Pot Roast with Tomatoes, Garlic & Basil

Pot roast with tomatoes, garlic and fennel

4
Points®
Total Time
8 hr 30 min
Prep
10 min
Cook
8 hr 20 min
Serves
12
Difficulty
Easy
Slow cooking is the surest route to luscious, fork-tender meat, and here, it mellows out the fennel too. And the sauce? Demands a side of polenta! Cooking this pot roast a day ahead makes it easier to slice without it falling apart. Let the cooked meat cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight. Return the sliced meat to the pot with the sauce, and when it’s time to eat, gently reheat.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

4 spray(s), canola

Uncooked trimmed bottom round steak

3 pound(s), lean, boneless

Kosher salt

1½ tsp, divided

Black pepper

½ tsp

Uncooked fennel bulb

1 item(s), large, chopped, fronds reserved for garnish

Garlic

4 clove(s), finely chopped

Red wine

8 fl oz, (1 cup), dry

Whole Foods Market Crushed tomatoes and basil canned

28 oz, (1 can)

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle the beef with 1 tsp salt and the black pepper. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook the beef, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook the fennel, garlic, and ¼ tsp salt, stirring frequently, until the fennel is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
  3. Stir in the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan; cook for 1 minute. Transfer the fennel-wine mixture to the slow cooker and stir in the tomatoes. Cover and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 8 to 9 hours on Low.
  4. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and cut into 12 portions; stir the remaining ¼ tsp salt into the sauce. Divide the beef and sauce among 12 shallow bowls or plates and garnish with fennel fronds, if desired.
  5. Per serving: 1 piece beef and ½ cup sauce