Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pound beef blade roast (OR beef chuck roast - a fairly large roast, about 3-4 pounds)
- Ground black pepper
- Granulated garlic powder
- Olive oil (or bacon fat, use enough to cover the bottom of the pot)
- 400 grams white button mushrooms (stems removed, sliced or left whole - or use how much you want)
- 1 onion, chopped (medium yellow onion, finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (heaping tablespoons! don't be stingy!)
- 3 large bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme (rubbed between fingers to release the flavor)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt (ONLY to be added towards the end of cooking time only!)
- FOR BROTH MIXTURE
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)
- 2 packages (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix (Lipton's brand LOW-SODIUM ONLY!)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules (LOW-SODIUM ONLY!!)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (can use more - a good Cabernet Sauvignon -- can use non-alchoholic)
How to Make
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Step 1: Prepare a minimum 6-quart (or larger) heavy pot with a lid (or a Dutch oven if you want to free up your stove top and finish cooking it in the oven).
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FOR THE BROTH MIXTURE
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Step 2: In a bowl combine/whisk the beef broth with next 6 ingredients; set aside.
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Step 3: Season the roast generously with ground pepper then garlic powder (DO NOT USE SALT!! you can always add in salt to the gravy towards the end of cooking time).
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Step 4: Heat olive oil and/or bacon grease in you pot over medium-high heat (be generous with the oil!). Brown the roast very well on all sides (this may take about 30 minutes - the roast needs to be well browned!). Using two forks carefully remove the roast to a bowl; set aside.
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Step 5: Add all the mushrooms to the pot, cook stirring until they loose their moisture (about 8 minutes). Add in onions, minced garlic, bay leaves and rubbed thyme; cook stirring about 8 minutes.
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Step 6: Add in the tomato paste; cook stirring 1 minute, then mix in the wine; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
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Step 7: Pour in the beef broth mixture; bring to a boil, stirring a few times.
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Step 8: Carefully using two forks, place the browned roast back in the pot; bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for about an hour.
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Step 9: After one hour of cooking time cover with a lid and continue simmering partially covered (over low heat) until the roast is fork-tender TURNING the roast every hour using two forks (a very large roast can take 3 to 3 1/2 hours to fully cook until tender (SEASON with seasoning salt towards end of cooking time).
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NOTE: this is not a thick gravy, you can use the gravy as is or thicken it with flour/ water slurry if you like (the choice is yours)
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Step 10: Carefully remove the roast to a large carving board and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.
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Step 11: Slice the roast across the grain using an electric knife. Then place the slices in a serving platter. Spoon some of the gravy and the mushrooms from the pot over the slices. Serve the remainder of the gravy in a bowl.
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NOTE ABOUT SLICING
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Step 12: To make meat more tender to eat, carve the roast across the grain using an electric knife for easier even slices, carving against the grain makes the meat more tender and seem less stringy, carving in the same direction as the butcher’s twine should be across the grain if your butcher did the cutting right*
Tips & Variations
- 6-quart (or larger) heavy pot with lid
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
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