apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Individual Pot Roasts with Thyme-Glazed Carrots
serves 6-8
3 1/2 - 4 pounds chuck roast
Olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
10 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh marjoram, minced
1 tablespoon thyme
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 16-ounce bag baby carrots

Heat oven to 300°F. Cut the chuck roast into 6-8 equal sized chunks. Rub with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven set over high heat and sear very well on all sides. You'll need to do this in at least two batches; don't crowd the pan. Sear until it's quite dark and there are even a few burnt spots on the sides.

Remove the meat, add a little more olive oil and heat over medium. Cook the onions slowly, stirring until they are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook a little longer, until it's golden and fragrant. Add the herbs and cook for a minute or two longer, then add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are starting to soften, then add the wine. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by at least a third. Remove from the heat and let cool before you put the meat back in. You don't want to put the meat straight into boiling liquid.

Add the meat back into the pan, cover and cook for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until the meat is tender. In the last 20 minutes, heat a heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Melt, then add the thyme and carrots. Cook, stirring, until the carrots are glazed with the thyme. Put into the Dutch oven and cook for another 10 minutes.