By Adrian J.S. Hale as featured on The Oregonian
Makes 8 to 10 sandwiches
This roast can be made either with bone-‐in or boneless chuck roast. The bone lends richness and flavor, but both will generally be the same. If you get bone-‐in, use the larger roast size. Fresh wasabi loses its vibrant heat pretty quickly after being grated. For best results, grate the wasabi right before serving.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1 cup water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
One 4 to 5 pound chuck roast
1 onion, split in half lengthwise
5 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf Cucumber-‐sesame cream
1 small cucumber • 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3/4 cup yogurt
8 to 10 rolls, for serving
Fresh wasabi root, for serving
To cook the meat: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine soy sauce, mirin, water and sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Fit the meat, onion and garlic into a large Dutch oven. Pour the soy sauce mixture over it (the meat will not be fully submerged). Set the pan over medium-‐high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the bay leaf, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally, until tender enough to fall apart. (Alternatively, cook in a slow-‐cooker on low for 7 hours.) Transfer meat to a cutting board and allow to cool slightly. Using two forks, pull the meat apart into shreds. Strain the cooking liquid into a large measuring cup, allow fat to rise to the surface and spoon off as much as possible. Return liquid to the pan, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the liquid by half until it is thick and slightly sticky. Remove from heat, add the shredded meat and allow to cool. (Can be prepared and refrigerated up to three days ahead.)
To make the cucumber-‐sesame cream: Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cucumber into a bowl. Toss with the salt. Transfer to a colander or strainer. Set over a bowl or in the sink. Let sit for about an hour, then press on the cucumbers to drain off the excess moisture. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil and yogurt until thoroughly combined. Stir in the drained cucumbers. To assemble the sandwiches: Split the rolls lengthwise, but not all the way through. Pile with a good helping of beef, and spoon about 3 tablespoons of sauce over it. Freshly grate the desired amount of wasabi
