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Braised beef chuck with kohlrabi tzatziki, sourdough pita, and pickles

Yield: 4

Overview: braise the beef, make the tzatziki, and assemble

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Ingredients

For the braised beef

• 2-3 lbs beef chuck
• 2 tablespoons coriander seed
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon aleppo chili
• Neutral oil
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 quart beef or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 10 allspice berries
• 5 cloves

For the kohlrabi tzatziki

• 1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¾ cup greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup dill, finely chopped
• black pepper

To serve

• pita, store-bought or homemade
• pickled red onions, chilis, or whatever you have in your fridge
• picked cilantro, mint, or dill (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. 250°F with the fan on.
2. Prep the beef. Coarsely grind the coriander, cumin, fennel, and chili with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Trim any sinew and large pieces of fat and cut the beef into large chunks (about 3 inches). Season liberally with salt and then coat with the spice mix. This can be done up to two days ahead.
3. Braise the beef. Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a thin layer of oil. Brown the beef on all sides. Add the remaining braise ingredients and bring to a simmer. Put the pot in the oven uncovered. Make sure the beef is always at least half submerged in liquid. Add more water if the liquid reduces too far. Every hour, rotate the beef so the exposed part gets submerged. The beef is done when it’s fork tender (3-4 hours).
4. Make the kohlrabi tzatziki. Grate the kohlrabi on the coarse side of a box grater. Toss with the salt. Transfer the grated kohlrabi to a sieve positioned over a small bowl. Let it drain for 10 minutes. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the kohlrabi (we don’t want the tzatziki to get too watery). Combine the kohlrabi with the remaining ingredients. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
5. Reduce the braising liquid to make a sauce. When the beef is cooked, transfer the chunks to a plate. Strain the braising liquid and return it to the pan. Skim off as much fat as possible. Reduce the liquid until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning. Add the beef back to the pot and glaze it with the sauce.
6. Serve. Shred the beef. Warm the pita. Place some of the shredded beef on the pita and top it with the tzatziki, onions, and herbs.

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