There’s just something about braised beef that feels timeless. It’s cozy, elegant, and the kind of dish that makes your whole house smell incredible while it slowly cooks away in the oven or on the stovetop. But today, we’re making The Best Braised Beef. A beef chuck roast gets marinated with herbs, aromatics, and a good pour of red wine (the red wine is really the secret to building that deep, rich flavour).

After a good sear and a few hours of braising, the beef turns fall-apart tender while the cooking liquid reduces into the most decadent sauce: silky, savoury, and perfect for spooning generously over the shredded beef and creamy mashed potatoes. It’s slow food at its best—low effort, big reward, and absolutely worth the wait.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

• Rich, deep flavour: The red wine marinade infuses the beef with layers of complexity you don’t want to skip.
• Melt-in-your-mouth texture: After a slow braise, the beef is fork-tender and practically falls apart.
• Decadent sauce: Silky, savoury, and perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes (or any other sides you love).
• Low effort, big payoff: A little prep, a few hours in the oven, and you’ve got a restaurant-quality meal at home.

Ingredients for The Best Braised Beef:

Beef chuck roast: About 2.5–3 lbs, cut into large chunks. This cut is perfect for braising because it gets super tender while staying flavourful.

Dry red wine: You’ll need about 3 cups. Use something you’d enjoy drinking—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Syrah are all great options.

Beef broth: About 1.5 cups, plus more if needed. This rounds out the braising liquid and deepens the sauce.

Fresh herbs: A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, plus a bay leaf for earthiness. They infuse the marinade and braising liquid with flavour.

Garlic: Six whole cloves, smashed to release their flavour.

Carrots, celery, onion: Roughly chopped to build a classic aromatic base.

Neutral oil: About 2 tablespoons (canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil) for searing the beef.

Kosher salt + black pepper: To season the beef before searing and to taste throughout.

Cold butter: A tablespoon or two of cubed butter stirred in at the end makes the sauce silky and glossy.

Prep for The Best Braised Beef:

• Cut your beef chuck roast into chunks and then get it in the marinade for at least 6 hours, but up to 24 hours.
• Assemble the marinade: a bottle of red wine, some roughly chopped carrots, celery, and onion, smashed garlic, a bay leaf, and fresh thyme and rosemary.
• Don’t forget to cook your mashed potatoes or any other sides you’ll be serving with your braised beef. I like starting on my mashed potatoes when the beef is almost done braising.

How to Make The Best Braised Beef:

Step One:

In a large bowl or ziploc bag, combine the beef chunks, red wine, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, carrots, celery, and onion. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight (but not longer than 24 hours).

Step Two:

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat completely dry with paper towels. Make sure it’s completely dry otherwise it won’t get a good sear. Season all sides with a bit of salt.

Step Three:

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sear the beef chunks in batches until nicely browned on all sides. Set to the side on a plate.

Step Four:

Pour the marinade (wine, herbs, and veg) into the same pot along with the beef broth. Bring to a bubble.

Step Five

Return the seared beef to the pot with any juices. Make sure the liquid covers about ¾ of the meat (you can add more broth if needed).

Step Six:

Bring to a simmer, then cover. Cook in a 325°F oven for 3 hours, or on the stovetop over low heat, until beef is fork-tender.

Step Seven:

Remove the beef carefully and set aside. If you’re serving the beef shredded, you can shred it now. Strain the liquid and return to the pot (the veg will be too soft to eat, they’re just used as aromatics for the beef).

Step Eight:

Reduce the strained sauce on the stovetop over medium heat until thickened. Finish with some cold cubed butter, gradually whisking it in until the sauce is thickened and glossy.

Step Eight:

Return beef to the pot or serve plated/shredded with sauce spooned over top. I like serving with creamy mashed potatoes and finishing with fresh parsley or chives on top!

Substitutions for The Best Braised Beef:

Beef chuck roast: This cut has the perfect balance of fat and connective tissue for braising, but you could also use short ribs, brisket, or even beef shank. Just adjust the cook time if needed depending on the cut.

Red wine: Any dry red wine will work here (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah). If you’d rather skip the alcohol, swap in beef broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar or pomegranate juice for acidity.

Beef broth: Chicken or vegetable broth can work in a pinch—though beef broth will give the richest flavour.

Herbs (rosemary + thyme): Fresh herbs are best, but you can substitute dried (use about 1 tsp each). You could also switch them out for sage, oregano, or even a sprig of fresh marjoram if that’s what you have.

Aromatics (carrot, celery, onion, garlic): Don’t worry if you’re missing one—the key is building a flavourful base, so use whatever combo of onion, leek, parsnip, or even shallot you have on hand.

Butter: If you want to keep it dairy-free, finish the sauce with a drizzle of good olive oil instead of butter for that silky finish.

How to store The Best Braised Beef:

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the beef and sauce together so the meat stays moist.

Freezer: Braised beef freezes beautifully. Transfer cooled beef and sauce to a freezer-safe container or bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened too much. You can also reheat in the oven, covered, at 300°F until heated through.

This braised beef is the kind of meal that feels equal parts cozy and elegant—perfect for when you want something hearty, impressive, and absolutely delicious. Tag me on social if you try this one out, @britacooks! xx