Here’s a comforting and hearty recipe for Braised Beef in Rich Sauce with Homemade Mashed Potatoes — perfect for a cozy dinner or impressing guests. The beef is fall-apart tender, slow-cooked in a savory, wine-infused sauce, and paired with creamy mashed potatoes.
🥘 Braised Beef in Rich Sauce with Homemade Mashed Potatoes
🍷 What to Expect:
- Deep, savory flavor from slow-cooked beef and red wine
- Melt-in-your-mouth meat
- Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes as the perfect base
📝 Ingredients
For the Braised Beef:
- 2.5–3 lbs beef chuck roast (cut into large chunks)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
- 2 cups beef broth (low-sodium)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 bay leaf
For the Mashed Potatoes:
- 2.5 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and cubed
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk (more as needed)
- ¼ cup sour cream or cream cheese (optional for extra creaminess)
- Salt and pepper to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
🔥 Braised Beef:
- Sear the beef: Season beef chunks generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 2–3 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Build the base: In the same pot, add onions and carrots. Sauté until softened (5 minutes). Add garlic and tomato paste, cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Deglaze: Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Braise: Return beef to the pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 2.5–3 hours until beef is tender and falling apart. (Alternatively, braise in a 325°F/160°C oven.)
- Finish: Remove bay leaf. If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes to reduce. Optionally, thicken with a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water).
🥔 Mashed Potatoes:
- Boil potatoes in salted water until fork-tender (15–20 minutes). Drain well.
- Mash with butter, warm milk, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust creaminess to your preference.
🍽️ To Serve
- Spoon mashed potatoes onto plates or a shallow bowl.
- Top with chunks of braised beef and a generous ladle of sauce.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or a sprig of thyme.
🔁 Make Ahead & Reheating Tips
- Beef tastes even better the next day—perfect for meal prep.
- Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.
- Mashed potatoes can be reheated in the microwave or stovetop with extra milk or butter.