Mile High Shredded Beef

February moving through. Waiting, still, which is fine and which I am getting better at. I have a doctor appointment scheduled for next week, just a routine check in since we have been at this six weeks, and I am not anxious about it in the way I would have been anxious about a doctor appointment a year ago. I am learning the difference between the anxiety that is useful information and the anxiety that is just background static, and I am getting better at turning down the static.

I made Babcia Rose bigos this week — the hunter stew she makes for family gatherings, sauerkraut and kielbasa and whatever other meats she has, slow-cooked for hours. I had her recipe card, which she gave me last spring after I asked three separate times, and which is written in her handwriting in a mix of Polish and English with no quantities for anything, just ingredients listed in order of addition. I interpreted it as well as I could and added my own quantities. It was very good and not quite Babcia Rose but the closest I have gotten. I called her to report. She asked what kielbasa I used. I said the Polish brand from the butcher on Milwaukee. She said that was right. She said the rest was probably fine. I will take that.

Ryan has been drawing more — the sketchbook is half full now, a mix of firehouse gear and things in our apartment and one drawing of me in the kitchen that he showed me last week and that I asked to keep, which he seemed surprised by. I said of course I want to keep a drawing of me in my kitchen. He said he did not know if it was good enough. I said good enough for what. He thought about it and said good enough to keep. I said it is better than good enough. It is mine. He gave it to me. I framed it. It is on the wall in the kitchen now. The warm ivory kitchen with the drawing of me in it. This is our apartment.

Making Babcia Rose’s bigos reminded me that the best recipes are the ones that ask something of you — time, attention, a willingness to interpret and adjust and call someone to report back. This Mile High Shredded Beef carries that same spirit: low heat, long cook, meat that slowly gives itself over into something tender and layered. It’s not bigos, but it belongs in the same family of dishes — the ones you make when you want to feel like you’re doing something right, something slow, something that will fill the apartment with a smell that stays.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 bay leaves

Instructions

Season the beef. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl, then rub the mixture evenly over all sides of the roast.
Sear. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Remove and set aside.
Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onion to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Deglaze and combine. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add bay leaves.
Braise low and slow. Return the seared roast to the pot. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the roast once halfway through, until the meat is completely tender and pulls apart easily.
Shred. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Remove and discard bay leaves. Return shredded beef to the pot and stir to coat in the braising liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve. Pile high over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread. Spoon extra braising liquid over the top.

Nutrition (per serving)

Mile High Shredded Beef — The Slow-Cooked Kind That Feels Like Someone’s Hands on Your Shoulders