Classic Sunday Pot Roast with Potatoes, Carrots, and Pan Gravy

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pat the chuck roast very dry, then season it all over with the kosher salt and black pepper. Heat the neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef until it develops a dark brown crust, about 4 minutes on each broad side and 1 to 2 minutes on the edges. Transfer the roast to a plate.
2. Lower the heat to medium, add the yellow onion, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden at the edges, scraping up the browned bits as it releases moisture. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.
3. Pour in the red wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot until the fond dissolves. Add the beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf, then return the roast and any collected juices to the pot. The liquid should reach roughly halfway up the meat; add a little more broth only if the pot is unusually wide.
4. Bring the liquid just to a simmer, cover the Dutch oven tightly, and braise for 2 hours. Turn the roast, arrange the carrots and celery in the liquid around it, cover again, and return the pot to the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Nestle the potatoes around the roast, keeping most of them above the liquid so they steam without falling apart. Cover and braise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more, until a fork twists easily in the beef and the potatoes and carrots are tender but still hold their shape. If the meat still resists, keep cooking and check it every 20 minutes rather than raising the oven temperature.
6. Transfer the beef and vegetables to a rimmed platter, cover loosely, and let the roast rest for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and skim excess fat from the braising liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer on the stovetop; stir the cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then whisk in only as much slurry as needed for a glossy gravy that lightly coats a spoon.
7. Simmer the gravy for 1 to 2 minutes, stir in the balsamic vinegar, and taste for salt and black pepper. Slice the roast thickly against the grain or pull it into large pieces, spoon the hot gravy over the beef and vegetables, and finish with parsley.