Red-Wine-Braised Beef Chuck with Winter Roots and Black Garlic Jus
A pot roast can be so much more than a weeknight throw-together. This one is built like a classic French braise: a deeply marbled chuck roast is seasoned overnight, seared until it develops a profound crust, then slowly cooked in a reduction of Barolo, veal stock, and black garlic until the meat is meltingly tender and the sauce tastes like the essence of beef. Glazed winter vegetables and a bright, savory black-garlic gremolata bring freshness and elegance to the plate. The result is comfort food that belongs on white tablecloths.
Serves 8 generous portions
Active time: 1½ hours | Total time: 6–7 hours plus overnight seasoning and 7-day infusion
Dosage: exactly 15 mg THC per portion (120 mg total in the entire dish)
Infusion (start 7–10 days ahead)
Decarboxylation
3.5 g cannabis flower testing 22 % THC
Grind medium-fine, spread in a thin layer on parchment. Place in cold oven, set to 240 °F, bake exactly 40 minutes. Cool completely in the turned-off oven with door cracked. Store airtight.
Infused ghee (yields ≈ 420 g containing exactly 120 mg usable THC)
500 g highest-quality grass-fed ghee
3.5 g fully decarbed cannabis from above
1 tsp sunflower lecithin granules
Melt ghee and lecithin together in a large mason jar set in a 200 °F water bath. Add decarbed cannabis. Hold water bath at a steady 185–190 °F for exactly 2 hours, swirling every 15 minutes. Strain hot through a 90-micron filter followed by a coffee filter. Cool 10 minutes, then whip 60 seconds with an immersion blender to re-emulsify. Refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients
For the braise
1 (4½–5 lb) boneless beef chuck roast, tied
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
The entire 420 g infused ghee (divided use)
2 large yellow onions, large dice
3 medium carrots, large dice
3 celery stalks, large dice
1 head garlic, halved horizontally
6 cloves black garlic, smashed to paste
¼ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
1 (750 ml) bottle Barolo or other full-bodied Nebbiolo
1 qt rich veal or beef stock
Bouquet garni: 6 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs, 2 bay leaves, 10 parsley stems, 8 black peppercorns
For the glazed vegetables
12 cipollini or pearl onions, peeled
8 oz baby turnips, halved
8 oz baby heirloom carrots
8 oz marble potatoes, halved lengthwise
1 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
For the black-garlic gremolata
½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves black garlic, minced to paste
Zest of 1 lemon
Flaky sea salt
Method
Season the beef generously with salt and pepper the night before; refrigerate uncovered.
Preheat oven to 275 °F. In a large enameled Dutch oven, heat 60 g infused ghee until shimmering. Sear roast on all sides until deep mahogany, 12–15 minutes. Remove to a platter.
Add another 60 g infused ghee. Caramelize onions, carrots, celery, and garlic 10–12 minutes. Stir in black garlic paste and tomato paste; cook 3 minutes. Deglaze with Barolo, reduce by two-thirds. Add stock and bouquet garni. Return roast and juices. Add remaining ≈ 300 g infused ghee (it will melt in). Cover and braise in lower third of oven 4–4½ hours, turning once, until fork-tender.
Blanch vegetables in salted water until just tender; shock in ice water.
Remove roast and tent. Strain braising liquid, pressing solids; discard solids. Reduce to ≈ 3 cups. Return to pot with vegetables and glaze 15 minutes. Finish with balsamic off heat.
Slice beef thickly against the grain. Serve each portion with vegetables and plenty of jus. Scatter gremolata and flaky salt.