Chuck Roast Beef with Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise and Pearl Onions

If you ask me, Prime Rib is the king of roasts. It’s incredibly handsome, tender, packed with real beefy flavor. One issue is, it’s not cheap. Matter of fact it’s gat-dam expensive. Clocking in at roughly $13-20+ per pound then tack on another $2-3 if you want it dry-aged, even if it “tis the season” it’s just not a feasible purchase for many of us. Which is EXACTLY why I decided to go a completely different route this year.

The chuck roast is a large, hard-working muscle taken from the shoulder of a steer. It’s packed full of fat, both of the external and inter-muscular variety and, as far as beefy tastes go, doesn’t get much more flavorful. I got this chuck roast at a fairly boujee grocery store and it was still just under $8/pound. That’s pretty solid for high-quality beef.

Below you’ll find my answer to a low-budget, but highly-DANK centerpiece roast that WON’T break the bank. You’ll have to do a little extra fabrication and “trussing” (using kitchen string to secure things), but trust me it’ll be well worth it. Serve with Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise, tangy pearl onions and a TALL glass of teeth-staining red wine. Ho, ho, ho, MFs. 

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Chuck Roast Beef with Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise and Pearl Onions

Ingredients

Roast Beef

• 5 pound Boneless Chuck Roast
• 2 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Tbsp Neutral Oil

Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise

• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 Shallots, halved
• ¼ cup Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Tarragon
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

Tangy Pearl Onions

• 1 cup Pearled Onions 3 Tbsp Butter
• ¼ cup Water
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Instructions

Roast Beef

1. Pull the muscles of the chuck roast apart from one another following the natural seams and breakpoints in the beef. Use a sharp knife to trim away excess fat, then season on all sides with salt and pepper. Use kitchen twine to tie the roast back together. Set on a wire rack nestled in a sheet tray, uncovered, in the fridge for 1-5 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 425F (218c) and remove the roast from the fridge an hour before cooking
3. Roast the beef on the center rack for 15 minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to 275F and slow-roast for 3-4 hours until the beef has reached an internal temperature of 145F (62c). When finished, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 45 minutes.
4. Using a long, sharp knife, slice the beef into thin pieces. Arrange the slices on a plate. Serve with reserved cooking juices, tangy pearled onions, and roasted shallot dijonnaise.

Roasted Shallot Dijonnaise

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Bring a small saute pan up on medium-high heat with a dash of oil. Brown the shallot halves, flat side down, then turn over and roast for 15-20 minutes or until softened. Allow to cool slightly before moving on to the next step.
2. To a food processor, add the roasted shallots, mayo, mustard, sherry, a pinch of salt and plenty of black pepper. Puree until smooth. Store the dijonnaise in a resealable container in the fridge until needed. It will last for 5 days in the fridge.

Tangy Pearl Onions

1. Bring a medium sauce pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pearled onions to the water and boil for 3-4 minutes until softened. Transfer the onions to an ice bath to stop the cooking. Remove and discard the skin by hand.
2. Empty and rinse the sauce pot with water. Add the peeled onions, butter, water and sugar to the pot and bring to a boil.
3. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the onions to act as a semi-permeable lid, this will allow some evaporation, but still hold in enough heat to cook the onions through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all of the water has evaporated and the onions have taken on some browning, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove the paper lid and pour in the balsamic vinegar. Allow to cool slightly, then store covered in the fridge until needed. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.