Pacific Pot Roast

Eight cloves of garlic pushed deep into the meat before it even hits the pot. That’s how this pot roast starts, and it only gets better from there. The garlic mellows during the long braise, turning soft and sweet inside the beef while perfuming the cooking liquid.

Browning is everything with a pot roast. Get your Dutch oven hot, add just enough oil to coat, and don’t move the meat until it releases on its own with a deep, dark crust. That fond on the bottom of the pot becomes the foundation of your gravy.

Two hours of gentle simmering with onion and water does the rest. The meat should be fork-tender, pulling apart when you press it. The gravy gets finished with a flour-and-water slurry thickened right in the braising liquid, then seasoned with tomato juice and red pepper flakes for a subtle kick you don’t expect from a pot roast.

Serving over rice instead of the usual potatoes is the Pacific twist here. The rice soaks up every drop of that savory, garlic-rich gravy.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a sharp paring knife to make deep slits for the garlic. Push the cloves all the way in so they don’t fall out during browning
• Simmer, don’t boil. A hard boil toughens the meat fibers instead of breaking them down
• Mix the flour slurry with cold water before adding it to the hot liquid to prevent lumps
• Let the roast rest 10 minutes on the platter before slicing for cleaner cuts

Variations

• Add a splash of soy sauce to the gravy for a more distinctly Pacific Rim flavor
• Braise with coconut milk instead of water for a richer, tropical-inspired sauce
• Toss in chunks of carrots and celery during the last 45 minutes of cooking