Jamaican Pot Roast

Jamaican Pot Roast with Christophene

My last post on why I cook has me has thrown me into a fit of kitchen nostalgia.  I feel like the kid in The Sixth Sense, only instead of dead people, I see fried chicken, biscuits, and pork chops smothered in cream gravy.  And I see Grandmother’s pot roast.    Her pot roast was a glorious paradigm of simple home cooking.  According to my father, she used no vegetables except onion, no wine, no stock, no herbs or fancy seasonings.  It was a simple marriage of beef, onions, salt, pepper and water, cooked slowly all afternoon until the meat that was so meltingly tender you could cut it with a spoon.  The braise yielded a rich, dark gravy that we mopped up with her homemade dinner rolls.  Perfection.

All that reminiscing made me want pot roast, naturally.  Grandmother would have used a chuck roast or a rump roast, neither of which are readily available on Tortola.  So I had to assuage yesterday’s pot roast craving with bottom round.  Since that cut doesn’t have the fat and connective tissue that melts and adds flavor during a long slow braise, I spiced up my roast with the flavors of Jamaica.  Allspice, fresh thyme, ginger and a scotch bonnet pepper (or three) did the trick very nicely.  And, with all due respect to Grandmother, I threw in some christophene because Audrey loves it.

My sauce wasn’t quite as spicy as I’d thought it would be, even with three scotch bonnets.  But that’s why we have twelve bottles of hot pepper sauce in the cupboard.  Served with peas and rice (or rice and peas, depending on which island you’re on) and fried plantains, my pot roast was not at all like Grandmother’s.  But Audrey liked it and had seconds.  I hope that means she’ll remember it fondly. 

Jamaican Pot Roast with Peas and Rice

Jamaican Pot Roast

Scotch bonnet peppers are hot.  If you’re not used to them, start with one.  If you aren’t into spicy, try a jalapeño or just leave out the hot peppers.  But we like it hot here in the islands.

I’ve never seen christophene in beef stew but they worked well and soaked up the spicy sauce admirably.  If you’re not familiar with christophene, I’ve written about them here.  If you can’t get christophene, try potatoes, carrots, parsnips or any other root vegetable that catches your eye. 

1 4-pound pot roast (chuck, rump, brisket or round will all work)

Flour, salt and pepper for dredging the meat

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, peeled and diced

5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1-3 scotch bonnet peppers

2 teaspoons ground allspice

4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes

Water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 large or 2 small christophene, peeled and diced

Hot pepper sauce for serving (optional)

Season the flour (about a cup should suffice) with salt and pepper and dredge the meat on all sides with flour.  I spread a piece of foil on the counter, put the seasoned flour on top, and roll the beef in the flour, then just throw away the foil.   Less mess that way.

To cook the roast, choose a heavy, lidded pot that’s just a little wider than your roast.  I use a Le Creuset Dutch oven.  Heat the oil in the pot over high heat until it starts to shimmer, then brown the meat on all sides.  You might have to lower the heat a bit so it doesn’t burn.  Remove the roast from the pan and discard most of the oil, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.  Be careful not the get rid of any of the crusty brown bits from the bottom – those add lots of flavor to the sauce.

Put the pan back on the stove over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, ginger and hot peppers.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the aromatics start to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add the allspice and cook, stirring, for another 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes.  Put the beef back in the pan and add enough water so that the liquid comes just up to the top of the roast.  Bring the sauce to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to it’s lowest setting so the liquid is just simmering.  Cook until the roast is soft and melting, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Remove the roast to a plate and cover with foil to keep it warm.  Raise the heat under the pot to high and boil for about 10 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly (it will still be a very thin sauce).  Slice the roast and serve with the sauce.  Peas and rice, white rice or mashed potatoes would all be fine accompaniments.  Serves 8.