In tumultuous times like these, one seeks comfort in old friends, or better still, finds solace in making new unexpected ones.
That’s what recently happened with me and Chuck, the cut of beef largely relegated to the grinder for burgers, and always overshadowed by the much more tender, easier to cook (and overcharge for) cuts such as ribeye and tenderloin.
To my surprise, when treated right, it is more forgiving to smoke than a brisket, more flavorful than a New York strip, and as tender as a filet.
Here is the easiest way to make it indoors.
1. Gather your ingredients
3-5 pound chuck roast, in one large piece
3 onions
6-8 cloves of garlic
1 cup of chicken stock
1 can of dark stout (NA works really well) - sub for chicken stock if not available
Handful of dried chilies (optional but highly recommended)
Chicken stock powder (optional)
Salt, pepper, and 7 cardamom pods
2 cups of fine burghul, polenta, or any grain / short pasta you like
Half stick of butter
2. Prep the ingredients
Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 10 minutes.
Quarter the onions.
Smash the garlic with the back of your knife to remove the skins.
Combine the garlic, a tablespoon each of salt and pepper with the chilies in their water and blend until smooth.
Pat the beef dry, apply salt and pepper liberally.
3. Sear the beef then cook it
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
Heat a cast iron Dutch oven on medium high until smoking.
Add a dab of olive oil, then sear the beef for 3-5 minutes on each side until you get a sensual brown color.
Set aside and drop the heat to medium.
Add the onions and cook for 5-8 minutes until they soften and slightly brown.
Place the beef on top of the onions, you can cut in half if the roast is too wide or unwieldy.
Top with the blended garlic chili mix, stock, and stout (if using).
The goal is to cover almost all the beef without fully submerging it.
Raise the heat to high until the mixture starts bubbling.
Cover and transfer to the oven.
Check after 2 hours, then every 30 minutes.
The longer you cook the better, but there is a limit.
Aim for tender fork and internal collagen melting temperature of ~200°F. Three hours is the longest I’ve needed.
Remove from the oven.
Use tongs to transfer the beef to a serving plate, then prepare to make a sauce.
4. Start the side dishes
Start this during the last hour of the beef cook.
Bring 3.5 cups of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of chicken stock powder to a pot.
Add the fine burghul with the water, bring everything to a boil over high heat, then drop the heat to medium low.
Cover and let cook for 15 minutes.
Uncover and start stirring.
You should have enough liquid to break down the wheat and create a creamy mixture, similar in consistency to thick polenta.
If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.
Keep stirring for 3-5 minutes, add a tablespoon of butter, stir, then cover and let rest.
I like this grain because it’s really easy to cook and mimics a lot of fancy undertones served in restaurants underneath the beef.
5. Make a quick sauce
I always discounted homemade sauces that aren’t gravy due to their elitism and undue process, also because I almost never have butter in the fridge.
But now I keep it there, because apparently cholesterol being bad for you was a big scam.
Run everything in the Dutch oven (other than the beef) through a sieve, squash the solids to release all the liquids.
Wipe your Dutch oven down, or use a clean saucepan.
Heat the filtered liquid on medium, stir in a tablespoon of butter, a splash of red wine vinegar (or a teaspoon of pomegranate molasses, another new discovery I made after experimenting with all my Ramadan leftovers).
When the liquid reduces by roughly a third, the sauce is ready.
Taste and make any final adjustments, or just pretend like you know what you’re doing.
Note: A table spoon of corn start stirred in water will also help thicken the sauce.
6. Eat!
Slice the beef into large pieces.
Spoon some of the burghul on a plate, top with the beef and pour some sauce over.
Serve with a side of greens, and eat with some good old friends.
7. Notes
Chuck smokes really well too. I was surprised and impressed with how it turned out in the smoker
Even sexier when smoked Unlike a steak, it keeps well for a few days. Cover and keep in the fridge, reheat with some sauce and added water on medium until warm
I’ve been meaning to write something non-food related, but eating has been a good comfort, and it’s much easier to write about. Maybe next post…
