Sweet and Sour Braised Beef, yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
2.5lbs beef chuck
1 red onion, large dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3ea ginger, fresh slices about ¼in thick
5ea scallions
7ea fresh thyme sprigs
1/2c black tea
1c beef stock
2T soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2T rice vinegar
1/4c fig jam
3T “The BEST seasoning” (recipe below)
Grapeseed oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 300F, or 250F with convection.
Season beef chuck liberally with “The BEST seasoning” and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
Heat a large pot on the stove with 1T grapeseed oil until the oil starts to smoke, on med-high heat. Gently place beef chuck into oil with largest side down, and let it sear for 5 minutes or so, then flip and repeat until ALL sides are nicely caramelized.
Turn heat down to medium flame and add stock, onion, scallions, ginger, garlic, tea, fig jam, rice vinegar, soy, thyme, and whisk together until fully incorporated. Bring it to a simmer and taste it.
Does it need salt? The Braising liquid should taste as salty as you want the beef to be.
Place a tight fitting lid on the pot and put it in the oven. Cooking time should be about 2.5-3 hours. Check after 2 hours to see if it is tender, or if the pot is dry – If the pot is dry, add more stock.
Roast is done when it is fork tender. If you let it go too long it will dry out.
When done, pull out thyme stalks and shred the meat with two forks. Mix with the braising liquid and taste for seasoning, and add stock if you need more sauce.
Serve over wild rice with cherries and kale and top with some braising jus. Then top with bleu cheese butter for a little extra decadence.
The BEST seasoning
2T Dried mushroom powder, porcini or morel are best
1T Granulated garlic
1T Granulated onion
1T Black pepper
2T Salt
Combine in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Seasoning can be stored in an air tight container until you use it all.
Bleu Cheese Butter
1/2c High fat, unsalted butter, room temp
1/2c funky bleu cheese, room temp
Combine in a mixing bowl and mix together until fully married and emulsified.
