Why Coffee Is The Secret Addition Your Pot Roast Is Missing

If you think coffee is a beverage only — never destined for fare more solid than some of the best-ranked coffee ice cream — we have news for you. Coffee has a lot to offer beef, and we're not just talking about using the grounds in a rub. Not only is brewed coffee one of the many ingredients to add in for better beef stew, it's also the secret addition your pot roast is missing for the ultimate flavor.

If done right, incorporating coffee in your pot roast recipe won't have overwhelming effects. For one thing, it only takes ⅔ to 1 cup to flavor a 3 to 5-pound roast. More importantly, a good coffee adds a depth and complexity to pot roast that you'd never get from broth or water alone. Its somewhat bitter notes also beautifully complement the umami of the beef. All this combined yields a "je ne sais quoi" quality that will have people begging for the recipe.

When choosing a coffee to try out in your pot roast, you don't have to run and grab beans from one of the best coffee roasters in the United States (though you could if you wanted) — just go for one with a flavor you love. The leftovers in your coffee pot from this morning are fine. Decaf? Fine too. That old bag of grounds you found in the back of your cabinet could work, but if they're older than three months, they'll have lost most of the complex flavors that are the whole point of coffee'ing up your pot roast in the first place. You want to give this ingredient every chance to shine for maximum impact.

For the most part, there's no need to do anything different from your usual routine when adding coffee to a pot roast. There are a few easy ways to get those incredible flavor compounds working on your beef, and they're all easy to integrate into a typical pot roast recipe. One of the most simple is to just pour it over your beef before cooking. Whether you want to mix it with some soy sauce, beef broth, or balsamic vinegar first for added flavor is up to you. Another method is to add the coffee to your pot right after you've sautéed your aromatics. Mix it all together and let it simmer for a minute or so before adding your seared beef back to the pot.

There's also the option to add the coffee to your gravy. Once you've got your roux made for it, whisk the coffee in gradually along with some broth or balsamic vinegar. Alternatively, for your gravy, you could just use the coffee-infused drippings that are left over in your pot after the meat cooks — the more flavor, the better. Any of these simple options is guaranteed to yield a pot roast you'll crave again and again.