Heat the oven to 325°F. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels, trim away large pieces of hard exterior fat, and cut it into uniform 1½-inch pieces. Season with 1 teaspoon of the salt and all the black pepper.

Heat the avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two or three batches without crowding the pot, 4 to 6 minutes per batch, turning so several sides develop color. Transfer to a plate. The beef won't be cooked through yet.

Reduce heat to medium. Cook the onion 5 to 6 minutes, stirring and scraping the browned bits, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute.

Pour in the beef broth gradually while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Stir in the Better Than Bouillon base until dissolved. Add the Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, and remaining salt. Return the beef and its juices to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 hours. Stir and check for tenderness; continue in 10 to 15-minute increments if needed.

Remove the pot from the oven and discard the bay leaf. Skim rendered fat from the surface with a spoon or ladle, using oil-absorbing paper for smaller pools if needed, without removing much braising liquid.

Whisk the tapioca starch and cold water into a smooth slurry. Bring the uncovered braising liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then slowly stir in the slurry. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened. Don't boil for an extended time after adding the slurry, it can turn overly thick or stretchy. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If you're eating tonight, stop here. Serve the beef tips and gravy hot, spooned over your favorite base. Everything from this point on is for the freezer.

Transfer the beef tips and gravy to a shallow cooling pan and let cool at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes. Set six 1-cup silicone molds on a rimmed sheet pan. Divide the beef evenly among the molds and spoon gravy over each until it reaches the 1-cup fill line, keeping the beef covered with gravy. (Use three 2-cup molds for larger portions.)

Refrigerate the filled molds uncovered for about 1 hour, until no longer warm. Cover and chill for another hour. Transfer the covered molds to a level spot in the freezer and freeze at least 6 hours, until completely solid.

Pull the silicone away from the edges and press gently upward from the bottom to release each frozen portion. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, pressing out as much air as possible. Place parchment between portions if stacking in a rigid container. Label with recipe name, portion size, freezing date, and reheating directions. Freeze up to 3 months. For vacuum sealing, freeze portions completely solid first, then seal one or two cubes per bag immediately; don't vacuum seal warm, soft, or partially frozen gravy.