This Citrus-Soy Braised Chuck Roast recipe is deeply savory, with bright citrus and robust fresh ginger. It's a flexible recipe, perfect sliced thin with sauce, piled onto sliders, or served on bowls throughout the week.
Beef prices are quite high lately, which can make serving your family a ribeye steak or brisket expensive. That is why I love turning to more affordable cuts, especially chuck roast. It is typically several dollars less per pound compared to other roasts, but tastes rich and super savory. The high fat content and connective tissue make it ideal for slow roasting or braising, like in this recipe featuring tangy citrus, soy sauce, and fresh ginger.
Braising is one of my favorite methods for preparing beef because it's simple and mostly hands-free. This recipe is similar to my Tender Braised Beef Shanks and starts by searing the chuck roast, then building the braising liquid with aromatics, citrus, soy sauce, and stock. The whole thing is covered then cooked low and slow in the oven until it's fork-tender. Reduce the braising liquid for a simple yet bold and flavorful sauce to spoon over the chuck roast.
Why This Braised Chuck Roast Works
- Chuck roast is rich in collagen and connective tissue, making it ideal for braising.
- Soy, citrus, and ginger balance the richness of the beef.
- Tomato paste, fennel seed, and white pepper add depth and complexity.
- Leftovers reheat well for sandwiches, sliders, or bowls.
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Ingredients That Matter
Don't be intimidated by the ingredient list as everything you need should be easy to find in your local grocery store.
- Chuck Roast. This inexpensive cut comes from the chuck primal, which is from the shoulder of the cow. That means it's relatively tough as these muscles have to work hard to support the weight of the cattle. That makes chuck roast, also referred to as pot roast, perfect for slow roasting and braising.
- Soy Sauce. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce as the sauce will concentrate and taste quite salty.
- Citrus. A combination of orange and lime provides a bright contrast to the rich beef.
- Fresh Ginger. Simply peel a knob of ginger, cut it in half, and add it to the braising liquid for a big kick of flavor.
- Kosher Salt + White Pepper. Don't over-season with salt as the sauce gets enough from the soy sauce. White pepper provides a unique, light floral flavor.
- Fennel Seed. Use whole fennel seeds for a light licorice essence.
- Tomato Paste. A couple tablespoons of tomato paste helps richen and even thicken the sauce.
- Chicken or Beef Stock. Use store-bought or homemade chicken or beef stock. You can even use water in a pinch.
- Oil. A high-heat neutral oil like avocado or vegetable is ideal.
- Scallions. Green onions provide light aromatic without overpowering the sauce.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Braised Chuck Roast
This recipe is super simple but takes time in the oven, making it ideal for a weekend or relaxed weekday. Here is how make braised chuck roast.
- Season & Sear: Preheat oven to 300F. Pat the chuck roast dry and sprinkle with kosher salt and white pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pan and sear the roast on all sides, about 3 minutes per side.
- Build Braising Liquid: Remove the chuck roast from the pan, turn down the heat, and pour off fat from the bottom of the pan. Add tomato paste and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in soy sauce, chicken stock, juice from half each orange and lime, and strips of orange and lime peel.
- Braise in the Oven: Bring the braising liquid to a simmer then add the chuck roast. Cover and cook in the oven until a fork inserted into the center meets little resistance, about 2 hours.
- Rest, Slice, and Reduce Sauce: Carefully transfer the chuck roast to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Simmer the braising liquid until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes (avoid boiling). Remove from heat for 5 minutes then transfer to a fat separator. If you don't have one, pour mixture into a measuring cup and spoon off the fat. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and continue reducing until slightly thickened, another 5 minutes. Thinly slice the beef against the grain and serve with the sauce, orange and lime wedges, and sliced scallions.
Adam's Pro Tip
For best results, consider resting the chuck roast in the braising liquid in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to serve the next day, thinly slice the chuck roast, strain and reduce the sauce, and add the sliced beef back to the sauce and gently heat to warm through. Resting the beef in the braising liquid overnight can make for a super tender dish.
Substitutions & Variations
This technique is reliable when braising a pot roast, but there are plenty of adjustments you can make based on your flavor preferences. Consider the following tweaks:
- More Aromatics - You can add onion and garlic to the braising liquid for more aromatics. Roughly chop the onion and smash a couple cloves or garlic. Add these before the tomato paste and cook briefly.
- Spicy - Consider adding a big pinch of red pepper flakes, a chopped hot pepper, or sriracha for a kick of heat.
- Gluten-Free Option - Make this recipe gluten-free by using tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Citrus Swaps - Use any variety of oranges you have in your fridge. You can even use grapefruit or lemons.
- No Fennel Seeds - The flavor profile is inspired by Chinese five-spice. If you don't want to use fennel seeds, you can simply leave it out or swap in ½ teaspoon of five-spice or ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
What To Serve with Braised Chuck Roast
This braised beef goes incredibly well on sliders like in my Braised Beef Sliders with Citrus Slaw. It also goes well with:
Storage & Make-Ahead
Braised beef tastes best when it's had a chance to rest in the fridge overnight. Store the whole (unsliced) chuck roast in its braising liquid in an airtight container then slice the next day and reduce the sauce, according to the recipe.
Once the braising liquid has reduced to a sauce, store it separately from the sliced beef in the fridge. You can freeze the beef (with the braising liquid) in a freezer-safe zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over low heat until the sauce simmers and the beef is warmed through.
What This Braised Chuck Roast Tastes Like
This recipe is savory and rich but the sauce is slightly sweet from the oranges. The ginger provides gentle aromatics without feeling spicy. The braising liquid reduces to a glossy sauce that is salty, tangy, and quite flavorful.
FAQ
Yes! In fact, braised beef often tastes best when it's had a chance to rest in the fridge overnight. Store it, unsliced, in the braising liquid in an airtight container in the refrigerator, then when ready to serve, thinly slice the beef and reduce the sauce. Add the sliced beef to the hot sauce to warm.
You can braise chuck roast in a slow cooker, but you should sear it first in a skillet or Dutch oven. Build the braising liquid in the pan then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Chuck roast needs a fair amount of time to cook to break down the collagen and connective tissues. If your pot roast is still tough, consider gently cooking it in more braising liquid on a very low heat. Remember, low and slow works best for chuck roast.
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Recipe
Citrus Soy Braised Chuck Roast
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 4 cups beef, 1 cup sauce 1x
Description
This Citrus-Soy Braised Chuck Roast recipe is deeply savory, with bright citrus and robust fresh ginger. It's a flexible recipe, perfect sliced thin with sauce, piled high onto sliders, or served on bowls throughout the week.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ - 3 lbs. chuck roast, fat trimmed
- 1 tsp. Kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground white pepper
- 1 Tbsp. avocado or vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 medium orange
- 1 medium lime
- 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 cups chicken or beef stock
- thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 300F. Pat the chuck roast dry and sprinkle evenly with kosher salt and white pepper.
- Heat oil in a large heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chuck roast and cook, undisturbed, until well browned on one side, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side until well browned, another 3-4 minutes. Brown all sides then carefully transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to low.
- Pour out fat from pan to a heat-proof dish then add tomato paste and fennel seeds and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Use a vegetable peeler and peel 2 long strips each of the orange and lime and add to the pan. Squeeze half the orange and half the lime into the pan and add the soy sauce and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Return the beef to the pan, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook until a fork inserted into the center meets little resistance, about 2 hours.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven and transfer the beef to a clean cutting board. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Simmer the braising liquid over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes (avoid vigorous boiling). Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and spoon off as much fat as possible. Return the sauce to the pan to keep warm.
- Cut the orange and lime half into slices. Cut the beef into ½-inch thick slices against the grain. Serve with the warm braising liquid. Garnish with remaining lime and orange slices and scallions.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I recommend storing the sauce separately.
- Braised beef tastes best after resting in the refrigerator overnight. Consider placing the chuck roast in the braising liquid overnight then slicing the beef the next day and reducing the sauce. Warm the beef in the hot sauce until warmed through.
- You can leave out the fennel seeds and instead use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: American
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