Mom's Slow-Cooked Roast Beef
A family favorite, Mom's slow-cooked roast beef with vegetables is deeply flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and packed with simple, comforting spices.
Pakistan is a land of meat lovers, where beef holds a special place in its culinary traditions. From simply salted and cured meat to succulent braised curries, smoky BBQ, the famous hunter's beef, and tender roasts, beef dishes are a cornerstone of Pakistani cuisine. The incredible flavor of Pakistani beef can be attributed to traditional livestock farming practices that continue in rural areas, producing meat with unparalleled depth and richness.
I fondly recall my mom’s weekly trips to her trusted butcher. She would carefully select the freshest undercut piece of beef to prepare her famous beef roast—a family staple that brought everyone to the table. Paired with potatoes, carrots, and peas, this mildly spiced roast is seared with crispy fried onions before being slow-cooked to perfection.
Yields: 4–6 servings | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Marination Time: 1 hour–overnight | Cook Time: 2½–3 hours
Ingredients
For the Beef:
2 lbs beef undercut (substitute with chuck, top round, or rump)
½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons neutral oil (such as avocado, sunflower, safflower)
3–4 cups water
5 small potatoes, peeled and halved
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup green peas (frozen or fresh)
For the Marinade:
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon red chili powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Marinate the Beef:
To make the marinade, mix vinegar, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, red chili powder, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Prick the beef with a fork on all sides to help absorb the flavors.
Place the beef in a ziplock bag, container, or bowl with a lid, and rub the marinade thoroughly on all sides.
Refrigerate and marinate overnight for best results or at least 1 hour.
Cook the Roast:
In a heavy-based pan, heat oil and sliced onions over medium-low heat. Cook until the onions turn golden brown.
Add the marinated beef to the pan and sear (lightly brown and caramelize) on medium-high heat on all sides until it develops a deep golden-brown crust, about 4 minutes.
Pour enough water to submerge at least ⅔ of the roast, adding more water if needed during cooking to prevent burning. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the roast cook on low heat for 2 hours, or until the meat feels mostly cooked when tested with a fork and is just starting to flake.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and peas, and let everything cook for another 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender and falling apart when checked with a fork and the water evaporates.
Lightly sauté the beef and vegetables on low heat for 2-3 minutes until you see shimmers of oil.
Transfer the roast to a serving platter and slice it into chunks. Spoon the vegetables and the thick, delicious sauce over it, scraping every bit from the pan.
Serve hot with dinner rolls, naan or plain basmati rice, and spicy green coconut or mango chutney.
Notes & Tips
When is the roast fully cooked? You can tell it's fully cooked when two forks easily pull it apart.
Ginger as a Natural Tenderizer: Ginger contains natural enzymes that help break down proteins, making it an excellent tenderizer for beef. This is why it's commonly used in marinades for tougher cuts of meat.
Cooking times: May vary depending on the cut of meat, stove temperature, and the size of the roast.
Marination: For deeper flavor and tenderness, marinate the beef overnight. If short on time, marinate for at least 1 hour.
No Food Waste – Leftover Ideas
Shred the beef and toss it into pasta dishes, grain bowls, or stir-fries.
Make sandwiches, burgers, or wraps with naan, parathas, or buns.
Stuff into samosas or empanadas for a delicious snack.
Happy Cooking! Would love to hear how it turns out for you!