Preheat the oven to 275 degrees then rinse the pot roast under cool water and pat completely dry with paper towels.

Pierce 5 holes evenly spaced around the surface of chuck roast (about 2½"-3" deep), using a sharp paring knife. Next, insert a garlic clove into each of the 5 holes and season all sides of the roast liberally with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the roast carefully to the skillet. Sear each side about 4-5 minutes, allowing the roast to turn a dark shade of brown.

Transfer the roast from the skillet to a heavy Dutch oven then set aside.

Immediately add onions, carrots and celery to the skillet, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Season the veggies lightly with salt and pepper and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once they soften slightly and become brown around the edges, add red wine, bay leaves and thyme.

Reduce the wine by half, stirring constantly and scraping all brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the beef broth and bouillon, bring to a boil and continue to loosen anything that sticks to the bottom of the skillet.

Pour the vegetables and broth carefully into the Dutch oven, cover and roast 4-5 hours, turning the roast once halfway through cooking.

Check the roast by piercing with a fork. If it falls apart effortlessly, you’re good to go!