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A plate of shredded beef roast on a bed of cauliflower puree with carrot and broccoli.
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5 from 2 votes

Rich Molasses Braised Beef Roast

This Rich Molasses Braised Beef Roast takes Grandma's Simple Beef Pot Roast and kicks it up a notch!  That fall apart tender beef roast takes on deliciously intense sweet and savory flavor! Loaded with extra veggies, apple, garlic, and herbs, plus sweet dark molasses and red wine to take on that fancy restaurant short rib taste.  It's braised in the oven all day, giving you that melt-in-your-mouth texture, sure to become a comfort food favorite!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time8 hours
Total Time8 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 424kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 pound beef roast chuck roast or similar cut
  • teaspoons kosher salt
  • 12 grinds fresh black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 2 ribs celery chopped
  • 1 apple chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 quart beef stock

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300°. Chop vegetables and have all ingredients ready.
  • On the stove top, preheat a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat and add oil. Season the roast generously on all sides with the salt and pepper, then coat it with flour. Use your hands for this! This forms a nice crust on the roast when you sear it and thickens the sauce as it cooks.
  • Add the beef to the hot pot, letting it sear on one side to a dark brown color (about 6 to 7 minutes). Don't move the roast around or try to un-stick it from the pot.  Let it sear!  This develops the flavor! When fully browned, flip the beef with tongs to brown the other side (6 to 7 minutes). While the second side is browning, add the vegetables (not the garlic yet) to start sautéing around the beef.
  • As the second side finishes browning, you can start adding all other ingredients including garlic, except the wine and beef stock.
  • When the second side is browned and the vegetables are cooking, deglaze with the wine (add it!). Scrape up the flavor from the the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon so the beef is not stuck to the pot. Add the beef stock and stir everything together.
  • Cover and transfer the entire pot to the oven. Cook for 7 to 8 hours, stirring and flipping the roast once or twice throughout the day. In the final 1 to 2 hours, check the amount of liquid you have in the pot. If it's still a lot, remove the cover to allow the sauce to thicken and reduce. If the pot is drying out, add a cup of water or beef stock. Keep an eye on it in these last 2 hours, ovens can vary!
  • After 7 to 8 hours the meat will be extremely tender and can be shredded with tongs. Remove and discard any large fatty pieces.  The liquid will have reduced leaving tender beef in a dark sauce. Use tongs to serve the beef in order to leave the rendered fat in the pot.
  • Serve with potatoes or mashed cauliflower, over grilled bread, or on sandwich buns.

Notes

Oven variations and the size of the roast can vary the cooking time!  Make sure to check on the roast in the last 1 or 2 hours.  If it has a lot of liquid, remove the cover to allow it to thicken.  If you are running out of liquid, either add water, beef stock, or simply turn the oven off if the roast is done.

Nutrition

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 1148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 2651IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 5mg