Looking for a show-stopping beef roast, without the prime rib price tag? Well, this one's for you — beef chuck roast get's braised until it's fall-apart tender, while charred lemons break down, releasing a bright flavour that cuts through the rich beef and balances the warm spices.

Spiced Lemon Chuck Roast with Potatoes

A show-stoping beef roast that looks fancier than it costs

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 4

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

4 lbs bottom blade beef roast also called "chuck" roast
800 g mini yellow potatoes
2 lemons
4 shallots
5 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon tomato paste
½ tablespoon cumin seeds
½ tablespoon coriander seeds
½ tbsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
½ cup white wine vinegar
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoon cornstarch optional
salt
4 tablespoon neutral oil like avocado or canola

Method

Season 4 lbs chuck roast with 4 teaspoon salt all over. Let sit overnight in the fridge or 30 minutes on the counter — as much time as you have! Preheat oven to 275°F. Meanwhile, thinly slice 4 shallots, roughly chop 5 garlic cloves and cut 800g mini yellow potatoes in halves, set aside.
In a large dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoon neutral oil on medium-high. Add seasoned chuck roast and sear until deep golden brown on at least 2 sides. You might need to work in batches, depending on the size of your pan. Remove and set aside. Cut 2 lemons in half, and place them, open-side down, in the dutch oven. Cook on medium-high until slightly charred. Remove and set aside with the beef.
Turn the heat to medium and add another 2 tablespoon neutral oil to the dutch oven. Add sliced shallots and chopped garlic, then cook until softened. Add in 2 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ tablespoon cumin seeds, ½ tablespoon coriander seeds, ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon whole cloves and 2 cinnamon sticks, cook until the tomato paste is caramelizing on the bottom of the pan and the spices are slightly toasted and very fragrant — your kitchen should smell irresistibly garlicky, sweet and earthy.
At this point there will also be a deep brown (almost black) layer of fond on the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with ½ cup white wine vinegar and let cook while you scrape that delicious fond from the bottom. Cook until the strong vinegar smell is almost entirely gone and you're left with a thick, delicious blend of aromatics and spices.
Add in 4 cups beef broth, then nestle in your beef, followed by the halved mini potatoes, and charred lemon. The beef should be ¾ covered in braising liquid, and take priority in the pot over the potatoes. Cover and bake for 3 hours, then remove the lid and turn the oven to 425°F — this will reduce the broth into a slightly thickened sauce and brown the exposed meat to delicious perfection.
Plate the beef and potatoes in a shallow serving bowl, then pour the braising liquid all over. If you want to thicken it a bit more (to be more gravy-like), bring the liquid to a simmer. Meanwhile, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 2 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Add the slurry to the reduced braising liquid and mix until well-incorporated and slightly thickened. Enjoy!

Notes

Make ahead: The roast can be made 24-48 hours in advance. Cover and keep in the fridge until ready to eat. An hour before dinner time, pull the roast from the fridge and preheat oven to 375°F. Place in the oven (lid-on) and bake until warmed-through, you'll know it's ready when your kitchen starts to smell irresistibly delicious, about 30-45 minutes.