Couldn't find bottom round roast, got something that sounded similar. Sorry I couldn't remember, I want to say "Round rump" roast, but I'm afraid that may not be a real meat and want to deter anyone from asking their butcher and experiencing an awkward moment.
I just got a Le Creuset Dutch oven, ahem, French oven and wanted to try it out. A stew is a perfect combination of stove top and oven cookware that I wanted forever to try.
Conclusion: I haven't found a stew that I liked quite yet. This seems like waste of red wine. Way too many potatoes. Potatoes are so bland and tasteless; I overdid it by half a pound. Maybe I should really salt the whole thing or, use fewer potatoes. I wonder if MSG would really turn this around. Stews are also very unattractive. Nobody wants to eat a brown sludgy substance that resembles wet dirt.
1 bottom round roast, about 4 pounds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 small onions, medium diced
1 head garlic (about 10 to 12 cloves), lightly smashed
1 pound carrots (about 4 medium), cut roughly into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups low-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth
2 cups medium-bodied red wine
2 1/2 tablespoons honey
5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch cubes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Season roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over high heat for a couple minutes. Add the meat and brown well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove and set aside on a plate. Lower heat to medium and saute onions, garlic, and carrots for 5 minutes. Add the broth, wine, honey, and thyme, stir to combine, and then add the roast back to the pot.
Cover pot and transfer to oven. Bake for 2 hours, turning the meat over twice. Add the potatoes to the pot and bake, uncovered, for another 30 to 45 minutes longer until both the potatoes and the meat are fork-tender.
Too many potatoes!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_33765,00.html
