This recipe like many of mine, were inspired by something and in this case, it was the government shutdown of 2019. Having to tighten our belts, I looked for cheaper cuts of meat that were on sale such as beef shoulder which is a less tender cut of meat; however, when braised slowly in liquid such as apple cider, it comes out tasting like a dish fine enough for royalty. Many less tender cuts of meat can become deliciously tender through braising and are a favorite in our house, especially during the cold winter months. Here’s how to make it:
Start by prepping your vegetables and chop 2 stalks of celery, 2 carrots, and 1 medium onion into 1/2-inch pieces, you do not have to be precise. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of flour in a small container, which will be used to create the gravy.
Measure out 2 cups of apple cider and 2 cups of warm water with 2 teaspoons of beef base mixed in (you can also use 2 cups of beef stock instead).
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season a 3-4 pound beef shoulder roast or chuck roast all over with salt and pepper and brown in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over med/high heat until well browned on all sides.
Once beef is well browned all over, remove from the pot and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add the chopped vegetables to the pot and sauté for about 2-3 minutes.
After 2-3 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and stir quickly to coat all of the vegetables until flour is thoroughly mixed into the vegetables.
Once flour is mixed well into the vegetables, deglaze the pot with the 2 cups of apple cider, mixing well and scraping the bottom of the pot to remove any bits off the bottom of the pan. Sauce will begin to thicken and then add the 2 cups of beef broth.
Keep stirring the sauce and vegetables until it comes to a low boil. Add the meat back in and nestle it into the bottom of the pot. The sauce should come up about halfway on the roast, it should not cover the roast. Spoon some of the sauce over the roast, cover with a lid, and place in a 300-degree preheated oven for 3-4 hours or until very tender.
After beef has finished cooking, it will slice best if allowed to cool. If you can resist, allow the roast to cool completely, remove any butcher’s string, and slice the roast into serving slices and place them back into the gravy. The pot can be reheated on the stove and then kept in a 180-degree oven until ready to serve and each slice will have had time to absorb the sweet and savory apple cider gravy.
The nice thing about this recipe is that it makes its own gravy so you do not have to make it at the end. Just remove the roast and stir the juices before adding the sliced meat back into the sauce. Enjoy and happy cooking!
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 3-4 hrs.
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4-6
You will need:
A Dutch oven preferably cast iron, or any heavy ovenproof pot with a lid.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Ingredients:
3-4 pound beef shoulder or chuck roast
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 heaping tablespoons of all-purpose flour
salt & pepper
2 cups apple cider
2 cups warm water
2 tsp. beef base (such as Better Than Bullion) Note: If you can’t find the beef base, just replace the 2 cups of water with beef broth.