Cross Rib Roast

This is pot roast the way the French would do it. Seared beef, a bed of browned vegetables, black olives, and a long braise in stock and red wine until everything collapses into tenderness.

The cross rib is an underrated cut. It’s lean enough to slice cleanly but has enough connective tissue to turn silky after two hours in a covered pot.

Carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes cook down underneath the roast, then get pushed through a sieve to create a thick, naturally thickened gravy with no flour or roux needed.

The olives add a briny, Mediterranean edge that lifts the whole dish out of ordinary Sunday roast territory.

Kitchen Tips

• Sear the meat hard on both sides without piercing it with a fork. Use tongs to turn it so the juices stay locked inside
• Veal stock, if you can get it, makes the richest, most velvety gravy. Beef stock and red wine together is the next best thing
• A bouquet garni of thyme, parsley stems, and bay leaf tied in cheesecloth keeps your gravy smooth and herb-fleck-free
• Let the roast rest 10 minutes before slicing so it holds its juices on the plate, not the cutting board