Moroccan Pot Roast With Dried Cherry Couscous Recipe

By
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Jennifer Olvera
Jennifer Olvera is a Chicago-based food writer and cookbook author who has written eight cookbooks and contributed to Serious Eats, the Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune, and others.
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Updated August 29, 2018
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Ras-el-hanout—a Moroccan spice blend—works magic in this slow-cooked pot roast, which braises with a pierced, whole lemon. . Jennifer Olvera

It's important to build the flavors for this slow-cooked, Moroccan-inspired beef pot roast: we use a tomato braising liquid that's spiked with a lemony mint puree and ras-el-hanout, a Moroccan spice mixture. It's served with tart, dried cherry-specked Israeli couscous that's brightened with a touch of lemon zest and fresh parsley.

Why this recipe works:

  • A fragrant, lemony puree is added to the braising liquid once the meat is browned.
  • A combination of fresh and dried herbs and spices ramps up the flavor.
  • Couscous is spiked with tart, dried cherries, lemon zest and parsley for a flavorful accompaniment.

Note: Ras-el-hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, can be made from scratch following this recipe, or purchased from most grocery stores with a good spice section (major mass-market spice companies like McCormick make it).

Recipe Details

Moroccan Pot Roast With Dried Cherry Couscous Recipe

Active 25 mins
Total 3 hrs
Serves 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Pot Roast:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 medium onion, quartered

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into big chunks

  • 1 stalk celery, cut into large chunks

  • 1 cup beef stock or low-sodium beef broth

  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

  • 2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon

  • 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (see note)

  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 whole lemon, pierced several times with a fork

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 2 bay leaves

For the Couscous:

  • 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

  • 2 medium cloves garlic, smashed

  • 1/2 cup dried, tart cherries, chopped

  • 1 cup Israeli couscous

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems

  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions

  1. For the Pot Roast: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

  2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat until nearly smoking. Season roast with salt and pepper and brown meat on one side, about 4 minutes total. Flip roast, scatter onion, carrot, and celery all around, and continue to cook, stirring vegetables occasionally until roast is browned on second side, about 4 minutes. Add beef stock and tomatoes, scraping up any browned buts from bottom of the Dutch oven, and bring to a simmer.

  3. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, ras-el-hanout, paprika, mint, garlic, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a blender and puree until smooth. Scrape ras-el-hanout mixture into Dutch oven and stir to combine. Add the whole lemon, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover, transfer to the oven and cook until roast is fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours total, removing lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

  4. Meanwhile, For the Couscous: Combine chicken stock, garlic, and cherries in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add couscous, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Strain out extra broth if necessary and discard garlic. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Add parsley and lemon zest. Stir to combine and cover to keep warm.

  5. Discard bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and whole lemon from pot roast and skim fat from the surface. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Serve meat and vegetables with couscous, spooning gravy on top.

Special Equipment

Dutch oven, blender

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
548Calories
30gFat
23gCarbs
48gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories548
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g39%
Saturated Fat 11g57%
Cholesterol 146mg49%
Sodium 1312mg57%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 4g16%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 48g
Vitamin C 16mg82%
Calcium 102mg8%
Iron 6mg33%
Potassium 1076mg23%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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