Braised Roast Beef with Giardiniera and Pearl Onions

roast with onions

I’ve been making this delicious braised roast beef for dare I say, over 30 years! Everyone who eats it wants the recipe, my whole family loves it and it’s almost embarrassing how simple it is to put together.

I usually make it once in the fall and once in the winter. You can also make this in your crock pot but I much prefer to braise it in my cast iron pan, but it works either way.

If you make it on the weekend and braise it low and slow and if you want just heat it up and have it during the week, and it’s still amazing. This roast goes wonderful served with polenta, mashed potatoes or with buttered egg noodles on the side.

ingredients for roast

You can use a nice three or four pound chuck roast, I use to make it with a rump roast in my crockpot and that always came out good as well.

The star of this dish is a bottle of giardinera. Giardinera is a delicious condiment with a mixture of usually carrots, celery, olives, cauliflower, onion and of course hot or mild peppers. It’s brined and covered in oil. I always use the mild version, in my opinion the hot one is too harsh for this.

I hope you can find it in your neck of the woods, it seems to be getting more and more popular and you can even get the Chicago style version on Amazon. I’m pretty fortunate here in Chicagoland I can get it at multiple grocery stores and Italian markets.

The other ingredients are some beef stock, garlic and a bag of frozen pearl onions.

roast with giardiniera

You won’t believe how easy it is to prep this meal, it’s super quick and fast!

roast with polenta plated

It’s amazing how something so simple to make can taste so darn good!

Buon Appetito

Braised Roast Beef with Giardiniera and Pearl Onions
 
Slow simmered braise with a quick and easy prep of delicious ingredients
Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 or 4 lb. chuck roast or sirloin roast or even a rump roast
  • 1 16oz. bottle of mild Giardinera, drained of oil
  • 3 or 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 bag of frozen pearl onions
  • 1 box of low sodium beef broth or stock
Instructions
  1. Stud your beef with slivers of garlic all around
  2. Salt and pepper both sides of the beef
  3. Drizzle olive oil into a heavy bottomed pot with lid, one that can be placed into the oven as well.
  4. Sear the beef on both sides til nice and deep golden brown.
  5. Add the drained mild giardinera and half a box of the beef stock.
  6. Put the lid on and place into a 350 degree oven, after about an hour add in the bag of frozen pearl onions.
  7. Cook time should take a couple of hours depending on the size of your roast and ovens do vary, Check it with a knife, it, it should pass easily through it and feel nice and tender.
  8. Next day eating is just as delicious so making it the day before is fine.
  9. Serve it with polenta, mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles.

 

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Crock Pot Roast Beef with Giardinera

I have been making this roast for over 20 years, everyone who eats it wants the recipe, my family loves it and it’s almost embarrassing how simple it is to put together! I usually make it one or two times a year, about as many times as I use my crock pot. It’s perfect for the fall weather and goes wonderful with either polenta, potato gnocchi or buttered egg noodles on the side.


The cut of meat you get is either a rump roast or a top round. Make slits in the roast with a knife and then stuff slivers of garlic all around. Generously salt and pepper the roast and sprinkle with dried oregano. How easy is that?

The star of this dish is a large bottle of giardinera. Giardinera is a delicious condiment with a mixture of usually carrots, celery, olives, cauliflower, onion, and of course hot or mild peppers, brined and covered with oil, without it it just wouldn’t be the same! I hope you could find it in your neck of the woods but here in Chicago I can get it everywhere. There are recipes on the web if you want to make your own.

The other two ingredients are optional, tiny pearl onions and just a bit of stock, less than a cup, but honestly a little water would do just fine!

Just get a nice sear on your roast before you stick it in the crock pot, then pour the whole bottle of drained giardinera on top and then add your water or broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until very tender, it will make plenty of flavorful juice, enough to spoon over your cut roast or to toss in with some buttered noodles. I’ve also made this in the oven, searing it first, same way but with tin foil laid on top for half the time at 350F, it all depends on what size roast you have.

I personally like to make it the day before we eat it, because when the meat is cold it slices perfectly plus all those flavors get to infuse altogether overnight.

It’s amazing how something so simple can tastes so good! Buon Appetito!

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