Red Wine Braised Beef Blade Roast: Cheap and oh so tasty!

I don't know why it took me so long to discover this cut of beef. Blade roast is a new favourite at the house - it's inexpensive, nicely marbled and has a buttery taste (similar to short ribs) when braised.

I've prepared many beef roasts in the past, some in the slow cooker, some braised and some oven roasted. All, except the all-too-expensive prime rib, have been disappointingly tasteless and dry compared to the relatively cheaper pork roasts. But blade roast, oh blade roast, where have you been all my life, blade roast?

Slightly oxidized from being in my fridge for a couple of days, but still gorgeous to look at.

I prepare this in super simple manner and it comes out great! As hubby says, sometimes you have to satisfy the bloodlust, and this does the trick neatly.

First you get a mirepoix (plus garlic) ready. I like mine to be finely chopped so I get more of a sauce in the end instead of a chunky stew.

Take your roast and give it a quick sear on all sides.

After searing, remove the meat to a plate while you soften the mirepoix. Once the mirepoix starts softening and becoming fragrant, deglaze the pan with some red wine. (Yes, I've poured myself a glass of the wine.)

Return the meat to the pan and add some water to partially cover the meat.

Season as you wish then place the whole kit and caboodle into a preheated oven for two 2 hours. And when you return... meat magic!

Take the meat out and wrap it in foil while you boil down the sauce a bit. Then serve thinly sliced over roasted garlic mashed potatoes with some snow peas and red peppers (both CSA bounty!) sautéed in butter on the side. Don't forget to ladle a generous amount of sauce over the whole lot and have some tasty horseradish on the ready.

The meat comes out nice and soft with the fatty streaks turning into a buttery glaze. We diced up the meat and doused it in sauce before we served it to the kids and they devoured the whole meal. Win-Win.

~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~^*^~

Red Wine Braised Beef Blade Roast     Serves: 6 adults

3 lb boneless blade roast
1 large onion, finely diced
3 medium carrots, finely diced
4 ribs celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup red wine
2 cups water
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 oz mushrooms
bouquet garni as you like (e.g. bay leaf, thyme, oregano, rosemary) *this time around I didn't use any aromatics and it was still delicious!

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven, sear the meat on all sides and remove to a plate.
3. Lower heat to medium and add mirepoix plus garlic to the pot. Cook until softened about 3 minutes.
4. Raise the heat to high and deglaze the pan with the red wine.
5. Return the meat to the pot and pour in the water. Season with salt and pepper. Throw the whole mushrooms in at this point as well.
6. Bring the pot back to a boil and place into the oven.
7. Braise for approximately 2 hours, turning the meat over once after the first hour to ensure that all the meat gets kissed by the sauce.
8. Once the fatty streaks in the meat look like they've melted into buttery goodness, the meat is done. Remove the meat and cover in foil while you boil the sauce on the stovetop to reduce and thicken the sauce. It's up to you how thick or thin you want the sauce... It's also up to you whether or not to save the veggies that are in the sauce.

Serve with potatoes, pasta, polenta, rice... whatever your fancy :)