Italian-Style Pot Roast

Summary
Prep time	30 min
Cook time	9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high
Source	Slow Cooker Revolution (pg 98)
Yield / serves	6-8 servings
Rating	Very good

Ingredients

• 8 oz bacon (about 8 slices), chopped
• 2 onions, chopped medium
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T minced fresh oregano or 2 t dried
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1/2 oz dried porcini muchrooms, rinsed and minced
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes
• 1/2 c dry red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) boneless beef chuck roasts, tied
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 c minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5-7 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat left in skillet.

Add onions, carrots, garlic, oregano, tomato paste, porcini, and red pepper flakes to fat in skillet and cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8-10 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir tomatoes, broth, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Season roasts with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high.

Transfer roasts to cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Let braising liquid settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon. Discard bay leaves. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove twine from roasts, slice into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and arrange on serving platter. Spoon 1 cup sauce over meat and serve with remaining sauce. Serve with polenta.