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Kentucky Roast

BeefOven
Time :3 hours 15 minutes
Yield :8 servings
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Slow cooker shredded beef with mashed potatoes on a white decorative plate, served with green pickled peppers, ready for a hearty meal.

The Scoop

Kentucky roast: The actual proof that patience pays off, even if your attention span is at an all-time low!
We’re taking a classic chuck roast and giving it an absolute upgrade with a sweet, spicy, and savory flavor profile that hits every single taste bud!
And it all comes down to brown sugar, a heavy splash of bourbon, garlic, chili flakes, and tangy pepperoncini peppers. You quickly sear the meat in flour to lock in the juices, dump in the marinade, and let the oven transform it into a succulent masterpiece over a couple of hours.
Hack it:
No bourbon? Swap it for orange juice, pineapple juice, or apple cider for a slightly sweeter, fruity depth.
Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a splash of Worcestershire sauce to give the roast a deeper barbecue-style flavor.
Stir a spoonful of butter into the finished sauce for a silky, restaurant-style finish.
Toss in carrots, onions, mushrooms, or potatoes during the last hour of cooking so they soak up all that incredible flavor.
Leftovers:
Make loaded sandwiches: Pile the shredded roast onto crusty bread with melted cheese and a spoonful of gravy for the ultimate leftovers sandwich.
Create next-level tacos: Add the beef to tortillas with pickled onions, avocado, and a drizzle of sour cream.
Turn it into a lovely pot pie: Mix the leftover beef and gravy with vegetables, cover with pastry, and bake until golden.
Upgrade your breakfast: Add shredded roast to breakfast potatoes for a surprisingly delicious morning meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 1/2-4-pound) chuck roast, cut into big pieces
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup bourbon, can substitute orange juice or pineapple juice
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons Thai spice blend, homemade or store-bought
  • 2 teaspoons Greek Mediterranean seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup double concentrated tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup pepperoncini peppers
  • 2 1/2 cups water, divided, plus more, optional, to taste
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • beef broth, optional, to taste

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, add the chuck roast pieces, the salt, and the pepper and toss to coat.
  • In a separate bowl, add the brown sugar, the bourbon, the garlic, the Thai spices, the Greek spices, the red chili flakes, the extra-virgin olive oil, the tomato paste, the pepperoncini peppers, and 1 cup of the water and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the sauce mixture over the beef and use your clean hands to work the sauce into the meat, about 2 minutes.
  • Let the meat marinate for 30 minutes.
  • In a large roasting pot over medium-high heat, add the canola oil.
  • Transfer the meat from the marinade using tongs and coat the pieces in the flour. Do not discard the marinade.
  • Add the meat to the hot oil and sear on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Reduce the heat to low.
  • Slowly add the marinade and 1 1/2 cups of the water to the beef in the pot.
  • Cover the pot tightly with a lid and roast for 1 hour.
  • Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees F.
  • Check the beef mixture to see if it needs additional moisture, adding the extra water or the beef broth as needed.
  • Roast until the meat shreds apart with a fork and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Check the gravy in the pot for thickness, and thin it out as desired with the extra water or the beef broth.
  • Serve.
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