Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Season all sides with 1½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.
In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the oil until shimmering. Sear the roast 4–5 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer roast to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion wedges and garlic; sauté 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Pour in red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, and simmer 2 minutes.
Return roast to pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with lid and transfer to oven.
Bake 1½ hours. Remove pot, nestle carrots, potatoes (and celery, if using) around roast. Recover and return to oven for another 1–1.5 hours, until meat is fork-tender and vegetables are cooked through.
Remove pot from oven. Transfer roast and veggies to a serving platter; tent with foil to keep warm. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.
Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place pot on stovetop over medium heat. Whisk flour and cold water to make a slurry; stir into liquid. Simmer 3–4 minutes, whisking, until gravy thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice or shred roast. Serve with carrots, potatoes and ladle gravy on top.
Tips & Variations
For deeper flavor, marinate the seasoned roast in the fridge overnight.
Swap red wine for extra beef broth if preferred.
Add parsnips or turnips for more root-vegetable variety.
Make in a slow cooker: after searing, transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours.
ADVERTISEMENT
