Pot Roast With Asian Spices
- at least 2 hours
- 4-6 servings
- #beef
- #dinner
A classic slow-braised pot roast with five-spice powder, soy sauce, and Chinese black vinegar for a rich, deeply flavoured result.
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 1.4–1.8 kg piece boneless chuck or rump roast, tied if necessary to maintain a uniform shape
- ½ teaspoon five-spice powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 60 ml soy sauce
- 60 ml water
- 240 ml chicken, beef, or vegetable stock (or substitute 60 ml Chinese black vinegar for 60 ml of the stock)
Steps
-
Cut 1 garlic clove into tiny slivers; insert the slivers into several spots around the roast, poking holes with a thin-bladed knife. Mix the five-spice powder with salt and pepper and rub the mixture all over the meat.
-
Put the oil in a large pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When hot, add the roast and brown it on all sides, taking your time and adjusting the heat so the meat browns but the fat does not burn—15 minutes or so. Transfer the meat to a platter. Add the vegetables to the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and somewhat browned, about 10 minutes. Add the remaining 3 cloves of garlic.
-
Add the soy sauce and water and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until almost evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Add about half the stock (with Chinese black vinegar substituted for 60 ml of the stock if using), return the roast to the pot, and turn the heat down to very low.
-
Turn the roast every 15 minutes, re-cover, and cook until it is tender—a fork will pierce the meat without pushing too hard and the juices will run clear—1½ to 2½ hours, but possibly longer if your roast is taller than it is long. Add more stock if the roast appears to be drying out. Do not overcook; when the meat is tender, it is done.
-
Remove the meat from the pot and keep it warm. Skim the fat from the surface of the remaining juice. Turn the heat up to high and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is thick and almost evaporated, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Slice the meat and serve it with the pan juices.