A simple savory slow cooked meal
We were invited for a 24-hour visit to a place I’d never been, with hosts I met only once at a reunion of my husband’s Swedish cousins. I had no idea what to expect. When we arrived, the air was chilly and damp and the salty breeze let us know we were close to the sea. We stepped into a pretty white house and were warmly greeted by Tina, Tomas, and the delightful fragrance of roasting meat that stirred memories of my favorite Chicago barbeque joint. Immediately I knew we had landed in a very good place.
Photo: Bonnie Sparrman
With luggage stowed in the guest room, we chatted over a tasty lunch of pasta and sautéed mushrooms. Before and after the meal, I noticed Tina pulling a Dutch oven out of the oven, stirring something, and putting it back. Not wanting to appear too nosy about the contents of the Le Creuset pot, I surmised it was the evening meal; beef, roasting silently in the background, but making its delicious presence extremely obvious by smelling incredible. I was full from lunch, but could hardly wait for our hike to the beach to work up an appetite for dinner.
And so, the day progressed at a comfortable pace. While the beef braised, the four of us meandered through woods and eventually down to the Kattegat, the water that lies between Sweden and Denmark. Conversation never lagged as we shared stories of raising children, careers, and hair-pin turns in life and ministry for each of us. In a sense, our time together flowed with simple sincerity. We were in no hurry, but we got to know one another quickly, by listening, talking and enjoying nature together. It was uncomplicated, and also amazingly profound. Each of us spoke about the present challenge of discerning where God was calling us to make adjustments in our work. Tomas, a great strategist, and Tina, a compassionate listener, formed a wonderful combination of wisdom and warmth. I hope we also listened well to them.
In the evening, when we sat down to the meal that had filled their home with such a heady, delectable aroma, I felt as if I’d known these cousins for much longer than a day. Their gift of listening and caring for us was enormous. It helped us make some important decisions and take steps in our work as missionaries that we’d been sensing God nudging us to take.
But it wasn’t only formative communication that was a valuable gift. The aroma emanating from the oven created an atmosphere of hospitality. Fragrantly roasting meat and eventually partaking of tender, tasty pulled beef, helped open our hearts and genuinely give ourselves to each other in friendship and love. What is it about preparing food, smelling it as it cooks, working up an appetite, and then enjoying a meal with others that binds us so closely together? I believe it’s the way God designed us…to need one another and to enjoy food in community. Our dinner of succulent beef served alongside potatoes and roasted broccoli, tasted so good! Plus, I was thrilled when our hosts insisted it was a super easy dish to make—a “set-it and forget-it” meal that took care of itself for many hours in the oven.
Simple meals can be the best, especially when one is planning for a weekend of guests. This is honestly the least complicated recipe I’ve ever shared in Pietisten, and if you’re like me, once you try it you will make it over and over again. After the refreshing weekend with cousins who nourished us in body and soul, we have prepared this dish more than a half dozen times, using either beef to serve with potatoes, or chicken to tuck into toasty tortillas.
This past summer it was a breeze to make even in our tiny cottage kitchen. It has become a new family favorite, one that allows me to focus more on our guests and less on the food. After all, the friends at our table and their needs are of ultimate importance. Delicious, enjoyable food simply creates the setting for our gathering; greasing the wheels of conversation and connection.
PULLED BEEF OR CHICKEN
2 ½ lbs. beef shoulder or bottom round, trimmed and cut across the grain every 2-3 inches
OR
2 ½ lbs. chicken thighs; boneless, skinless, trimmed, cut into large chunks
2 good-sized yellow onions, thinly sliced, top to bottom
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup ketchup
juice of one lemon
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. honey
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 T. cumin
1 T. smoked paprika
½ T. dried oregano
1 tsp. red chili flakes
2 tsp. salt
ground black pepper
Place sliced onions in an oiled Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add meat and toss with onions. In a medium size mixing bowl, stir the remaining ingredients together and pour over meat and onions. With the lid on, place the Dutch oven in a 300-degree F. oven.
For beef, roast for six hours, or until fork tender, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.
For chicken, roast for about three hours, or until fork tender. When the meat is pleasantly tender, pull it apart with two forks and give it a stir.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve chicken in warmed tortillas with accompanying bowls of:
sour cream, crème fraiche or plain yogurt
pickled red onions
chopped cilantro
lime wedges
crumbled cotija or other grated cheese (optional)
Serve beef with boiled or mashed potatoes, with accompanying bowls of:
sour cream, crème fraiche or plain yogurt, with horseradish and chives added to taste
pickled red onion
chopped parsley, dill or chives
COOK’S NOTE
Quick Pickled Red Onion
Thinly slice a large red onion,
top to bottom.
Place in a glass canning jar.
Boil together:
½ cup water
½ cup red wine or apple cider vinegar
1 T. granulated sugar, (or to taste)
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
Pour hot vinegar liquid over sliced onions. Place lid on jar and shake. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Chill. Pickled onions keep well in the refrigerator for two weeks.