Description
This Korean Style Pot Roast recipe offers a tender, flavorful beef chuck roast braised in a savory, slightly sweet, and spicy Korean-inspired sauce with gochujang, soy sauce, and grated Korean pear. Slow-cooked with aromatic vegetables and mushrooms, this hearty dish embodies deep umami flavors and melts in your mouth, perfect for a comforting, soulful meal served with steamed rice and traditional Korean sides.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasonings
- 3 to 3.5 lb (1.3–1.6 kg) beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess surface fat
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or neutral cooking oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp)
- 3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces (separate white and green parts)
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
- 1 cup daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks (optional but traditional)
- 8 oz (225 g) cremini or button mushrooms, halved
Braising Sauce
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), adjust to taste
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (optional, for brightness at the end)
- 1 Korean pear or Asian pear, peeled and grated (or 1/2 sweet apple as substitute)
Garnishes
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- Extra sliced green onions
Instructions
- Prep the beef and vegetables: Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels. Season all sides evenly with kosher salt and black pepper, pressing it into the meat. Slice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the ginger, cut the green onions (separating white and green parts), and chop the carrots, potatoes, daikon, and mushrooms as described and set aside.
- Make the Korean-style braising sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, gochujang, brown sugar, mirin, toasted sesame oil, and grated Korean pear or apple. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra gochujang for heat or brown sugar for sweetness. Set aside.
- Sear the beef: Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned roast carefully and sear for 3–4 minutes on each side until deeply browned, turning with tongs to brown all surfaces including edges. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot (keeping the browned bits), reduce heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze and add sauce: Stir the sauce mixture and pour it into the pot with the aromatics. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any remaining browned bits, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Return beef to the pot: Place the seared roast back into the pot, nestling it into the liquid so the liquid comes about halfway up its sides. Add more beef broth or water if necessary. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Braise the pot roast: For stovetop, reduce heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer and cook covered for 2.5 to 3 hours, turning the roast once or twice. For oven, preheat to 325°F (160°C), bring pot to simmer on stovetop, cover, transfer to oven, and braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, turning roast halfway.
- Add vegetables: About 45–60 minutes before the roast finishes, add carrots, potatoes, daikon, and mushrooms, submerging them as much as possible in the braising liquid. Continue braising until vegetables are tender and beef is fully soft and shreddable.
- Finish the sauce: When beef is very tender, remove roast to a cutting board and tent with foil. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish. Skim excess fat from braising liquid. Optionally reduce sauce by simmering uncovered for 5–10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with rice vinegar for brightness, more soy sauce for saltiness, or sugar as needed.
- Slice or shred the beef: Using two forks, shred beef into large chunks or slice against the grain into thick slices. Return beef to pot with reduced sauce and gently toss, or pour sauce over beef on a serving platter.
- Serve: Arrange beef on a platter with braised vegetables or serve all in deep bowls. Spoon additional sauce over top. Garnish with green parts of sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot with steamed white rice, kimchi, and other Korean side dishes if desired.
Notes
- You can use a Dutch oven or any heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid for best results.
- Adjust the gochujang quantity based on your preferred spice level.
- The Korean pear adds natural sweetness and helps tenderize the meat but can be substituted with a sweet apple.
- Adding daikon radish is optional but adds authenticity and a nice texture contrast.
- If braising on the stovetop, maintain a very gentle simmer to avoid toughening the meat.
- Leftover braising sauce can be thickened and used as a flavorful gravy.
- For a thicker sauce, reduce the braising liquid uncovered on medium heat before serving.
