Apple Juice Roast
Submitted by tanna
Apple juice pot roast braises beef chuck low and slow with caramelized onions, sweet potatoes, and a tangy ketchup-thyme gravy. Old-school Dutch oven Sunday supper that fills the house with sweet-savory aroma.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
1 hrsCOOK
4 hrsREADY
5 hrsApple juice pot roast is the kind of Sunday supper that turns a tough cut of beef chuck into fork-tender slices swimming in sweet-savory gravy. The trick here is the apple juice. It does double duty as a tenderizer (the natural enzymes break down connective tissue) and a flavor base that plays beautifully against the ketchup, thyme, and prepared mustard.
Piercing the seared roast all over with a fork before adding the liquid is the small move that makes a big difference. Those holes pull the apple juice braise deep into the meat instead of letting it just pool around the edges.
The sweet potatoes go in for the last 30 to 40 minutes, brushed with lemon juice so they stay bright orange instead of going dull. By the time the roast is tender, they have soaked up all that pan-jus character without turning to mush.
Chef Tips
- Brown the chuck hard on both sides in butter for 15 to 20 minutes. A pale roast equals pale gravy, so don’t rush this step.
- Cast iron Dutch oven? Transfer the meat and liquid to a glass dish before any overnight marinating. The acid in the apple juice and ketchup will pit the iron.
- For glossy gravy, whisk 2 tablespoons flour into ½ cup cold water before stirring it into the skimmed cooking liquid. Adding flour straight to hot liquid guarantees lumps.
- Leftover gravy keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well. Reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen.
Variations
- Swap apple juice for hard cider for a deeper, slightly boozy gravy that pairs gorgeously with pork shoulder instead of beef.
- Add 2 peeled, cored apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp) in the last hour for a sweeter, chunkier braise.
- Stir 1 tablespoon Dijon into the gravy at the end for a sharper, French-leaning finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook onions in 1 tablespoon butter or shortening in Dutch oven until tender-crisp; set aside. Brown roast in remaining butter or shortening in Dutch oven over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes or until browned on both sides. Pierce entire surface of meat with fork. Combine apple juice, ketchup, salt, pepper, thyme, mustard and basil; add to meat.
Top meat with reserved cooked onions; cover and cook slowly 2½ hours or until almost tender. Brush sweet potatoes with lemon juice for bright color; add to meat. Continue cooking, covered, 30 to 40 minutes or until meat and potatoes are tender. Place meat and potatoes on warm platter. Sprinkle potatoes with chopped parsley or garinish with apple rings and parsley, if desired.
Serve gravy over sliced meat.
NOTE: After apple juice mixture is added to browned meat, it may be marinated in the refrigerator until 3 to 4 hours before serving time; turn meat several times. If Dutch oven is cast iron, transfer to a glass dish.
GRAVY: Skim excess fat from cooking liquid; add water if needed to make 2½ cups. Mix ½ cup water and 2 tablespoon Unbleached Flour; stir gradually into cooking liquid. Heat to boiling; cook, stirring 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Gravy may be served in Large Apple that has been scooped out, if desired.
Comments
