This recipe calls for two small roasts instead of one big one. They are easier to cook, and make for prettier slices.
Ingredients
2 (2 1/2-pound) boneless beef chuck roasts, each about 7x4x2 inches
4 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle roasts on each side with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy wide ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Add roasts. Cook until brown, about 8 minutes per side; transfer to plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil and onions to pot. Sauté until dark brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Mix in vinegar and allspice; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits. Add broth, orange juice, and tomato sauce; bring to boil. Return roasts and accumulated juices to pot. Scatter dates around roasts; sprinkle with parsley.
Cover pot; place in oven. Braise roasts 1 hour. Turn roasts over, cover, and braise until tender, about 1 hour. Tilt pot; spoon off fat from top of sauce. Cool uncovered 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold; cover and keep chilled.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Transfer roasts to board, scraping sauce into pot. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; overlap slices in baking dish. Spoon sauce over. Cover; rewarm about 25 minutes.
