West African Pot Roast

Take everything you know about a Sunday pot roast and throw a curveball at it.

This West African-inspired version braises a hefty chuck roast in a sauce built from peanut butter, tomato paste, fresh lemon juice, and crushed red pepper. It sounds wild. It works brilliantly.

The peanut butter melts into the braising liquid and creates a thick, glossy, nutty gravy that coats every slice of that fall-apart tender beef.

The lemon cuts through the richness, the red pepper adds a gentle afterburn, and the whole thing fills your house with an aroma that’ll have the neighbors knocking.

Pro Tips

• Pat the meat completely dry before browning. Wet meat steams instead of searing, and you’ll miss out on that deep, caramelized crust.
• Use natural peanut butter for the best result. The overly processed, sweetened kind throws off the savory balance.
• Let the roast rest for a full 10 to 15 minutes after pulling it from the oven. Cutting too early lets all those juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat.
• Thicken the sauce at the end if you want a proper gravy consistency. A simple flour-water slurry stirred in does the trick.