The BEST Red Wine Braised Beef Recipe

What Makes This Recipe Great

Braising beef in red wine is a wonderful process that basically requires nothing from you! It just means that the beef is slow cooking for a longer time at a lower temperature, giving it the perfect opportunity to get tender and juicy and rich with flavors from the fresh herbs, red wine gravy, and garlic. Introducing The BEST Braised Beef Recipe!

Braising the beef with red wine gives it such a deep, lovely flavor. However, if you want a substitute for red wine, you can totally use beef broth! It’s a super easy swap!

Needing only 10 minutes to prep, this is the kind of recipe that makes your family think you spent all day long cooking over a hot stove, but really, your dutch oven did all the work! Shh, I won’t tell! Open another bottle of red wine for yourself while you watch this beautiful beef braise itself!

Ingredient Notes

For a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below.

• Beef: I recommend getting a beef chuck roast that is already cubed for you! This makes the prep work so much easier.
• Veggies: In my braised beef recipe, I use mushrooms, carrots, celery, and onions. These veggies get so tender in the red wine gravy, and I love the flavor they add.
• Herbs & Spices: You only need a few herbs and spices for this recipe, which makes it the least bit fussy! Fresh herbs like thyme & rosemary pack a punch of flavor. The garlic, salt, and pepper complement to make this such a delicious braising sauce.
• Flour: I use tapioca flour instead of regular flour to keep this recipe low-carb. Check the pro tips below for some easy swaps!
• Ghee: I used ghee, but feel free to use avocado or olive oil.
• Red Wine Gravy: Tomato paste, red wine, and the braising liquid from the cubed beef (no need to add beef broth or beef stock!) come together to make a savory gravy perfect for this braised beef recipe.

1. Preheat your oven to 325ºF
2. Heat your Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Pat the chuck roast dry with a paper towel and season all sides generously with kosher salt and pepper.
3. Add the ghee to the Dutch oven. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the meat, sear the beef for 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer the seared meat to a plate and continue searing all the beef.
4. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered cooking fat. In the same Dutch oven, in the remaining 2 tablespoons of cooking fat, add the carrots, celery, and onion and about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, making sure to scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.
5. Add in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for just 30 seconds. 
6. Sprinkle on the tapioca starch, and cook for 1 minute.
7. Return the seared beef to the Dutch oven, and add in the red wine, mushrooms, rosemary, and thyme. Stir to combine.
8. Cover your Dutch oven with its lid, and cook covered in the oven at 325ºF for 3 hours until the beef is fork tender.
9. Remove from the oven, and serve the beef over my keto mashed cauliflower and a generous ladleful of the braising liquid.

No Dutch Oven? Try These Methods Instead!

• Instant Pot: To make this in your instant pot, use the SAUTE function for steps 2-7. For step 8, pressure cook on HIGH for 60 minutes, followed by a quick release.
• Slow Cooker: To make this in your slow cooker, do steps 2-6 in your skillet. Then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 8 hours.

Expert Tips & Tools for Braising Meat

• Herbs: I prefer fresh herbs if you have them. You can use dried herbs, but use just 2 teaspoons each of rosemary and thyme.
• Tapioca Flour: This is my favorite choice for the thickener to keep it Keto friendly, gluten free, and Whole30. You could also use arrowroot flour. If you don’t need this to be keto/GF/Whole30 you could use all-purpose flour or cornstarch. Same quantity for all substitutions.
• Dutch Oven: I love my dutch oven. It’s such a lovely way to cook during these cozy fall days. The aromas from the braised beef fill my kitchen, and everyone who comes through my door gets a whiff of this mouth-watering dish!

Serving Tips

• Serve this braised beef recipe with creamy mashed potatoes, cauliflower mash, or your favorite side.
• If you’re not keto, you can serve it over pasta, polenta, or rice.

Storage Tips

• Leftover braised beef will keep in an airtight container for 1 week in the refrigerator.
• To freeze, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or stovetop.