I got a roast the other day because I really wanted something beefy and comforting, but I didn’t want to make Moosie’s Pot Roast, because while it’s so good, it’s a tad heavy.

I wanted to make something beefy, flavorful, and rich, but not heavy. I pulled out a few cookbooks, looked through the cupboard and the cooler where the veggies are chilling (pun intended), and came up with this. It’s like Oso Bucco, Bolognese sauce, and beef stew had a complicated tryst. All of the fresh vegetables came from our Yasukochi CSA Box.

 

 

 

 

Italian Pot Roast

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 Chuck Roast (2-3 lbs)
• salt and pepper
• 4 T. Olive Oil
• 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
• 1 Bell Pepper, sliced (I used Red, but use whatever you’ve got)
• 2 Carrots, Peeled and diced
• 3-5 cloves garlic, diced
• 6-8 fresh tomatoes, chopped (You can substitute 2 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes if you don’t have fresh)
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 T. Italian Seasoning

Directions:

1. Salt and pepper the roast and set aside. I recommend allowing the roast to warm up to room temp before searing it.
2. In a large pan, heat 2 T. olive oil, and saute onions, peppers for about 10-15 minutes, until soft and browned.
3. Add in carrots and garlic, and allow them to cook for about 5 minutes. Garlic will be slightly browned and fragrant.
4. While veggies are cooking, chop up tomatoes and add to slow cooker.
5. Add tomato paste to slow cooker.
6. Add cooked veggies, bay leaf, and Italian Seasoning to the slow cooker.
7. Add remaining 2 T. olive oil to the previously used large pan, and allow to warm.
8. Sear the roast on all sides.
9. Add roast to slow cooker.
10. Pour wine into the large pan and turn heat to medium-high. Scrape all browned meat and veggie bits with a wooden spoon. One wine comes to a brief boil and all browned bits are scraped off the pan, pour liquid into the slow cooker.
11. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
12. Put roast beef from the slow cooker, and shred with forks. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir. Cook for an additional hour.

Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta/noodles of your choice.