This is a classic winter meal and often best the next day on a sandwich or with some nice fresh bread. It’s all about the sauce and the tenderness of the meat after a slow cook. You really do need a cast iron baking dish for this one.

What you need

1.5-2kg beef roast
1 tin chopped peeled tomatoes, mashed in liquid
100ml beef stock
100ml red wine
50ml balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon oreganum (dry)
1 teaspoon basil (dry)
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 tsp salt
2 medium onions finely chopped
4 large potatoes roughly chopped
4 large carrots roughly chopped

The process

Season the roast well with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in a hot cast iron baking dish with a little oil, remove and set aside.

Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes stirring constantly.

Add all of the liquid ingredients including the tomatoes and simmer while you combine all of the flavors. Add the herbs and simmer for about 2-3 minutes

Place the roast into the liquid, bring it to the boil and then place in a 180 Celsius oven with the lid on for about 2 hours. Check on it every 1/2 hour or so and give the meat a turn.

Now add the carrots and potatoes ensuring that they are covered by the liquid, return  to the oven and wait out another 1/2 hour.

To serve, remove the roast carefully as it will be falling apart tender, carve with a very sharp knife and cover liberally with the sauce.

Some lightly steamed broccoli goes very well with this.