Melt-in-your-mouth red wine braised beef is the ultimate comfort food and sits at the top of my list of restaurant-worthy dinners you can pull off at home. It’s simple to make and omg it makes the house smell incredible. Suddenly everyone’s wandering into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready. That’s the magic of a good braise.
A humble chuck roast cooks low and slow until it collapses at the touch of a fork. The braising liquid reduces into a glossy, velvety sauce, and the carrots turn sweet and spoon-tender. It tastes like something you’d order at a cozy bistro, yet it’s only about 30 minutes of hands-on work. The oven does the rest. 👩🏻🍳 Fair warning: it’s even better the next day.
Quick Ingredient Highlights
- Beef chuck roast: My go-to cut for braising. It’s well-marbled and packed with connective tissue that melts into silky, rich goodness over a few hours. Bone-in or boneless short ribs and brisket also work beautifully; just know that bone-in cuts need a little extra time.
- Red wine: Reach for a dry, medium- to full-bodied red you’d happily drink, like Syrah, Petite Sirah, Montepulciano, or a bold Cab (my guide to Cabernet Sauvignon walks through what to look for). Skipping alcohol? Swap in more beef broth plus 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar for brightness.
- Tamari is gluten-free, but if that’s not important to you, soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce are great here as well.
- Beef broth: Low-sodium is key. Let’s be honest, I don’t often have beef broth on hand, so chicken, vegetable, or bone broth are all fair game.
Directions
There’s about 30 minutes of prep up front, then you can walk away. This is easier than it looks!
Sear the Chuck Roast: Let the beef sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then pat it very dry.
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. If all you have is white wine, you can use it, 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. Trust me, we want all that glorious flavor locked in there.
Skim any fat from the surface, then pull the beef apart with two forks. Fish out the herbs and bay leaves, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning. I spoon it all over a cloud of silky garlic mashed potatoes with a ladle of sauce, the tender carrots, chives, and a pinch of flaky salt.
What to Serve Alongside
Anything that can soak up the sauce is a winner. Mashed potatoes are my classic move, but I’m equally obsessed with braised beef over creamy Parmesan polenta. Don’t forget crusty bread for mopping up excess sauce!
For something green, a tray of golden, crispy roasted Brussels sprouts is perfect (a reader recently paired them with this exact recipe and I can confirm, it’s a combo). As for the wine? Pour a glass of whatever went into the pot.
Two Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- Tough beef means it needs more time. If a fork doesn’t slide in with zero resistance, cover it back up and check again in 30 minutes. Chuck gets tender only after its connective tissue fully breaks down.
- Want a thicker sauce? After removing the beef, simmer the braising liquid uncovered on a stove for 10-15 minutes until it reduces.
No Oven? No Problem
- Stove-top: Keep the covered pot at a gentle simmer over low heat for about 2½ hours, checking now and then to make sure the liquid isn’t bubbling too hard.
- Slow cooker: Sear the beef and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low 7 hours or high for 4.
Luscious, utterly fork-tender, and seriously impressive, this is the kind of cozy dinner that makes a Sunday feel special. Give it a try, and celebrate the badass chef that you are! 👩🏻🍳
If this red wine braised beef earns a spot in your fall rotation, I’d love it if you’d leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and review below!
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Red Wine Braised Beef (Fork-Tender Chuck Roast)
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 tamari, low-sodium soy sauce (this is not gluten-free), 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.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Warm the beef, sauce, and veggies in a covered saucepan over medium-low heat (or microwave) until hot. Add a splash of broth or wine if the sauce is too thick; simmer to reduce if too thin.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat as above.
- 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
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I want to very soon. Maybe New Year’s Eve! I just wanted to say that I love your site. The recipes always look so elegant and sound delicious, with well written directions. The photograph have a nice level of sophistication. Well done, Ari!
Thank you so much, Betsy! Both for the kind words and taking a moment to share with me. I just made this earlier last week for the holidays and it was, as always, spectacular. I hope your family loves it as much as mine. Cheers, Ari
O M G!
This recipe is freakin amazing! Super easy to get everything together and then just throw it in the oven for a few hours, the flavors from this meal are just chefs kiss!! ( this is coming from someone who dislikes beef very much) If you’re thinking about making this, definitely do!
Agree 100%! It’s just too good!
Hi Ari, I’ve recently discovered braising and I can’t get enough of it, haha. So easy with the best results! I’ve been making a beautiful balsamic braised beef with dates (so yummy), but I wanted a more savory version and I love the look of your recipe. It sounds great. My question is that I’ve gotten fantastic, tender beef (using chuck roast) cooking it at 300 for about 3.25 hrs. I’m a little nervous to cook it at 350 for roughly the same. I’d like to make this for company this Friday (it’s Tuesday right now). Any thoughts?
Amazing. Yes, braising is the secret to so many delicious meals. I can assure you that I’ve made this recipe probably two dozen times over the years and it is extremely foolproof. There’s a good amount of liquid in there that keeps the beef really tender. However, if you’re feeling nervous about the cook time (I get it!), you can just check for doneness a bit sooner. But chuck roast is really forgiving, especially when there’s plenty of liquid, so it’ll just keep breaking down, becoming tender, and soaking up all those glorious juices. You’re going to love it. Please report back!!