorry you felt like it was too much, but glad that you were able to adapt it to your personal preference. I love the addition of tomatoes and mushrooms, yum! Thank you for the honest feedback, it is always so appreciated. Best, Ari
This was delicious! I don’t think it was too salty at all. I served it with mashed potatoes for Easter dinner, and it was delicious! My only note is that it probably could have used more carrots and maybe even some potatoes. But that’s a matter of preference. The recipe is great as is.
Oh yum! This looks phenomenal! Thanks so much for the feedback, Liz. Pure comfort food. Cheers, Ari
This recipe is amazing! I have made it already several times for my family and they have all really loved it. I just added a few more veggies in it but for it seemingly so complex in flavors it is actually really easy to make!
Thank you for sharing the recipe it was really easy to follow 💙
Raquel, you knocked it out of the park! Looks fantastic, thanks so much for sharing feedback! Cheers, Ari
This was 10/10 – SO good and flavorful. We paired with mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts. Highly recommend!’
This looks so good, I’m now contemplating making it for my family at 7am… Thanks for sharing, Abby! Thrilled you enjoyed it! Cheers, Ari