Short Ribs are one of my favorite fancy meals to make, but they are quite expensive and I often find that if you don’t go for the highest quality ones, they can be very fatty. This is my more affordable and equally as delicious alternative to short ribs that uses a large chuck roast cut into big pieces that resemble short ribs. The meat is seared and then braised in a rich red wine sauce that you will want to drink with a spoon. This is the perfect dish to feed a crowd or when you want to impress. You can also prepare it a few days in advance and the meat only becomes more tender and flavorful as it sits.
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Chuck Roast Recipe
- It is so tender, it melts in your mouth, making it perfect for little kids.
- The flavor is indescribably rich and delicious.
- With nutritious and simple ingredients, you’re sure to make this one on repeat.
- It is perfect for meal-prepping. Make it days ahead or freeze it for future meals.
- The cooking process is a dream for an Instant Pot or a slow cooker (see instructions below).
- Enjoy it over a pile of mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower, a slice of crusty bread, and a glass of red wine…since you already have it out.
Ingredients You Will Need
- Beef Chuck roast: I used about a 4 lb chuck roast and cut it into 3-inch pieces. The slow cooking process gives you meat that falls apart beautifully.
- Spices and Herbs: Kosher salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaves. You can also use fresh thyme. Simple, yet so delicious!
- Olive Oil: A neutral oil with a high-smoke point is what you’re looking for. You can also use avocado oil.
- Vegetables and Aromatics: You’ll want to make sure you finely dice the celery, carrots, onion, and fresh garlic.
- Tomato Paste: This will give you a tomato-y rich flavor, but is optional if you don’t want a tomato flavor.
- Red Wine: Stick with a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir. See below for a wine-free tip.
- Beef Stock: I love to choose an organic beef stock, like Pacific Foods, if I don’t have homemade on hand. You can also use beef broth.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need:
- Large Pot or Large Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Wooden Spoon
- Tongs
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Instant-Read Thermometer
For The Ultimate Tender Meat
To ensure a chuck roast will fall apart and easily shred, aim for an internal temperature of 200-210 degrees F for best results. The connective tissues break down sufficiently at this temperature, allowing the meat to fall apart easily.
How to Make This Chuck Roast Recipe
- Preheat the oven. Generously season the pieces of beef with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a pot on medium-high heat. Add the meat in two batches, and sear it until golden brown. Set aside on a plate.
- Add the veggies and aromatics and saute, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the pot. Cook the vegetables until softened.
- Add the tomato paste and stir, cook for 1 minute before stirring in the red wine, beef stock, and herbs. Return the pieces of beef to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer on low heat. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours (or until the meat is fall-apart tender and can easily be shredded with 2 forks).
- Once the beef is tender, remove the beef pieces from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- Pour all of the sauce from the pot through a sieve into a bowl. Use a spoon to push firmly down on the bits of vegetables in the sieve to get as much liquid out as possible. Discard the “pulp” left in the sieve.
- Return the sauce to the pot and place it on the stove on high heat. Boil until it has thickened and begun to reduce. Taste and continue to boil further if you prefer a stronger flavor.
How to Modify:
- Add more herbs, like rosemary, sage, or basil. A sprig of fresh thyme or fresh rosemary would also be great.
- Chuck roast is a cost-effective choice and takes less time to cook, but you can definitely use short ribs and just plan to cook them longer.
- For the veggies, use baby carrots for convenience, and use any type of onion (yellow onion is my favorite).
Dietary Customizations
- Alcohol Free: If you can’t have red wine, I have a quick tip for you: Use 3/4 C. balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar and then 3/4 C. beef broth or water.
- Low FODMAP: Leave out the garlic
Serving Suggestions:
You can’t go wrong with a pile of your favorite mash. Carrot and Butternut Squash Mash or Mashed Cauliflower are great options if your diet prevents mashed potatoes.
Some of my favorite veggies to serve with this are Sauteed Greens, Roasted Carrots, Roasted Broccoli, Charred Asparagus, and a literal obsession, this Grilled Broccolini Caesar Salad.
If you love fresh salads, try Tomato, Peach, and Burrata Salad, Orange, Avocado, and Candied Pistachio Salad, or a Spicy Thai Mango Salad.
Common Questions
This is the perfect recipe to make in advance. Cook according to instructions on the recipe card and bring everything to room temperature. Store in an airtight container for 4-5 days in the fridge. This is also a great meal to put in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave.
This will last in the fridge for 4-5 days when stored properly in an airtight container. Always be sure to bring it to room temperature before storing. To reheat, warm it on the stove over medium heat or in the microwave.
Yes! Using the saute option, add olive oil and sear all sides of the chuck roast. Remove the meat and set it aside. Add the veggies and aromatics and saute until they have softened. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, and then add the beef stock, red wine, and herbs. Return the meat to the instant pot and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Close the lid and pressure cook on high for 60-80 minutes. Do a natural release for 10 minutes on the pressure cooker, remove the meat, and set it aside. Carefully pour all of the sauce from the pot through a fine sieve, and then use a spoon to push firmly down on the bits of vegetables in the sieve to get as much liquid out as possible. Discard the “pulp” left in the sieve. Return the sauce to the pot and boil on high with the lid off to reduce and thicken it.
Slow cooking is an excellent idea for a busy day. First thing, using a large skillet, add olive oil and sear all sides of the chuck roast until beautifully browned. Remove the meat and place it in the slow cooker. For increased flavor, I would recommend sautéing the veggies and aromatics before adding them to the slow cooker, at this point, but it is not necessary. Add remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and close the lid. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours. Once the meat is fall-apart tender, remove it and set it aside. Pour the sauce carefully through a fine sieve into a large bowl and mash with a spoon to get as much liquid out as possible. Discard the remaining “pulp.” Return the sauce to the crock pot and cook on high without the lid for 30 minutes to an hour until the liquid reduces to your desired thickness.
This recipe would work wonderfully with short ribs or a shoulder roast. You could also try a sirloin tip roast.
More Tender Meat Recipes You Will Love:
- Beef Short Rib Ragu
- Easy Beef Bourguignon
- Tender Shredded Sirloin Tip Roast
- Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Shredded Beef Tacos with Honey Chipotle Sauce
If you make these Chuck Roast “Short Ribs” let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Chuck Roast “Short Ribs”
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chuck roast cut into 3 inch sized pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 1 cup finely diced carrots
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Generously season the pieces of beef with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot on medium high heat. Working in batches of two add the beef and sear it until browned. Set aside on a plate
- Add the celery, carrots, onion and garlic and saute, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened
- Add the tomato paste and stir, cook for 1 minute before adding in the red wine, beef stock, dried thyme and bay leaves. Stir. Return the pieces of beef to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 2 hours (or until the meat is fall apart tender and can easily be shredded with 2 forks).
- Once the beef is tender, remove the beef pieces from the pot and set aside on a plate.
- Pour all of the sauce from the pot through a sieve into a bowl. Use a spoon to push firmly down on the bits of vegetables in the sieve to get as much liquid out as possible. Discard the “pulp” left in the sieve.
- Return the sauce to the pot and place on the stove on high heat. Leave the sauce to boil for approximately 5 minutes until it has thickened and begun to reduce. Taste and continue to boil further if you prefer a stronger flavor. You should be left with approximately 2 cups of sauce.
- Serve the pieces of beef over mashed potatoes with the sauce spooned overtop.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
