Slow-Cooked Coffee Beef Roast -- The Kind of Meal You Come Home To When the Season's About to Begin

Elk season opens Saturday. The six-point bull I scouted in September is using the drainage the same way he was in mid-September — I checked the spring on Wednesday and found his tracks fresh, within twenty-four hours. He's predictable, which is what I want. Predictable animals that have established a pattern are the ones you can plan around. Unpredictable animals teach you patience by denying you conclusions. Both kinds have their lessons. This year I'll take the lesson that ends with a clean shot.

The magazine column was received well — subscription inquiries up, the editor tells me, and three letters to the editor that mentioned the elk chili piece specifically. One of the letters was from a woman in Missoula whose husband hunts elk every year and has been making the same chili recipe since 1987. She said my piece made her think about what the recipe meant to him, not just what it tasted like. I wrote her back. Those are the letters that matter.

Cole's business entity is registered: Hartfield Farrier Services, LLC. He starts operating as an independent contractor on November 1st. We'll overlap for October while I complete the transition of his accounts formally. The last month of the apprenticeship. I've been thinking about what to say to mark it. I'll probably say nothing and do something — a good tool, maybe, or a case of the specialty nails I use for the therapeutic work that are hard to source locally. Tom Whelan gave me a set of good tools when I started out. These things transfer.

Made a pork and hominy stew this week — posole — with dried guajillo and ancho (from last year's dried chile supply, not this year's which aren't ready). Simmered for four hours. Topped with thinly sliced cabbage, radish, lime, oregano. Good October stew, warming without being too heavy. The kind of food that makes you glad it's getting dark earlier.

The posole I made this week hit the mark — four hours on the stove, toppings laid out on the counter, the kind of meal that fits October exactly. But I’ve had this slow-cooked coffee beef roast on my mind since I pulled the last of the dried chiles, because it works the same way: low and slow, no shortcuts, the patience built into the method. With elk season opening Saturday and Cole’s last month of apprenticeship running alongside it, I wanted something in the rotation that matched the weight of the week — food that takes its time so you don’t have to think about it, and rewards you when you walk back through the door.

Slow-Cooked Coffee Beef Roast

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 8 hours | Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 lb beef chuck roast
• 2 tablespoons finely ground dark roast coffee
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Instructions

1. Make the rub. Combine the ground coffee, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Mix well until evenly blended.
2. Season the roast. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Rub the coffee spice mixture all over the surface of the meat, pressing it in firmly on all sides.
3. Sear. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast for 3 to 4 minutes per side until a dark crust forms. Do not rush this step — the crust builds flavor.
4. Build the base. Place the chopped onion and smashed garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Whisk together the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste, then pour the mixture over the onions.
5. Slow cook. Set the seared roast on top of the onion and broth mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and pulls apart easily.
6. Rest and shred. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. Shred or slice against the grain. Spoon the pan juices over the top before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 340 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 17g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 390mg