Can you think of many foods more comforting than a big, brown, juicy, fragrant beef pot roast? I can’t recall a time I wasn’t excited or at least pleased to see one on the table. It is, simply put, a powerful dish.
There’s something quiet and luxurious about the time it takes to make it; while the recipe itself is straightforward, it is definitely not fast food. It’s satisfying to sit down to a meal that cooked for hours rather than minutes.
Don’t we all need that slow-found comfort from time to time?
I certainly do.
The hands-on work is minimal: about fifteen minutes to brown the roast, peel and chop the carrots, halve the little potatoes, peel the garlic, and smash the ginger. The rest of the time is for waiting.
…Ah, the waiting.
What you do with that time is up to you. I like to stay nearby, breathing in the heady scent of garlic, ginger, and beef. It’s a sweet kind of torture knowing those aromas will be yours soon. Maybe I read a chapter of a book or fold a few pieces of laundry. Can I talk myself into waiting to eat? Almost every time, yes—who wants to spoil the dinner with overactive snacking?
Today’s pot roast is my default favorite, with a mild Asian flavor profile: ginger, garlic, fish or soy sauce, plus the classic potatoes and carrots. Instead of onion wedges I use long green onions. I often finish the pan sauce with a touch of cornstarch to slightly thicken it. To serve, place steamed rice or noodles on a plate, add a scoop of the vegetables that soaked up the beef broth, top with a slice of tender beef, and drizzle with the pan sauce.
With leaves swirling and our lives rushing toward colder months, can you deliberately slow down long enough to treat yourself to a piece of peace and a dinner that ushers you gently into the evening and a cozy chair?
Asian Style Pot Roast
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound boneless chuck roast
- salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
- 3 inch piece fresh ginger cut in half and smashed to release flavor
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and lightly smashed
- 4 cups beef broth or stock
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
- 1-2 pounds small red potatoes scrubbed and halved
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
- 6 green onions washed and trimmed
Optional, to thicken sauce:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed into 1/4 cup water
To Serve:
- Hot cooked rice or noodles
- soy sauce
- toasted sesame oil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Generously salt and pepper the chuck roast.
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Place a large, heavy, oven-safe pan with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. When the oil shimmers, set the roast in the pan and do not move it for 4 minutes. Lift a corner to check for a deep brown crust; if needed, cook 1–2 more minutes before flipping and browning the other side. Once browned, add the ginger and garlic, pour in the beef broth and fish or soy sauce, cover, and transfer the covered pan to the oven. Do not peek—braise for 2 hours.
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After 2 hours, arrange the potatoes, carrots, and green onions around the roast, replace the lid, and cook for another hour or until the beef and vegetables are fork-tender. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl (discard the ginger). Use tongs to move the roast to a cutting board and tent lightly with foil.
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Slice the roast, drizzle with the pan juices, and serve with the vegetables. If desired, thicken the sauce (see below) and finish with a drizzle of soy sauce and toasted sesame oil.
To thicken pan sauce:
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Return the pan to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Whisk the cornstarch slurry (1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed into 1/4 cup water) into the pan juices and bring to a boil, whisking until the sauce thickens. Pour over the sliced roast and vegetables and serve immediately.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition with the actual ingredients you use if desired.
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