Sunday Beef and Potato Braise
Chuck roast browned deep and dark, then simmered low with carrots and potatoes until the meat gives way to a spoon. A slow, savory one-pot roast for a cold evening.
- Total
- 205 min
- Prep 25 · Cook 170 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Medium
You'll practice: Searing · Braising
- Savory
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Pat the beef chuck dry with paper towels and cut it into 5 cm chunks. Season all over with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp black pepper.
~15 min
Drying the beef prevents surface moisture from steaming the meat, allowing a deep brown crust to form.
-
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high until it shimmers. Brown the beef in two batches, about 4 minutes per side, until deeply browned on all sides. Move each batch to a plate. Do not crowd the pot.
~8 min
High heat triggers the Maillard reaction, creating the deep brown crust that gives the braise its flavor.
Dry the beef well before browning: surface moisture steams the meat and blocks the deep brown crust that gives this braise its flavor.
Searing Get the pot very hot and dry the meat well; avoid crowding so each piece browns deeply without steaming.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the beef browns, peel the potatoes and cut them into 4 cm chunks. Peel the carrots and cut them into 3 cm pieces.
~15 min
-
Lower the heat to medium. Return all the beef to the pot with 900 ml water and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 90 minutes, until the beef is starting to soften.
~90 min
Gentle simmering breaks down collagen into gelatin, making the beef tender and the sauce rich.
Braising Keep the liquid at a bare simmer, not a boil, and cover tightly; this gently breaks down collagen for tender meat.
-
Add the potatoes and carrots, press them into the liquid, cover, and simmer another 45 minutes, until the beef shreds with light pressure and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
~45 min
Adding vegetables later prevents them from overcooking while the beef continues to soften.
Braising Keep the liquid at a bare simmer, not a boil, and cover tightly; this gently breaks down collagen for tender meat.
-
Uncover and simmer 10 minutes more, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust with the remaining 0.5 tsp black pepper. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving.
~20 min
Uncovered simmering evaporates water, concentrating the sauce so it coats the spoon.
If the sauce is still thin after the final simmer, lift out the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and boil the liquid down for 5 minutes before returning them.