Dorothy’s Pot Roast

• 5 pounds top blade beef
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 8 mushrooms, halved
• 4 carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 parsnips, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 red onions, cut into quarters
• 1 rutabaga, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
• 1 cup sugo finto (or tomato paste)
• 1 bottle red wine (preferably cabernet)
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 3 sprigs rosemary 
• 2 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 340°F. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, sear the beef until a dark crust forms, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and sear on the other side, making sure to brown the beef evenly. 

Transfer the beef to a plate. Add the butter and all of the vegetables to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, making sure to scrape up the fond (the crispy browned bits) on the bottom of the pan. Add the sugo or tomato paste and cook until you see the oil start to separate from the tomato. Deglaze with the bottle of wine and cook until you see the sauce begin to thicken. Return the beef to the pot and add the broth, rosemary, and bay leaves. Cover the pot and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Once cooked, let the roast cool for 10 minutes. Remove the beef from the pot and place on a cutting board to slice. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary stems from the stew. Squeeze any garlic cloves remaining in their skins into the stew, discarding the skins. Serve the sliced meat along with the vegetables and a generous ladle of cooking liquid on top.