Korean Pot Roast
A cozy Korean-style pot roast made with chuck roast braised low and slow in a rich, savory-sweet gochujang sauce. Perfect over rice.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 lb chuck roast cut into 6 pieces (about 3 inches each)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 sweet onion roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp gochujang
- 1/2 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup beef broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches, avoiding overcrowding, until deeply browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium. Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add garlic and ground ginger; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits.
- Return beef to the pot, ensuring it’s mostly submerged.
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise for 3 hours.
- Beef should be fork-tender. Serve over rice with extra sauce.
Notes
- Cutting the roast: Cutting the chuck roast into large 3-inch pieces helps it brown better and cook more evenly.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Sear the beef in batches if needed to get a deep brown crust — that flavor carries through the whole dish.
- Gochujang substitute: If you’re in a pinch, swap the gochujang for 2 tbsp sambal + 1 tsp miso paste. It won’t be identical, but it works surprisingly well.
- Make it spicier: Add an extra tablespoon of gochujang or a pinch of gochugaru if you want more heat.
- Storage: Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and taste even better the next day.
- Serving idea: Serve over steamed rice and spoon plenty of sauce on top.