This juicy Braised Beef recipe is so tender and flavorful. The beef is browned in hot olive oil, then covered in spices, garlic, sauteed onion, and braised in red wine.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I absolutely love this Braised Beef Recipe, especially for a nice dinner with friends and family in the cold weather months. Comforting and flavorful, this dish looks amazing and will warm you from the inside out.
- TASTE: The meat and onions are deliciously savory. Flavored with onions, garlic, and sweet red wine, this dish is full of great flavors.
- TEXTURE: The beef is oh so tender with a delightfully crisp outside. The sauteed onions are caramelized and soft, with everything in a light braising sauce.
- TIME: This recipe takes about 2 and a half hours to make. Most of that time is spent braising.
- EASE: This is actually a very easy dish to make and you can set it braising and walk away, making it convenient, too.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Beef– The cut of beef we are using is Chuck pot roast (boneless). The slow stewing process breaks down the connective tissue and tenderizes it nicely.
- Spices- We’re using Cumin, Paprika, Kosher Salt, and Black Pepper to add savory, slightly spicy flavor to this beef dish.
- Vegetables- Onion and pressed fresh Garlic add pungent, delicious flavor.
- Red wine– This is the braising liquid that will help cook the beef and add wonderful flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the red wine- You can also make this recipe with some balsamic vinegar and a stout beer, like Guinness, in place of the wine.
- Add bacon fat- For more flavor in your beef, brown the meat in bacon fat.
- Make it in the slow cooker- Once you’ve browned the beef chunks and sauteed the onion, place the beef, onion, garlic, and spices into your slow cooker. Then add the red wine and water, cover, and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Make it in the instant pot- Place the browned beef chunks, sauteed onion, spices, pressed garlic, water, and red wine into the instant pot and cook and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
How to Make Braised Beef
- Cut the beef. Cut the beef into large chunks.
- Brown it. Brown the beef chunks in a skillet filled with hot olive oil. Then remove from the pot and set aside.
- Saute the onions. Cook the onions in the same skillet until they are fully cooked (or translucent).
- Layer the ingredients in the pot. In a Dutch oven pot, begin layering the ingredients in the following order: 1/2 browned beef chunks, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, then half the sautéed onion and half the pressed garlic. Repeat once more.
Pro Tip: Layering the ingredients allows for even cooking and a mixture of flavors and spices during the cooking process.
- Add liquids and cook. Add the red wine and water to the meat and place the lid on top. Place the pot onto the cooktop and bring it to a boil. Place the pot into the oven for 1 1/2 -2 hours at 360 degrees Fahrenheit and cook until the meat is cooked through and fork-tender. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Recipe Tips
- Cut the beef into uniform sized chunks- Doing this ensures even cooking and avoids smaller pieces overcooking.
- Make sure to brown the beef- This step is important because it gives the beef a delightful crust on the outside.
- Don’t rush it- You want to take your time making this dish because braising is a slow cooking process that tenderizes the meat making it juicy and delicious.
FAQs
Braising, also known as pot roasting, involves slowly cooking meat in a covered pot with some sort of liquid, such as broth or wine. This process typically takes several hours.
You can use many different liquids to braise beef, most of which add additional flavor to the dish. Try red wine, beer, balsamic vinegar, apple cider, beef broth, or water.
Serving Suggestions
Because this homemade Braised Beef is so versatile and complementary, it goes with anything. Here are some tasty ways to enjoy it.
- Salad: Start the meal off with a Cucumber Radish Salad, Spinach Salad Recipe, or Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
- Bread: Serve this Braised Beef with some Focaccia Bread, Super Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls, Cornbread Muffins, or Rustic Bread.
- Sides: Enjoy it alongside a side dish, like these Scalloped Potatoes, Sauteed Garlic Asparagus, or Crispy Air Fryer Broccoli.
- Desserts: End your meal with a cool weather favorite, such as Chocolate Creme Brulee, Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Pumpkin Cheesecake (VIDEO), or Homemade Apple Pie.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can brown the meat and saute the onions ahead of time, storing in the fridge until you’re ready to braise them.
Storing: Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until warmed through.
Freeze: Freeze this Braised Beef recipe in gallon-sized ziplock bags for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature. Then reheat in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop.
More Savory Main Dishes!
This post has Amazon affiliate links for tools we used to make this recipe.
This recipe was originally posted on Dec 13, 2016, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then.
Full Recipe Instructions
Braised Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 3- 3 1/2 lb Beef chuck pot roast boneless
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin divide
- 1 tsp paprika divide
- 2 tsp salt divide
- 1 tsp black pepper divide
- 1 large onion divided
- 2 garlic cloves divide
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Cut the beef into large chunks.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Brown the beef chunks. Then remove them and set aside.
- Cook the onions in the same skillet until they are fully cooked (or translucent).
- In a Dutch oven pot, begin layering the ingredients in the following order; 1/2 browned beef chunks, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, then half the sautéed onion and half the garlic (pressed).
- Repeat step 4 with the remaining beef chunks.
- Add the red wine and water to the meat and place the lid on top. Place the pot onto the cooktop and bring it to a boil. Place the pot into the oven for 1 1/2 -2 hours at 360 Fahrenheit. Cook until the meat is fully cooked through.
Notes
- Cut the beef into uniform sized chunks- Doing this ensures even cooking and avoids smaller pieces overcooking.
- Make sure to brown the beef- This step is important because it gives the beef a delightful crust on the outside.
- Don’t rush it- You want to take your time making this dish because braising is a slow cooking process that tenderizes the meat making it juicy and delicious.
Nutrition
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Diadiana says
One thing I hate cooking is steak, because it never comes out right. But let me tell you, this steak came out really good… and how do I know?!! My brother in law who is a big steak lover said “I just wanted to tell you that the steak you made is phenomenal. I wouldn’t find it this good in any restaurant. It’s truly top notch.” The only thing I added are mushrooms. Thank you so much for another great step by step recipe. Simple, yet AWESOME!!!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Diana, I’m so glad this recipe was a hit. Thank you so much for leaving such kind feedback.
Aubrey says
THANK YOU for this! I’m so terrible with beef but my whole family loves it. This recipe is my saving grace. 😊
simplyhomecooked says
That’s so awesome that your family loved the recipe Aubrey 🙂
Brigitte says
This is a new favorite for our Sunday roast. I follow the recipe exactly. I use merlot wine. It is a simple recipe, very fun to make and yields excellent result: tender meat and excellent flavours.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Brigitte!
Christine Balyeat says
Perfect Recipe!! Pass it on to all my relatives. Thank you!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Christine! 🙂
Emily says
I teach a cooking class for high school students and this recipe is incredible and would love to have my class make it. We don’t have a dutch oven though, only large stock pots with lids. Think that would work just as well?
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Emily! If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use any heavy bottomed pot that’s oven safe, like a cast iron pot.
Susie says
If I only have white wine on hand, would that work?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Susie, red wine is preferred but white wine will work too. It might not have the same taste though.
michael owens says
One can substitute a bottle of dark beer for the red wine and add 2 slices of rustic bread smeared in French mustard. This is how it’s made in Belgium, home of the best braised steak on planet earth.
Mine is cooking right this minute.
simplyhomecooked says
Great tip Michael!
Alicia Thomas says
What if you don’t have wine?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Alicia, wine is one of the crucial ingredients in this recipe. I’m not sure if substituting it will give you the same great taste.
Rose Anna Stillwagon says
Merry Christmas my friend prepares our pre Christmas dinner Early December. It was delicious! Her meals typically are and this was no exception. I’m currently making it for our Christmas dinner. So far it smells great. Stay tuned!!!!
simplyhomecooked says
I hope you enjoy it just as much this time Rose Anna 🙂
Alex says
I made it again! This time I’m making it for my family for Christmas Eve. I’m so excited! My husband (the pickiest eater of all) loves when I make it.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for leaving such positive feedback Alex. Merry Christmas!
Barb says
I will be gone 3-4 hrs and plan to leave this in the oven. If I turn the oven down to 250-300 do you think hat would be okay?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Barb, sorry for the delayed response, I was out of the country on vacation. It would be totally ok to leave the oven at 250-300 for a few hours.
Lana Book says
Great flavor. Rich and full bodied. I needed to multi task while making this so I didn’t layer. I also cooked it all on the stovetop. It was wonderful. Cooked it slow and stirred occasionally. Maybe 1-1/2 hours. I’ll make it again and put it in the oven. Don’t know if it could get any better
simplyhomecooked says
Hey Lana, thank you for taking the time to write such kind words. I’m so happy this was a winner recipe for you 🙂
Ivan says
Well, I made it. But I used only about 1 lbs of meat, so used only 1/3 of the ingredient amounts. Also I made the meat chunks about half the size and put in oven for just 1 hour. So I changed some things for the sake of making a smaller quantity. I turned out very well … and was delicious. I’m going to use the recipe again, but this time will do the full stated amounts for serving 6.
Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
I’m glad it turned out well Ivan! 🙂
Ivan says
Mmmn, looks great! I’m going to try it. Planning to serve it over basmati rice. Will let you know how it turns out.
Alex says
I tried this, but ended up having to cook it for another 3 hours to get it perfectly tender. This also meant adding another cup of water and another cup of wine. In the end, it was delicious! I also added some carrots and potatoes.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Alex, I wonder why it took so much longer to cook. The only thing I can think of that caused this is maybe the type of beef and type of oven. I’m glad you enjoyed the taste!
Kim says
What do you think about throwing in some mushrooms?
simplyhomecooked says
Mushrooms would taste great in this dish!
Kristin says
This looks delicious, I’m going to make it for dinner tonight. Quick question, do you cover the pot when you put it in the oven? Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kristin, yes I do cover it in the oven 🙂
Anna says
This is where it’s at, Dina!
I make something similar but in the crockpot. I’ve never tried it in the Dutch oven, though. Will have to dust mine off ????
simplyhomecooked says
Let me know how it turns out Anna 🙂
Natasha says
It turned out very good! My guest and I loved it for our Christmas dinner! I also had room in my 6qt Dutch oven so I didn’t layer it. And I only cooked it for 1 hour and 15 mins and it was perfect! Thank you for a great recipe again!
simplyhomecooked says
Natasha I’m glad you all enjoyed this beef dish! Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you ????
Alyssa says
Turned out very good! Easy recipie to make. All the meat chunks fit into one layer on my Dutch oven so I didn’t have to layer the spices.
simplyhomecooked says
I’m so happy to hear the recipe turned out well Alyssa! Hmm that’s interesting, maybe your dutch oven is larger than mine?