Easy Italian Beef... with Red Wine

Easy Italian Beef… in Red Wine

Slow cooked or Instapot… Nothing like beef, simmered in red wine and seasonings! Make this easy recipe and have dinner ready in a flash when you get home from a long day… or make it over the weekend for a yummy dinner too!

Easy Italian Beef… in Red Wine

Yield: 4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 – 3 pound rump or chuck roast

  • 1 large onion, sliced

  • 4 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 cup beef broth (or 1 teaspoon beef soup base and 1 cup water)

  • 3/4 cup dry red wine

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 6 – 8 grinds fresh black or mixed pepper

Garnish: Shredded mozzarella or sliced provolone cheese, hot Italian giardiniera or hot sauce

Equipment needed:

  • Slow - cooker/ Crock pot or Instapot

  • Cutting board

  • Chef knife

  • Liquid measuring cup

  • Measuring spoons

  • Tongs

  • Large slotted spoon

  • Small ladle or serving spoon

Tender, seasoned meat in luscious au jus is what this dish is all about! I have made this dish for years when the kids were growing up … especially on cold winter days. One of my step - son’s favorite meals and was always requested when I would ask what I should make for dinner. Use either rump or chuck meat cuts. Rump roast is a leaner cut, where chuck does have a bit more fat. Your choice… either works great. Whatever red wine you have on hand works… I usually have something opened from the night before! Your dinner will be ready with little effort. Makes the house smell amazing too! Grab your crock pot and let’s get c ooking!

I always like to have everything ready before the assembly of any recipe, so thinly slice your onions, mince the garlic and measure out the broth. Soup base mixes are always in my refrigerator as I use it so often making soups or sauces… one of my favorite staples. Always available when I get the craving to make soup too! Combining water and beef base makes for quick broth.

Making this recipe is so easy as it involves tossing everything in the cooker and letting it do its’ thing! Place the roast on the bottom of the crock. (If using a boneless rump roast, remove the twine holding it together first, then place fat side down .) Next add the onions, garlic, beef broth, red wine and vinegar. Use the same liquid measuring cup… less mess later for clean up! The liquids should cover about 2/3 of the meat surface, depending on the size slow - cooker you’re using. Next sprinkle on the seasonings and grind the pepper. To mix it all together, I use my tongs and flip over the meat. This adds seasonings and broth to both sides of the meat and mixes it all at the same time. Pretty ingenious… right? Now turn on the crock pot to low or high… low temp for dinner to be ready in 8 – 10 hours and high for 5 – 6 hours… sit back and enjoy your day!

Have an Instapot? Then this recipe can be ready in about an hour after your work day too! Pretty much the same preparation, but in the Instapot. Saute onions and garlic in the pot for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat. Cut meat into 4 - 5 pieces and nestle them in the warm juices. Close Instapot and set Pressure Cooker to 60 minutes. After releasing the pressure and steam, shred meat in juices or remove meat to shred and apply juice/onions when serving.

If I’m home while the dish is simmering, I’ll flip the meat over about half way thru the cooking time… or when you get home, flip it for the last bit before dinner is served. Doing this ensures all the meat has contact with the wonderful juices. The meat is ready when it shreds easily when lifted with the tongs or a fork. Remove the meat to a platter and shred for serving. Save the juices for ladling over the finished sandwich at serving time. 

Wasn’t that super easy? Doesn’t the house smell amazing? Your family will come running! Serve on small rolls or a slice of Italian bread for a lower carb version. Mashed potatoes or fries make an excellent gluten free base too. Garnish with shredded mozzarella (or a slice or two of provolone) and a bit of giardiniera. Serve with a lovely tossed salad...Enjoy!    

** Place sandwiches covered with cheese under a broiler to melt cheese until slightly golden brown… Delish!!