Last Updated on August 21, 2023
Sweet and sour together is so satisfying, no wonder cuisines all over the world have their own versions of it. In this one, pineapple juice, ketchup, coconut aminos, honey, and ginger come together for a sauce that makes this pulled beef really sing. Look for no-sugar-added ketchup; if you don’t have one, you can omit the honey if you wish. Try the beef on top of rice or cauli rice, or in lettuce wraps. Leftovers are delicious for breakfast with a runny fried egg on top.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons ghee (or avocado oil or other high-heat fat), divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 2 ½- pound chuck roast pat dry, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth or water
- 3 cloves minced garlic (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 3 tablespoon ketchup
- ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon coconut aminos
- ½ teaspoon raw honey
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300ºF. Warm 1 tablespoon fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In a large bowl, mix salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Add meat; toss until meat is covered with spices. Sear meat until browned on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes (work in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding the pot).
- If you’ve removed meat from the pot, add it back in, along with any collected juices. Pour in broth. Cover, place in oven, and cook until meat is very tender, about 2 hours, stirring once or twice. Uncover and cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make sauce: Place remaining 1 ½ tablespoons fat, garlic, and ginger in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until mixture begins to sizzle. Sizzle undisturbed for 30 seconds, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add pineapple juice, ketchup, vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, and arrowroot to bowl; whisk until well combined (alternatively, you can blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth).
- Remove meat to a cutting board and use two forks to shred. Place back in pot; stir in sauce. Place back in oven uncovered, and cook until sauce thickens and flavors meld, about 30 minutes longer. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Beth Lipton is a Brooklyn-based recipe developer and writer specializing in food and wellness. Her work has appeared in Clean Eating, Paleo magazine, FoodNetwork.com, Well+Good, Outside, Sleep.com and more. Beth's latest cookbook, Carnivore-ish, featuring 125 animal protein-forward recipes, is available now.
