Miso Glazed Braised Beef

This miso glazed braised beef dish is what dreams are made of. They’re pull-apart tender and succulent from a long braise in beef stock and aromatics. The braising liquid is reduced into a rich demi-glace which is enhanced even more with miso, rice vinegar, and honey. For texture, I garnished with crispy fried shallots on top, which added the needed crisp a softer dish like this needs. I paired it with the perfect side for something rich like this–a light, crisp pickled daikon radish that will help to brighten up each bite. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty, acidic, and umami. Be careful, this dish is addictive.

Recipe

Serves 2-3

Quick Pickled Daikon Radish

• 1 daikon radish, cut into 4-inch batons
• 3/4 white distilled vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
• 1/4 c water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp sea salt

1. Slice a daikon radish diagonally into evenly thick 4-inch disks. Stack the disks on top of each other then make one more cut downwards to get evenly sized batons.
2. In a pot, mix vinegar of choice, water, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium until simmering and homogenous. Pour over daikon radish. Let sit until room temperature.

Crispy Shallots

• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 c neutral oil
• 1/2 c toasted sesame oil

1. Add thinly sliced shallot to a cold saucepan and cover with neutral and sesame oil. Turn heat up to med high.
2. Continuously stir until shallot and garlic are just starting to turn golden brown. Drain on paper towels and salt immediately. Reserve the flavored oil and use with marinades, sauces, and salad dressings.

Miso Glazed Braised Beef

• 1 lb boneless chuck roast (or short ribs) cut into 2 x 2 inch cubes
• 3 scallions, cut into 3 even pieces
• 6 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
• 3-inch knob ginger, sliced in half
• 1 tbsp miso
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 cups beef stock

1. Cut beef into 2 x 2 inch cubes. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat an oven to 325ºF.
3. In a pot/pan, sear over high heat to get color on each side and pull. Add garlic, ginger, and and scallion to the pan and get some color on them. Then, deglaze with beef stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any flavorful fond stuck at the bottom. Bring stock up to a boil, add beef, and cover. Throw into the oven for 4-6 hours.
4. Once beef is braised, place pot/pan back onto the stovetop, remove lid. Reduce braising liquid over medium high heat until it’s a thick, syrupy consistency.
5. In a bowl, whisk together msio, honey, and rice vinegar. Add to the pan and evenly incorporate with braising liquid. Cover the beef with the glaze and serve.