Red Wine Braised Chuck Steak

There are many reasons I love this dish. Chuck steak is an incredibly affordable and delicious cut of beef. It’s best cooked slow, as it becomes fall apart tender. This recipe was simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner with just a bit of advanced planning. You do need to mind the stove for a few hours but otherwise this is a pretty hands off recipe. It’s kid approved in our house and the leftovers were perfect for my lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1.5-3 lbs chuck steak (We used 3 lbs for 3 adults and 2 kids)

5 large carrots, cut in chunks

1 onion, diced

2-3 stalks celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp cumin

1/4 c wine

2+ cups of water (or beef/chicken broth)

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Season steaks with salt & pepper. Heat oil in cast iron pan and place steaks in pan to brown. Brown steaks for a few minutes on each side.

2. Remove steaks from the pan and add carrots, celery and onion. Stir to brown.

3. Once onions have begun to soften, add red wine to deglaze the pan.

4. Add steaks back to the pot and 2 cups of water or beef broth.

5. Add cumin and bay leaves.

6. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer.

7. Cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Periodically check the beef and the water/broth content. Add more as this dish cooks to keep the meat mostly submerged. This will ensure you cook this long enough so the beef is pull apart tender, and so that there is some juice in reserve for when you serve! It is ready when the beef is fork tender and falls apart easily. Took about 2.5-3 hours for me, so plan accordingly.

8. Serve over rice and enjoy!