Individual Pot Roasts with Herbs and Carrots

This is a perfect recipe for chuck roast – it was easy, tender and delicious. I have both rosemary and thyme growing in pots, so it was perfect for us.  The baby carrots are just the right size to cook evenly, and you don’t even have to peel them.   If you don’t have wine on hand, try a can of consommé or some good beef broth.  The smaller pieces of beef can be sliced across the grain, making very tender roast.  We served this with homemade mashed potatoes, very, very good!  Pasta, noodles or crusty bread would also make a delicious meal.

Individual Pot Roasts with Herbs and Carrots

Serves 4

1 1/2 to 2 pounds chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4-5 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups red wine or consommé

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 whole sprig fresh rosemary
2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
1 16-ounce bag baby carrots
Heat oven to 325°F. Quarter the chuck roast into 4 equally-sized chunks of meat, like mini pot roasts. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat a heavy deep pan or Dutch oven over high heat. When the pan is hot, place each piece of the chuck roast in the pan. Sear for several minutes (or until the meat releases easily) on both sides. You may need to do this in two batches; don't crowd the pan. Let the meat get quite dark, with crusty spots on both sides.

When the meat is well-browned, remove it from the pan and put on a plate. Drizzle a little olive oil into the pan and turn the heat down to medium. Add the onions and garlic, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cook the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, stirring until they are soft. Add the wine and scrape any remaining bits of meat up from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the tomatoes and bring the mix to a simmer, then turn off the heat.

Add the meat back into the pan. Place the rosemary sprig and whole thyme sprigs in the pot. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and put in the oven. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.

In the last 30 minutes of cooking,  add the carrots to the pot roast in the oven and cover. Leave the carrots in the pot for the last 30 minutes of cooking the pot roasts (or until tender).

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Then serve with the carrots on the side.
Adapted from the Kitchn.com