Braised Beef Chuck Red Onions (Printable)

Slow-cooked beef chuck enhanced by sweet red onions, aromatic herbs, and a rich red wine sauce.

# What's Needed:

→ Meats

01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck, cut into large cubes

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 3 large red onions, sliced
03 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
05 - 2 celery stalks, sliced

→ Liquids

06 - 1 2/3 cups dry red wine
07 - 2 cups beef stock

→ Herbs & Seasonings

08 - 3 tbsp olive oil
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 bay leaves
11 - 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Garnish

13 - Chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Set the oven to 325°F to prepare for braising.
02 - Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and black pepper.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches on all sides then transfer to a plate.
04 - Reduce heat to medium and add sliced onions, carrots, and celery to the pot; cook for 8 to 10 minutes until onions soften and begin to caramelize.
05 - Stir in minced garlic and tomato paste; cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
06 - Return beef to the pot and pour in the red wine, bringing it to a simmer while scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
07 - Incorporate beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme; stir and bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
08 - Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Braise for 2 to 2.5 hours until beef is fork-tender.
09 - Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
10 - Plate the braised beef hot and garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically melts on your tongue without any fancy cuts or expensive ingredients.
  • Red onions caramelize into something almost sweet, creating a sauce that tastes like it simmered for hours but doesn't require constant attention.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup while you're actually enjoying dinner with people you care about.
02 -
  • Don't skip the searing step even though it feels like extra work—those brown bits are where the real flavor lives, and you can't get them any other way.
  • Oven temperature matters because beef braises best at a gentle, consistent heat rather than a rolling boil, which makes the meat tough and stringy.
  • If your sauce seems too thin at the end, you can simmer it on the stovetop without the lid for 10 minutes, but honestly the natural gelatin from the beef usually thickens it beautifully without your help.
03 -
  • Brown your beef in batches even if it takes longer, because crowding the pot drops the temperature and gives you gray meat instead of that caramelized crust.
  • Taste the sauce partway through braising and add more seasoning if needed, because salt doesn't penetrate meat as easily as you'd think.
  • If your beef isn't tender after two hours, give it another 30 minutes—oven temperatures vary wildly, and it's better to wait than to eat chewy meat.

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