Zharkoye v gorshochkakh
Beef and potato pot roast
Zharkoye v gorshochkakh (жаркое в горшочках): beef, potato and mushrooms baked in clay pots
Clay pots of zharkoye, each with its own lid, are pure Russian comfort food: a dish from the old wood-fired stove that city kitchens now make in the oven for Sunday lunch or a cold-weather dinner party. Browned beef, onion and carrot go into each pot with potatoes, mushrooms and a little stock, then bake slowly until the meat falls apart and the potatoes drink up the gravy. It smells of bay and black pepper and tastes deeply savoury. Serve straight in the pots with pickles and rye bread. The usual slip is skipping the browning step, which leaves the beef grey and the sauce thin; take time to sear it well. Check the beef is fork-tender before serving. Chef's tip: seal the lids with a strip of simple flour-and-water dough for the old-fashioned way; it keeps every drop of steam inside, though then the dish is no longer gluten free.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb beef chuckcut into 3 cm cubes
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepperground
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionschopped
- 1 carrotsliced into rounds
- 2 cloves garlicsliced
- 9 oz mushroomsquartered
- 1 ½ lb waxy potatoescut into 3 cm chunks
- 1 ¾ cups gluten-free beef stock, hot
- 4 tbsp sour cream
- ⅓ oz fresh dill (optional)chopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Season the 1 ⅓ lb beef chuck with half the ¾ tsp salt and the ½ tsp black pepper.
2 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp of the 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pan over a high heat and brown the beef in 2 batches for 5 minutes each, until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
10 minStep 3: Add the rest of the 1 tbsp sunflower oil and fry the 2 onions, 1 carrot and 2 cloves garlic over a medium heat for 6 minutes, until softened.
6 minStep 4: Add the 9 oz mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes, until they release their liquid and colour.
5 minStep 5: Toss the 1 ½ lb waxy potatoes with the rest of the ¾ tsp salt. Divide the beef, vegetables and potatoes between 4 clay pots (about 500 ml each), tucking 1 4 bay leaves leaf and 2 8 allspice berries berries into each.
5 minStep 6: Pour in the 1 ¾ cups gluten-free beef stock, hot to come two-thirds of the way up and top each pot with 1 tbsp of the 4 tbsp sour cream.
2 minStep 7: Cover with the lids and bake for 75–90 minutes, until the beef is soft enough to break with a fork and the potatoes are tender.
85 minStep 8: Rest for 5 minutes, sprinkle with ⅓ oz fresh dill and serve in the pots, warning everyone that they are very hot.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does zharkoye v gorshochkakh take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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