- 1 (2 kilo) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled into 2 pieces at the natural seam and trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tapioca or potato starch
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- 120 ml (½ cup) dry red wine
- 120 ml (½ cup) chicken broth
- 1 kilo new (baby) potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 kilo carrots, peeled and cut into thick batons
- 2 bay leaves
Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Tie 3 pieces of kitchen twine around each piece of beef to create 2 evenly shaped roasts. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown roasts on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add onion, celery, salt, and pepper to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in tapioca or potato starch, tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits and smoothing out any lumps; transfer to slow cooker.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and bay leaves into the slow cooker. Nestle roasts into the vegetables, adding any accumulated juices. Cover and cook until beef is tender and fork slips easily in and out of meat, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
Discard bay leaves. Remove twine from roasts, slice meat against the grain, and arrange on serving dish with vegetables. Spoon sauce over meat and serve.
