crock pot asian beef

Our incredible meal at Katsuya left me craving the traditional flavors of Asian cuisine as well as inspired me to create something of my own. Simplicity would be a must due to my weeknight cooking schedule and so was born my take on a Crock Pot Asian Beef. The tender beef and crisp green beans fit the flavor profile that I was craving and, unlike most crock pot meals, made for an absolutely lovely presentation once plated.

I can easily count on one hand the number of times that Z has asked for seconds following a meal. Not because he doesn’t enjoy my cooking, but because food just doesn’t excite him like the rest of us. He asked for seconds of this dish for several nights in a row, which was a huge success in my book and a guarantee that I’ll be adding it to our rotating list of favorite dishes. Although any rice would suffice, I chose to plate this dish over a bed of brown rice and have to agree with Z that this decision really brought the meal together. The nuttiness of the brown rice was a nice contrast to the sweet teriyaki style sauce and rich flavor of the beef. My final touch was a quick sprinkle of sesame seeds which resulted in a polished dish that I’d be proud to serve to even the pickiest of palates.

Crock Pot Asian Beef
Ingredients:
2 lbs chuck roast
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper
4 handfuls fresh green beans
Sesame Seeds for garnish

Preparation:

1. Trim chuck roast of excess fat, season both sides with salt and pepper and place in bottom of crock pot.
2. Cover roast with onion and sprinkle with brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic.
3. Cover and cook on low for six hours, eight if roast is frozen.
4. Thirty minutes before serving loosely shred roast into medium-sized pieces and toss in green beans.
5. If roast appears dry, add an additional teaspoon each of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and brown sugar.
6. Cover and cook on high for an additional thirty minutes until beans are tender.
7. Serve over brown rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

*May also substitute fresh broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms, etc.