Hop in your family time machine and travel back to a simpler time when items like cassoulet, beef bourguignon, and the beef Wellington were “in”. These are complicated recipes that take lots of time and energy to produce a huge payoff for the people at the table. This recipe is one you can whip up in under an hour, but will slowly cook on the stove for a couple of hours, making it perfect for those days when you feel like having a meal on the day you cook instead of eating it at midnight.
Plus you can have an IPA or two while it cooks. The IPAs’ hops will cook off and flavor the braising liquid, but you should use a darker IPA for this as the darker malts will provide more depth of beer flavor. The maple syrup will add sweetness to the dish, but it cooks down considerably (by about half) so the maple-ness is subdued or even lost by the end of the long braise.
While this post may seem like an unlikely mix of topics, beer, and cooking, each has a fascinating history and has come together in culinary dishes in ways that both preserve traditional methods while also introducing innovation. By combining these two seemingly disparate topics, I hope you’ve learned a little something that can be applied to both your cooking and brewing alike.
Ingredients
2 lbs Chuck Roast or other desired cuts.
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil or other high-heat-friendly neutral oil
2 lbs root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, and celery root, rinsed, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves finely grated or finely chopped
3 inches ginger finely grated
1 small cinnamon stick
1 chili pod such as cayenne or chile de arbol
24 oz IPA beer
1 cup beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 strips of orange peel
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
Heat oven to 325ºF. Pat the chuck roast dry, trim off any excess fat and then slice into 1½- to 2-inch chunks, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Working in batches, add the beef in a single layer, letting it brown for about 2 minutes, then toss and turn to brown at least one more side, 2 minutes longer. Transfer the browned beef to a bowl or plate.
Add the root vegetables to the pot and sauté for 2–3 minutes, tossing them to coat in the residual fat in the pan. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, and chile pod to quickly warm them, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then pour in the IPA, which will froth and bubble, followed by the stock, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and then transfer to the oven. Braise the beef in the oven until impossibly (but, actually possible!) tender, the vegetables have softened tremendously and the IPA-maple stock has mellowed to be less beery and bitter to more beefy, tangy, and richly sweet, about 2½ hours.
When ready to serve, skim excess fat from the pot and discard. Finely chop the orange peel and mix in a small bowl with the parsley. Spoon the braised beef, vegetables, and some of the liquid into serving bowls or plates, add a dollop of sour cream, and sprinkle the parsley-orange mix over the top.
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