Decadent French Onion Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 3-4 lbs Chuck Roast
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3 large Yellow Onions, thinly sliced
• 4-6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine (like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 2 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 4 cups low-sodium Beef Broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 4-5 sprigs Fresh Thyme
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
• 1 Baguette or loaf of crusty bread, sliced into thick rounds
• 8 oz Gruyère Cheese, freshly shredded

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the chuck roast completely dry with paper towels and season it generously on all sides with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, sear the roast for 4-5 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer the seared beef to a plate and set aside.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the sliced onions to the same pot and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes until they are deeply caramelized, jammy, and brown.

4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for another minute to cook out the raw taste.

5. 5

   Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine bubble and reduce by about half.

6. 6

   Stir in the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, fresh thyme sprigs, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

7. 7

   Return the seared chuck roast and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover with a lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is completely tender and easily shreds with a fork.

8. 8

   Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Shred the beef directly in the pot using two forks. Remove and discard the thyme stems and bay leaf. Stir to combine the shredded beef with the gravy.

9. 9

   Arrange the slices of baguette over the top of the beef and gravy mixture.

10. 10

    Turn your oven's broiler on to high. Generously sprinkle the shredded Gruyère cheese over the bread slices, covering them completely.

11. 11

    Place the uncovered Dutch oven under the broiler for 2-4 minutes, watching it very closely, until the cheese is bubbly, melted, and golden brown on top. Serve immediately.