Soy, ginger, & sake beef pot roast

Vegetable oil	2 tablespoons
Beef chuck roast	4 pounds
Sake	1 cup
Onion, white, large cut into ½-inch-thick slices	1
Garlic, crushed	4 cloves
Ginger, unpeeled, washed well, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices	2-inch piece
Sugar	2 tablespoons
Soy sauce	¼ cup
Shiitake mushroom, small, stemmed	18
Cornstarch	3 tablespoons
Water, cold	3 tablespoons
Green onions, thinly sliced	3

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Sear the meat until nicely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Stir in the sake, scraping up all the browned bits with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
6. In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the soy sauce, and pour over the meat.
7. Add the mushrooms, cover the pan, and bring to boil.
8. Transfer the pan to the oven, and cook for about 3 hours, or until the meat is tender; turn once halfway through the cooking time.
9. Carefully transfer the meat to a platter.
10. Using a slotted spoon, place the drained mushrooms and onions around and on top of the meat.
11. Cover with foil to keep warm, and set aside.
12. Skim the fat from the sauce, if needed, then return the pan to the cooktop, and bring to a sustained boil for about 2 minutes.
13. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry, and then add to the sauce.
14. Return to a boil to thicken, whisking constantly.
15. Taste the sauce, and correct the seasonings, if necessary.
16. Sprinkle the green onions over the meat, and serve the sauce on the side.

Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table.