Briana Volk, co-owner of the Portland Hunt and Alpine Club, included this hearty, stick-to-your-bones dish in her guide to outdoor hosting. You can make the whole dish in a single (large pot) and isn’t super hands-on, so that means more time to relax while it is cooking.

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground pepper
2–3 pounds beef chuck for pot roast (ask your butcher to tie the roast with twine)
3–4 medium yellow potatoes, peeled
3–4 large carrots, peeled
1–2 large onions
1–2 fennel bulbs, trimmed of stems
2 heads of garlic (or more if you’re into that) 3 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
3 cups beef stock
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Fresh parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, heat olive oil. Salt and pepper each side of the pot roast. When the olive oil starts glistening, place the pot roast in, cooking each side for 5 to 6 minutes, getting the outside crispy.

Remove the pot roast from the pot and place on a cutting board. Roughly chop the vegetables into similarly sized pieces. Add the potatoes, carrots, onions, and fennel bulbs and cook for about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the tomato paste, stirring it in well. Add the bay leaf and thyme.

Place the pot roast back into the pot and add beef stock. Cover with a lid, and place in the oven for 2 hours.

After the pot roast is done, remove it from the pot to rest on a cutting board. Cover it loosely in aluminum foil. Remove the bay leaf and thyme. With a spider or slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and place them into a blender. Add 1⁄2 cup of the broth from the pot, along with the butter and heavy cream. Blend until smooth. Add more liquid to your desired consistency.

Add salt and pepper to taste to the remaining broth in the pot. Return the broth to medium heat and reduce until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.

Slice the pot roast. To serve, spoon a hearty amount of the puree onto a plate. Place 3 to 4 slices of the pot roast on the puree and drizzle the broth jus over it. Garnish withfresh parsley and serve hot.