This post was written by Jennafer Ashley of PaleoHacks.
PaleoHacks is a top source for amazing Paleo recipes, fitness tips, and wellness advice to help you live life to the fullest.
This old world Italian sauce is rich with shredded roasted beef, fresh herbs and a splash of red wine.
In this recipe, chuck roast gets seared in butter, and then slowly simmered in garlicky tomatoes and beef stock until tender for rich, beefy flavor in every bite. There are no fancy ingredients in this recipe, but the end result is truly something special.
I love using beef chuck as an alternative to ground beef in pasta sauce. It adds a much more complex flavor to pasta sauce, like a true authentic Italian dish! Start with a high quality roast from grass-fed cattle for meat high in CLA, a fatty acid known for its anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
The wine for this sauce doesn’t have to be high end, but it should be organic and sulfate-free. A dry red wine like a cabernet or merlot works best.
Begin by blotting the beef dry with paper towels while you heat a pan over medium-high heat. Removing excess moisture from the surface of the beef allows it to caramelize in the butter, producing a delicious and complex savory flavor. Sear five minutes per side, then transfer the roast to a Dutch oven.
Add garlic to a hot pan with the butter and drippings in it, and let it sizzle for 30 seconds. Pour that garlicky, beefy butter over the roast in the pot, and then add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, rosemary, oregano and basil. Bring to a simmer and put the lid over the top, keeping it slightly cracked, and let it cook for 4-5 hours, or until the beef is falling-apart tender. Shred the beef on a cutting board using two forks, then add it back to pot. Stir in wine, coconut sugar and sea salt, and let the pasta sauce simmer an additional hour.
Serve this meaty sauce over zucchini noodles, roasted eggplant, spaghetti squash or any of your other favorite gluten-free noodles!
PHOTO CREDIT: Jennafer Ashley
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours 10 minutes
Total time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings
Tools
- Large skillet
- Dutch oven or large pot
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast
- 2 T grass-fed butter for searing
- 1 t garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef stock
- 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 sprig of rosemary
- 1 t dried oregano
- 1 t dried basil
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 T sea salt
- 1 T coconut sugar
How to Make It
- Pat chuck roast dry with paper towels. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add the roast and sear 4-5 minutes each side.
- Turn off the heat. Add garlic to pan and let it sizzle in the hot butter for 30 seconds.
- Use tongs to transfer the chuck roast to a large pot over medium heat, and pour the garlic butter over the top.
- Add the beef stock, tomatoes and herbs. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer with the lid slightly cracked for 4-5 hours, or until the beef is falling apart.
- Discard the rosemary sprig. Remove the beef to a cutting board, shred with a fork, and return to the pot.
- Add red wine, salt and coconut sugar and stir to combine.
- Simmer an additional hour, then taste and adjust seasonings or add more stock if necessary. Serve over zucchini noodles.
Meet The Chef
Jennafer Ashley is a Recipe Developer and Food Photographer. She is the girl behind the healthy recipes at Fresh and Fit, her recipe development company and blog of the same name. Jennafer loves to cook recipes that suit a variety of diet lifestyles- from Vegan to Paleo. Her philosophy on food is that it should be beautiful, affordable, and of course, delicious. When Jennafer isn’t in the kitchen, you can find her hiking with her German Shepherd or perusing the aisles of home decor stores.
PaleoHacks is a top source for amazing Paleo recipes, fitness tips, and wellness advice to help you live life to the fullest.
