Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Sear the Beef
- Cut the chuck roast into 3 or 4 large pieces, following its natural seams when possible. Pat the beef thoroughly dry and season it with the salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per broad side, until deeply browned. Transfer the pieces to a plate.
Build the Cider Base
- Reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the onions and shallots and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and take on color.
- Add the smashed garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in 1/2 cup of the measured apple cider and scrape the browned bits from the skillet.
- Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the carrots and nestle the pieces of beef on top.
- Whisk the remaining 1 cup apple cider with the beef broth, 2 tablespoons apple butter, Dijon and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the mixture around the beef.
- Add the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. The liquid should come partway up the meat but does not need to cover it.
Slow Cook the Beef
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, checking the beef around 8 hours. It should yield easily to a fork while remaining firm enough to lift in large pieces.
- If the carrots become tender before the beef, remove them and refrigerate until you are ready to reheat them in the gravy.
- Once tender, carefully lift the beef into a broiler-safe metal roasting pan or skillet using a wide spatula. Keep the pieces intact and cover them loosely while preparing the gravy.
Roast the Potatoes and Garlic
- Approximately 90 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Prick the whole potatoes several times with a fork and arrange them on a baking sheet.
- Slice the top from the garlic head to expose the cloves. Place it on foil, drizzle with the olive oil and wrap it tightly. Set it beside the potatoes.
- Roast the garlic for 40 to 50 minutes, until the cloves are soft and golden. Bake the potatoes for 60 to 75 minutes, depending on their size, until a knife slides easily into the centers.
- Let the garlic cool just enough to handle, then squeeze the cloves from their skins.
Make the Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- While the potatoes are still hot, cut them in half and scoop the flesh into a large bowl or warm saucepan. Discard the skins or save them to crisp separately.
- Add the roasted garlic, butter and salt. Mash by hand or pass the potato flesh through a ricer before gently stirring in the garlic and butter.
- Stir in 1/2 cup warm milk. Add more milk a little at a time until the potatoes are creamy. Roasted potatoes have drier flesh than boiled potatoes and may require additional milk.
- Season with black pepper and more salt to taste. Cover and keep warm over a pan of barely simmering water while finishing the beef. Add another splash of warm milk before serving if needed.
Reduce the Cider Gravy
- Remove the vegetables from the slow cooker and discard the herb stems and bay leaves.
- Pour the cooking liquid into a saucepan and skim away the excess surface fat. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 12 minutes, until the flavor becomes concentrated.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the reduced cooking juices for glazing the beef.
- Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Gradually stir it into the simmering gravy, using only enough to lightly thicken it. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- If the gravy needs additional thickening, mix the remaining tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and add it gradually.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Taste and add more vinegar, salt or pepper as needed.
- Return the onions, shallots and carrots to the gravy and gently simmer until heated through.
Caramelize the Beef
- Once the potatoes and garlic are out of the oven, switch the oven to broil. Position a rack approximately 6 to 8 inches below the heating element.
- Spoon a small amount of gravy around the beef to keep the bottom moist while leaving the upper surfaces exposed.
- Mix the remaining tablespoon apple butter with the reserved 2 tablespoons reduced cooking juices. Brush a thin layer over the tops of the beef.
- Broil for 2 to 5 minutes, watching continuously, until the raised edges darken and the surface looks glossy and caramelized. Remove the beef immediately if the glaze begins to burn.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then gently separate the beef into large serving pieces while preserving the browned tops.
Plate and Serve
- Spoon the roasted garlic mashed potatoes into shallow bowls and create a small well with the back of a spoon.
- Place large pieces of beef directly on top with the caramelized sides facing up.
- Arrange the onions, shallots and carrots around the beef. Spoon the cider gravy over the potatoes and around the meat, leaving some of the browned surface exposed.
- Finish with fresh thyme or parsley and optional flaky sea salt.
Nutrition
Notes
The beef is ready when it yields easily to a fork. Continue slow cooking if it still resists.
Add warm milk to the potatoes gradually and avoid using a blender or food processor, which can make them gluey.
Brush the beef with only a thin layer of apple butter glaze and watch it continuously under the broiler.
Nutrition is estimated for 1/8 of the beef, vegetables, gravy and mashed potatoes. Exact values will vary with the chuck roast, milk and amount of gravy served.
Add warm milk to the potatoes gradually and avoid using a blender or food processor, which can make them gluey.
Brush the beef with only a thin layer of apple butter glaze and watch it continuously under the broiler.
Nutrition is estimated for 1/8 of the beef, vegetables, gravy and mashed potatoes. Exact values will vary with the chuck roast, milk and amount of gravy served.