Japanese Inspired Pot Roast
Beef rump roast, Japanese condiments, and pantry staples produce a luscious, deeply flavored pot roast unlike any you've had before.
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef bottom round rump roast 3-4 lbs
- 1 tsp salt to taste; divided
- 1 tsp black pepper to taste; divided
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 6 tbsp sesame oil divided
- 2 cups onion diced
- 3 tsp garlic roughly chopped
- ¾ oz fresh ginger about an inch
- 32 oz low-sodium beef stock
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce ½-⅔ cup authentic soy sause
- 1 cup mirin ½-⅔ cup authentic mirin
- 2 pods star anise more if broken
- 5 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 4 oz white button mushrooms sliced
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 lb carrots sliced
- 1½ lb daikon peeled, sliced in quarters
- 3 tbsp cornstarch less for thinner sauce/gravy
- 14.2 oz udon noodles 2-7.1 oz; I used fresh; 1 lb dried noodles
- ¼ cup green onions chopped; optional
- ¼ cup cilantro roughly chopped; optional
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
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Pat the roast dry; season all sides with salt and pepper about ½ tsp. (see notes)
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Coat/pat the flour over the seasoned roast.
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Warm the dutch oven over medium-high heat.
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Add 2 tbsp sesame oil.
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Sear each side of the roast until perfectly golden brown, remove and set aside. (see notes)
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In the same still hot pot/pan over medium-high heat, sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger until the onions begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes (see notes)
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Add the beef broth, deglaze the the bottom, pulling up any stuck on bits.
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Add the mirin, soy sauce, and star anise (see notes)
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Bring the sauce to a full boil, then remove from heat.
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Return the roast to the dutch oven, cover, then barise for 3 hours, turning after 90 minutes.
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The last 20 minutes of braising, in a 12" skillet heated on medium-high, add the 1 tsp of remaining sesame oil and 1 tsp butter.
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Once the butter has melted, add all the mushrooms and sauté about 4 minutes. (see notes)
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The fat should be absorbed, add the remaining tsps of both oil and butter and continue to satuee for an additional 4 minutes.
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Season with the remaining ½ tsp salt and pepper and finish sautéing for 2 more minutes.
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At the 3 hour mark, transfer the roast to a plate and set aside.
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Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
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Strain discard the solids from the broth, skimming the renderings as well. (see notes)
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Once the broth has been strained, return it to the Dutch oven along with the roast.
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Add the mushrooms, carrots, and daikon; cover and return to the oven.
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Braise for an additional hour.
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Remove the roast from the oven, setting it on a cutting board to rest.
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Strain out the vegetables, place in a large bowl; set aside and keep warm.
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Remove ¼ cup of the liquid; set aside.
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Place the Dutch oven with the broth over medium heat on the stove.
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Bring to a high simmer to reduce the broth; 3-5 minutes.
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Remove 2-3 cups of the hot liquid.
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In a large bowl, whisk the cornstarch into the hot broth, take care to not have any lumps or chunks.
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Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the remaining simmering broth.
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Once fully incorporated, reduce to low and cover. (see notes)
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Slice, chop, or shred the roast to desired size; set aside.
Noodle Bowl Presentation
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Heat the skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp sesame oil.
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Add the prepared udon noodles (see notes) to the hot skillet, gently stir.
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As the noodles absorb the the oil, add the reserved ¼ cup broth, mix well.
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Reduce heat to medium, add the vegetables and meat to the skillet, mix well.
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Stir in the thicken sauce/gravy.
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Mix in 2 tbsps of both the green onions and cilantro, reserving the rest as garnish.
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Bowl and serve, sprinkling the remaining garnishes; enjoy.
Platter Presentation
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Heat the skillet over medium high heat, add 2 tbsp sesame oil.
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Add the prepared udon noodles (see notes) to the hot skillet, gently stir.
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As the noodles absorb the the oil, add the reserved ¼ cup broth, mix well.
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Mix in 2 tbsps of both the green onions and cilantro, reserving the rest as garnish.
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Transfer to a serving bowl.
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Slice the roast, transfer to a platter.
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Put the gravy in a bowl or gravy boat.
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For serving individually: layer the meat and vegetables on a bed of noodles, top with the sauce and remaining garnishes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
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Sear the roast in a 12" skillet using the directions above.
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Once seared, placed into the slow cooker on HIGH. Cover.
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Continue to follow the above directions for sautéing the aromatics.
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Add the hot broth and aromatics to the slow cooker.
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Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for 3½-4 hours.
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Follow the above directions for sautéing the mushrooms, straining the cooking liquid, discarding aromatics, and adding vegetables.
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Replace the lid and cook on HIGH for 2½-3 hours.
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Follow the remaining above directions for making the sauce, and selected presentation style.
Recipe Notes
- I season the side of the roast first being seared and then season the 'top' once in the pan.
- Getting the perfect sear on a roast of this size can take up to 15 minutes.
- When sautéing the aromatics, an additional tbsp of oil may be needed.
- Major/popular brands of soy sauce and mirin require a full cup each to have the depth necessary for this recipe. Authentic sauces, those costing approximately $20 per bottle, need about half that, anywhere between ½-⅔ cup.
- I like to cook the mushrooms at least 10 minutes, trying to disturb them as little as possible to get a deep golden brown color on them.
- Set the skillet aside that was used for the mushrooms; it will be needed again.
- I use a fine mesh sieve to strain out the solids. Lining it with a coffee filter helps catch the renderings as well, but does take a lot longer for the liquid to pass through. This quantity of broth can take up to 3 coffee filters to properly strain.
- Depending on you want to serve this: mixed all together or layered (noodles, meat, veggies, topped with the sauce) will determine the final steps.
- Slow cooker times vary based on actual meat poundage.
- If using dried udon noodles, prepare according to package directions, completely strain the cooked noodles, then resume following this recipe directions.