Pot-roasted beef shoulder

Pot-roasted beef shoulder © kvalifood.com

Pot-roasted beef shoulder is a slow braise that looks after itself in the pot. The shoulder is browned thoroughly, braised in beer and water with thyme and allspice, then joined by potatoes and carrots for the final hour. The meat is sliced and served with the strained cooking juices.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 1–1¼ kg beef shoulder, bone-in
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 pilsner (or light beer)
  • 200–400 ml water
  • 1 sprig thyme
  • 4 whole allspice berries
  • salt, pepper
  • 750 g potatoes
  • 500 g carrots

Directions

Browning

Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot and brown the shoulder thoroughly on both sides over high heat.

Braising

Pour in the beer and boiling water. Skim well. Add the thyme, allspice, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and put the lid on. Let the meat simmer over low heat for 2–3 hours, depending on thickness. Turn the meat at least once during cooking.

Vegetables

Peel the potatoes and carrots. Cut the potatoes into quarters and the carrots into quarters lengthways. Add them to the pot about 1 hour before the meat is tender.

Serving

Lift out the meat and slice it thinly. Arrange on a warm serving dish with the potatoes and carrots around it. Strain the cooking juices and serve alongside.

Notes

  • Thorough browning gives a good, dark gravy — take your time with it
  • Beer and allspice is the classic combination; a dark beer gives more depth
  • The spices can be varied with bay leaf, marjoram, whole cloves or garlic
  • Veal shoulder and chuck can be cooked the same way with a shorter cooking time
  • The dish improves if left overnight in the fridge and reheated