• Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Art From My Table

A celebration of food and life around the table

  • About
    • About Chellie
    • Contact
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
    • Portfolio
  • Appetizers
  • Side Dishes
  • Dinner
    • slow cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Soups
    • Salads & Dressings
    • Weekly Meal Plan
  • Desserts
  • Beverages
    • Smoothies
    • Mocktails
  • Breakfast
  • Holidays
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas!
  • Kitchen Basics
  • Shop

Home » main dish » Braised Beef with Cranberries

Braised Beef with Cranberries

Last updated: February 23, 2020 | First published: December 2, 2019 | 5 Comments

Pin
Share
Share
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
This juicy braised beef recipe is so tender and flavorful! The gravy is infused with red wine, molasses, cranberries, and onions. It's perfect for cold nights or holiday entertaining. The best news, it's super easy to do! #artfrommytable #beef #braisedbeef #christmas #cranberries #easydinneridea #onepotdinner via @artfrommytable

This juicy braised beef recipe is so tender and flavorful! The gravy is infused with red wine, molasses, cranberries, and onions. It’s perfect for cold nights or holiday entertaining. The best news, it’s super easy to do!

braised beef brisket in a dutch oven

Fresh cranberries are in season this time of year. I love to stock up on these tart little berries and use them in all kinds of seasonal dishes, like my Squash Bake, Homemade Cranberry Sauce, and Eggnog French Toast.

In this braised beef recipe, the cranberries are not only pretty and festive, but the combination with the savory beef is magical.

What does it mean to braise beef?

Before we get into the how-to, you might be wondering what exactly is braising meat.

Braising is a cooking method that combines both wet and dry heat. First the food is sauteed or seared at a high temperature, then it is finished in a covered pot at a lower temperature with some liquid.

How to make Braised Beef with Cranberries

This method is ideal for tenderizing less tender and typically less expensive cuts of meat. I’ve made it with both beef brisket and beef chuck roast and they both turn out fabulous. The pictures in this post reflect chuck roast.

ingredients for braised beef, chuck roast, cranberries, onions, wine, broth

Key ingredients

  1. Beef Brisket or Chuck Roast
  2. Flour- this is what gives the juice or gravy it’s thickness
  3. Red Wine- I recommend a dry red wine such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. This adds fullness and flavor
  4. Pearl Onions
  5. Cranberries

Step One: Sear the meat

  • Season the beef with salt and pepper. Be generous on the salt.
  • Heat a small amount of oil over high heat in a 5-quart dutch oven or heavy pot. 
  • Add the meat and cook until browned, rotating once, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove the beef from the pot onto a plate. 
chuck roast being seared in a dutch oven

Step Two: Make the Gravy

  • Add the flour and stir for about 30 seconds.
  • Add broth, wine, water, molasses, half the cranberries, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Return beef to the pot, and cover.
dutch oven full of braised beef roast, cranberries, bay leaf

Step Three: Bake

  • Transfer to a preheated 350° oven and bake for 3 hours.
  • After 3 hours, remove the pot and stir in onions. Cover it again and return it to the oven. Cook another 30 minutes.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the remaining cranberries. This time leave the braised beef uncovered, and return it to the oven 30 minutes more.
  • Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  • dutch oven full of beef roast topped with pearl onions
  • braised beef topped with cranberries in a dutch oven
  • tender chunk of braised beef on a fork over a dutch oven

And there you have it! It’s very little hands-on time that results in a super impressive dish.

You can slice it up and serve it with the gravy on top, or just grab it straight out of the pan. It will be fork tender and melt in your mouth.

Braised Beef with Cranberries is fantastic served with mashed potatoes, mashed cauliflower or rice and a green vegetable like brussels sprouts, green beans, or asparagus.

Freezing and Storing

The leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

To reheat them, you can place it all back in a pan and gently reheat it over the stove, covered at medium heat, occasionally stirring. Or, to reheat it in the oven, put it back in the pot, cover it and heat at 300 until warmed throughout, about 30 minutes.

To freeze leftovers, place the meat and the gravy in two separate containers. Ziplock bags work great too. Thaw before reheating.

More Holiday Recipes

whether your entertaining or just serving up seasonal dishes for your family, check out these recipes!

  • Mini Stuffed Meatloaves
  • Perfect Roast Turkey
  • Eggnog French Toast
  • Eggnog Dip
  • Sparkling Brie Bites

Let’s connect! You can follow me on YouTube, Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. 

braised beef brisket in a dutch oven

Braised Beef with Cranberries

This juicy braised beef recipe is so tender and flavorful! The gravy is infused with red wine, molasses, cranberries, and onions. It's perfect for cold nights or holiday entertaining. The best news, it's super easy to do!
0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Chellie Schmitz

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large oven proof pot

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef brisket chuck roast works great too
  • coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 3 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 15 ounces can beef broth
  • 1 cup dry red wine merlot or cabernet Sauvignon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Tbs unsulfured molasses
  • 2 cups water
  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 16 oz frozen pearl onions

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 with rack in lowest position.
  • Season beef with salt and pepper.
  • Heat a 5 quart dutch oven or heavy pot over medium high.
  • Add brisket, cook until browned, 8-10 minutes, rotating once.
  • Transfer beef to a plate
  • Add flour to pot and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
  • Add broth, wine, bay leaf, molasses, half the cranberries, and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Return beef to pot, and cover.
  • Transfer to oven; bake 3 hours.
  • Stir in onions; cover, and return pot to oven. Cook 30 minutes more.
  • Stir in remaining cranberries; return pot to oven. Cook uncovered, until beef is fork-tender, 30 minutes more.
  • Discard bay leaf before serving.

Video

Notes

  • You can use beef brisket or chuck roast, both work beautifully.
  • If you are serving more than six, you can easily double the amount of beef, but the amount of cranberries, onions, and everything else can stay the same. It produces plenty of gravy. You may need to use a larger dutch oven. 
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?I love to see what’s on YOUR table! Mention @artfrommytable or tag #artfrommytable on your favorite social.
Pin
Share
Share


5 Comments

Join the Cooking Club

About Chellie Schmitz

Chellie is the creator of Art From My Table, where her passion for delicious food and gathering with loved ones comes together. She believes anyone can cook a great meal, it doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. Her recipes and food photography have been featured in many publications including Buzzfeed, Southern Living, Today Food, and Fitness magazine.

« 3 Secrets to Perfect Roast Turkey
Peppermint White Russian Mocktail »

Comments

  1. Meaghan @ 4 Sons 'R' Us says

    November 24, 2015 at 8:13 pm

    This looks so good, and I love the brightness the cranberries bring to the dish. Thanks for sharing with us at the Throwback Thursday link party.

    Reply
    • chellie says

      November 25, 2015 at 6:38 am

      Thanks Meaghan! It does look festive, but my favorite part is how easy it is, but fancy. 🙂 Well, and the flavor, that’s pretty great too. Thanks for having me at your party! Feel free to come party with me on Thursday at 9:00pm EST!!

      Reply
  2. Ashley says

    November 24, 2015 at 9:09 am

    Thank you for linking up to last week’s Tasty Tuesday linky party. I have pinned your recipes to the Creative K Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board. I hope you’ll link up again this week.

    Reply
  3. Nikki Frank-Hamilton says

    November 22, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    Chellie, this looks so good, I can taste it with my eyes and they want more! If it tastes half as good as it looks I’m having seconds, possibly thirds!!! Yum! Pinning this, I have to try it with our next roast purchase. Thanks!!!!!

    Reply
    • chellie says

      November 22, 2015 at 8:13 pm

      Thank you so much Nikki. This dish is awesome, because it’s so easy to prepare, but people think you slaved. Can’t wait till you try it. You will have thirds! ha!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Oh, hi there!

I'm Chellie, welcome to my blog! I'm glad you're here! Art From My Table is the space where I create and share delicious healthy recipes made with real food. Read More…

Stay updated!

Get delicious dishes delivered straight to your mailbox!

Thank you for subscribing!

Cozy Fall Favorites

overhead view of the best roast turkey recipe on a platter surrounded with orange slices, rosemary, and fresh cranberries
Two bowls of roasted butternut squash soup garnished with squash seeds
white bowl of soup with ground beef, kidney beans, carrots, celery and short pasta garnished with parmesan cheese.
white bowl filled with white chicken chili, garnished with swirls of sour cream and cilantro
sparkling cider sangria
  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

You might also like

collage of 4 photos showing some game day appetizers: lobster mac and cheese bites, meatballs, salad skewers, nachos.

20+ Game Day Appetizers

slice of pizza casserole on a white plate

Keto Low Carb Pizza Casserole

homemade gingerbread caramel corn in a white bowl

Gingerbread Caramel Corn

how to freeze strawberries

How to Freeze Strawberries {3 Easy Ways}

platter of asparagus garnished with oil and lemon

Perfect Asparagus (Sous Vide Recipe)

Featured On

Copyright © 2021 · ART FROM MY TABLE, LLC · PRIVACY POLICY