I love a slow cooked roast. Sundays are perfect for this type of meal. Throw the roast in the oven after church and the house will smell amazing all afternoon and into the evening. As a young adult, I used to cook roast in a crockpot. I have since learned that a roast is much more flavorful and well textured when cooked in the oven. The oven allows for a caramelization of the sauce and a crisping of the roast. In a crockpot, everything sort of comes out the same texture. For this recipe, I sought to depart from my normal go-to flavors. I love middle eastern spices. These are often found in recipes for lamb or goat, but they lend themselves to a beef roast quite well. I hope you enjoy this recipe for Middle Eastern Spiced Braised Beef Roast.
WHICH SPICES ARE USED IN THIS RECIPE?
For this recipe, I chose spices that I keep on hand regularly. The only spice used here that I tend to use less frequently is cardamom. This spice smells, divine, though. If you’ve never cooked with cardamom, I encourage you to pick some up and seek out ways to use it. In all, this recipe calls for:
- sea salt
- coriander
- cumin
- garlic powder
- cinnamon
- allspice
- cardamom
- cayene powder
- black pepper
When mixed, these spices become a beautiful, deep golden color. They smell amazing in combination.
WHAT IS BRAISING?
Braising is a method of cooking that involves moisture. Typically, a piece of meat is placed in a large, deep pan and surrounded by liquid (beef, chicken, or vegetable stock). The liquid does not cover the meat entirely, but provides moisture as it cooks.
This method of cooking combines dry and wet heat to slowly cook a piece of meat. I find that most cuts of beef lend themselves to slow cooking. Turn the heat down low and let the meat cook over many hours. This produces a tender, fall-apart cut of beef, even in cuts that are known to be tougher by nature.
WHY SEAR THE ROAST BEFORE BRAISING?
When you take the time to sear a beef roast, the outside of the roast develops a crisp, outer layer. This helps to add flavor to the overall dish. It also helps to begin the cooking process without cooking the entire roast too quickly. Searing only cooks the outermost layer of beef. The interior is left to cook low and slow.
Middle Eastern Spiced Braised Beef Roast
Ingredients
– Braiser, Ductch Oven, or other large oven safe pan with a lid
– 1 2-3 lb arm roast (or other beef roast)
– 1 tbsp sea salt
– 2 tsp coriander
– 2 tsp cumin
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– 1 tsp cinnamon
– 1/2 tsp allspice
– 1/2 tsp cardamom
– 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
– 1/4 tsp black pepper
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 2 c beef stock (plus up to another cup if needed)
– 2 tbsp tomato paste
– 1 onion, rough chopped
– 5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme
– 5 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
– 6 red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Directions
-
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
Remove the roast from packaging. Pat dry with a paper towel and allow it to rest on a plate.
-
In a small bowl, mix all of the spices together (salt, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, cayenne powder, and black pepper).
-
Pour the spices over the roast, patting them in with your fingers. Coat both sides and the edges.
-
Heat a braiser (Dutch oven, or other deep oven-safe pan) over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sear the roast for 2-3 minutes on each side. Using tongs, hold the roast to sear the edges. When done, place the roast back on its plate, temporarily.
-
To the hot pan, add a few tablespoons of the beef stock. Stir to deglaze the pan. Then add the tomato paste and the rest of the beef stock. Stir to combine. Turn the burner off.
-
Return the roast to the pan. Rough chop an onion and place this around the roast. Layer the sprigs of fresh thyme on top of the roast. Place a lid over this pan and move the pan to the oven. (The oven rack should be middle to low in the oven.) Cook the roast for 3 hours at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
-
After three hours, chop the carrots and potatoes. Remove the pan from the oven. If the pan looks dry, add up to another cup of beef stock. Then, add the carrots and potatoes to the pan, layering them around the roast. Return the lid to the pan and cook in the oven for another hour.
-
When done, the beef should be fall-apart tender. The carrots and potatoes should be soft, but not mushy. Serve over rice with homemade hummus and a Shepherd salad (like this one).
If you like this recipe, check out Jennifer’s new book, “The Grass-Fed Guide.” In this book, you will learn how to: find a local farmer, understand the labels and lingo, identify the cuts, and calculate the best deals. You will also learn how to cook with each of the varied cuts that come when buying beef in bulk.
Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. She also offers recipes and nourishment for body, mind, and soul at RealFoodRealHealing.com.
Spring Forest Farm 