Beef Pot Roast with Cider Gravy and Maple Sweet Potatoes
Braised shoulder clod heart browned and simmered with apple cider and beef broth, then finished with tender sweet potatoes mashed with maple syrup and fresh ginger. Rich cider gravy thickened with cornstarch coats sliced beef roast in this comfort-food classic.
Ingredients
- 1 shoulder clod heart beef roast
- olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 onion, chopped
- fresh thyme
- beef broth
- apple cider
- sweet potatoes
- garlic
- maple syrup
- fresh ginger
- cornstarch, mixed with liquid
Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot.
- 2
Brown beef roast evenly in stockpot; remove.
- 3
Season with salt and pepper.
- 4
Add onion and thyme to stockpot; cook and stir until onion is tender.
- 5
Add beef broth and apple cider; increase heat to medium-high.
- 6
Cook and stir until browned bits on stockpot bottom dissolve.
- 7
Return roast to stockpot; bring to a boil.
- 8
Reduce heat, cover tightly, and simmer until roast is nearly fork-tender.
- 9
Add sweet potatoes and garlic to stockpot; continue simmering covered until sweet potatoes and roast are fork-tender.
- 10
Remove roast and keep warm.
- 11
Remove sweet potatoes and garlic with slotted spoon to bowl, leaving cooking liquid in stockpot.
- 12
Add maple syrup, ginger, salt and pepper to sweet potatoes; beat until mashed and smooth.
- 13
Skim fat from cooking liquid; stir in cornstarch mixture.
- 14
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- 15
Carve roast into slices; serve with mashed sweet potatoes and gravy.
Tips
Deglazing the pot by dissolving browned bits ensures deep flavor in the braising liquid.
Pressure cooker alternative: Brown beef with oil and onions on sauté setting, add 0.5 cup broth with cider and thyme, then pressure cook 60 minutes; add potatoes and garlic, pressure cook 10 minutes more with quick release.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze gravy and mashed sweet potatoes up to 3 months.
Braise roast through step 9 one day ahead; reheat gently before final plating and gravy preparation.
Plate sliced roast, top with mashed sweet potatoes, and drizzle with warm cider gravy.
Common Mistakes
Skip browning step to avoid flat flavor and weak gravy base
Do not cover pot during browning to avoid steaming roast instead of searing
Add cornstarch slurry slowly to avoid lumps in gravy