Make The Best Pot Roast Of Your Life — All You Need Is A Spoonful Of This Pantry Staple

There is perhaps no dish more comforting than pot roast. The tender, served-in-its-own-sauce dinner staple is everything one could want in a meal, whether spooned atop a whipped bowl of mashed potatoes, paired with a lovely slice of garlic bread, or as the center of a truly lovely sandwich. Most cooks, both home and professional, have their own recipe they hold dear. Alton Brown, for example, uses ghee in his pot roast, while others keep things simple by adding a packet of onion soup mix. However, one overlooked ingredient addition just might change the way you enjoy your roast from here on out: cocoa powder.

Yes, the baking staple that brings chocolatey flavor to cakes, brownies, and all sorts of sweet confections is also the perfect addition to a super-hearty roast. While not often paired with savory ingredients, chocolate has shown up in several notable savory dishes, such as chicken mole and even a delicious bowl of chili. If utilized correctly, cocoa powder adds an earthy flair that helps highlight the complex taste of beef. The key here is to use only a small amount of cocoa, about 1 teaspoon. You can add cocoa powder in with other seasonings as you saute the aromatics before braising your beef, or use it as a part of a dry seasoning rub to coat your beef before searing.

One might assume that cocoa would move your roast into dessert territory. After all, it's an ingredient most often seen in sweets. But trust us, adding cocoa powder doesn't dampen the savory richness of this dish. In fact, it adds even more dimension. Rather than acting as a novelty ingredient, cocoa powder actually elevates your roast beyond its simple comfort food reputation. The complex, bitter, acidic, and somewhat earthy flavor of cocoa powder helps offset the sharp, tart components of your roast, such as vinegar or crushed tomatoes.

Plus, cocoa powder goes exceptionally well with spices such as cumin, paprika, and chipotle pepper, which can all be added to pot roast for an added kick. Additionally, cocoa powder pairs well with rich red wines, which are often found in pot roasts. The bitter, earthy flavor of cocoa can help highlight the more earthy, and sometimes even leathery, tastes of red wine, all of which play exceptionally well with beef. Cocoa and wine both have tannins, which help counterbalance the fattiness of your roast. Essentially, adding a small bit of cocoa powder can turn your roast into something entirely new and delicious. Sometimes, it really is the little things that count.

Adding a bit of cocoa powder to pot roast is an easy way to upgrade a staple dish. You can absolutely stop right there if all you want is a little tweak to your usual recipe, but you can also use it as a starting point to a totally revamped roast. One great pairing for your cocoa accent is coffee. Coffee is often used when cooking steak, particularly in coffee ground steak rubs. These dry rubs help give steaks a delicious crust, depth of flavor, and a punch of tannins that help break down the fat in beef. You can use coffee for similar taste and texture benefits in your next pot roast.

By adding coffee grounds to a dry rub, or using brewed coffee as part of your braising liquid, you can help tenderize your roast and add a complex flavor that further enhances the final dish. Pairing coffee with cocoa is a one-two punch to an elevated, rich, and unexpected pot roast. Both ingredients add depth, a bitter foil to your beefy roast, and a rustic element that's both perfectly matched and somehow unexpected. Plus, coffee and cocoa just go together, so why not bring this classic pairing to your dinner table?