Red Wine Roast Beef

My mom and I made this roast beef for New Year's Day dinner, and it was a big hit - even among those who don't like beef too much!  The beef is moist and tender with fantastic flavor, and the tomato-red wine sauce served on top is really delicious.  The key is to slice the beef very thinly, so if you have an electric knife, this is the time to pull it out.  (I don't, but now that I've tried my mom's electric knife, I think I may have to get one - it made slicing up a big piece of meat a breeze!)  On the side you can see parsley from my mom's garden...somehow it survived the Ohio winter and was bright green and tasty! 

Red Wine Roast Beef (adapted from Epicurious)

2 to 2-1/2 pounds beef shoulder roast
Salt and pepper
Oil for the pan
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 medium celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T Italian dried herb mix
14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in an oven-safe Dutch oven or other large pot that has a lid - use enough oil to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Brown the beef on all sides and then transfer to a large plate.
4. Pour off all but about a tablespoon of the fat, and then add the onion and celery. Season with salt and pepper and saute until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian herbs and saute for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and boil five minutes. Add the chicken broth, return to a boil, and boil another five minutes.
5. Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for about 45 minutes, and then flip the beef over. Re-cover and continue to cook until tender, about 45 minutes to one hour more.
6. Transfer beef to a cutting board and tent with foil.
7. Spoon the fat off the liquid remaining in the pot and bring to a boil. Boil about 7 minutes, until somewhat reduced. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper if needed.
8. Cut the beef into thin slices and serve with the sauce.