Beef Pot Roast with Carrots

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

Steps

1. 1

   1. Position an oven rack in the lower third and heat the oven to 325F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels and season it generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   2. Heat the vegetable oil in a 5- to 6-quart oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the roast 4 to 5 minutes per side until deeply browned, then transfer it to a plate.

3. 3

   3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion to the Dutch oven and cook 5 minutes, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until softened. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.

4. 4

   4. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot. Return the roast to the Dutch oven and add the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. The liquid should come about halfway up the roast.

5. 5

   5. Bring to a simmer, cover with the lid, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1 hour 45 minutes.

6. 6

   6. Carefully remove the pot, turn the roast over, and tuck the carrot chunks around it. Cover and return to the oven for another 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the roast is fork-tender (it should reach about 200F inside, well past the 145F minimum for whole beef cuts) and the carrots are soft.

7. 7

   7. Transfer the roast and carrots to a platter and tent with foil for 10 minutes. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, skim the fat from the juices, and simmer the juices in the uncovered Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken slightly. Season with salt and pepper.

8. 8

   8. Slice or shred the beef against the grain and serve with the carrots and the pan juices spooned over the top.