Enjoy the flavors of North Africa with this Moroccan Beef Pot Roast! With classic Moroccan spices -- coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cumin

Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

Pot roast is such a comforting, all-American dish; you almost don’t want to mess with it.

Almost.

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When you add North African ingredients such as turmeric, ginger, cumin and coriander, along with pomegranate juice (for a little sweetness), you end up with something new, a bit exotic, and altogether fantastic!

As the cold weather wears on, we want comforting, cozy meals but we also want to mix things up a bit so we don’t get bored. Here’s a chance to do that.

Slow braising, like we’re doing for this pot roast, means cooking foods in a small amount of liquid in a pot at a steady, moderate temperature. This transforms tough cuts of beef, like chuck or brisket, into something so tender you can pull it apart with a fork.

Low and steady heat breaks down the collagen (the connective tissue that holds the muscle fibers in meat together) and allows the meat fibers to soften and separate more easily.

The sauce resulting from this process won’t be thick, but it will be full of flavor. Serve the pot roast with couscous, and then spoon this broth over top so the meat. Let the meat and couscous soak up every drop of that the soupy goodness!

Tips for Success

Don’t worry if your meat still seems tough partway through cooking. It takes time for the collagen to break down and for the meat to become tender. When done, it should easily pull apart with a fork – cook it a little longer if you need to. The extra time won’t hurt!