Soy-Braised Stove-Top Pot Roast with Carrots

Ingredients

• 3 lb. beef chuck roast, fat trimmed
• Steak rub, to season roast before browning
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 8-10 large carrots, peeled and cut into same-size diagonal cut pieces
• 1 T cornstarch or arrowroot starch, to thicken sauce

Directions

1. Cut away most of the fat you can see, paying extra attention to the outside edges of the pot roast. Season the meat with steak rub, if using, such as Pride of Szeged Steak Rub, or simply use salt and pepper.
2. Warm the olive oil in a heavy Dutch-oven-style pot, then sear the roast until it is deeply browned on every side. If the roast is thick, tip it upright with tongs so the edges get browned too.
3. While the roast is browning, you can crush the rosemary, thyme, and garlic powder together with a mortar and pestle. This step is optional, since the sauce will be strained later, but it helps wake up the dried herbs.
4. Once the beef has a good brown crust, pour in the water and soy sauce, Tamari works too, then add the dried rosemary, dried thyme, garlic powder, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
5. Turn the heat down to the gentlest simmer your stove will allow, cover the pot, and cook for about 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is beginning to soften.
6. Transfer the meat to a plate, then spread the carrots across the bottom of the pot.
7. Set the roast back over the carrots and continue cooking for about 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender and the carrots are just barely tender. If you prefer softer carrots, cook them a little more to suit your taste.
8. Move the beef and carrots into a glass casserole dish, cover with foil, and hold them warm in the oven.
9. Spoon off any fat you can see floating on the sauce, or use a fat separator if you have one. Strain the sauce so the peppercorns, bay leaves, and dried herb pieces are removed.
10. Return the strained sauce to the pan and boil it over high heat until it has reduced by about 1/3. Taste it and make sure the flavor is where you want it.
11. Stir the tablespoon of cornstarch or arrowroot starch into 1/4 cup cold water, then whisk that mixture into the sauce. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit.
12. Serve the beef and carrots with the sauce spooned over the top.