Slow Cooker Beef and Daikon Stew

• •1.5 lbs Beef chuck roast
• •1.5 lbs Daikon radish
• •1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• •1 inch piece Fresh ginger
• •3 cups Dashi stock
• •1 cup Soy sauce
• •1 cup Mirin
• •1 cup Sake (cooking sake)
• •1 tbsp Granulated sugar
• •2 stalks Green onions
• •Optional Shichimi Togarashi

Instructions

1. 1

   Cut the beef chuck roast into 1.5-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. 2

   Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on all sides until nicely seared. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker insert.

3. 3

   Peel the fresh ginger and thinly slice or grate it. Add the ginger slices/grates to the slow cooker with the beef.

4. 4

   Prepare the daikon radish: Peel the daikon and cut it into 1-inch thick rounds or half-moons. For better flavor absorption and tenderness, score a shallow crosshatch pattern on one side of each daikon piece (optional but recommended).

5. 5

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and granulated sugar until well combined. Pour this braising liquid over the beef and ginger in the slow cooker.

6. 6

   Add the prepared daikon pieces to the slow cooker, ensuring they are mostly submerged in the liquid.

7. 7

   Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the daikon is melt-in-your-mouth soft.

8. 8

   Before serving, taste the stew and adjust seasoning if necessary. You may add a splash more soy sauce for saltiness or a pinch more sugar for sweetness, according to your preference.

9. 9

   Thinly slice the green onions for garnish. Serve the hot stew in bowls, garnished with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of Shichimi Togarashi, if desired. This stew pairs perfectly with freshly steamed white rice.

Chef's Tips

• 💡**Don't Skip Browning the Beef**: This crucial step develops deep, rich flavors through the Maillard reaction that cannot be achieved by simply adding raw meat to the slow cooker. Brown in batches to ensure a good sear.
• 💡**Daikon Prep for Flavor**: Scoring the daikon pieces not only helps them cook more evenly but also allows them to absorb the savory dashi broth more effectively, enhancing their flavor.
• 💡**Quality Dashi Matters**: The dashi forms the backbone of this stew's flavor. Using good quality dashi (either homemade from kombu and katsuobushi or a reputable instant dashi powder) will significantly impact the final taste.
• 💡**Adjust Sweetness to Taste**: Japanese stews often have a delicate balance of savory and sweet. Feel free to adjust the amount of sugar based on your personal preference, or omit it entirely for a purely savory profile.
• 💡**Serving Suggestion**: Serve this comforting stew with a generous portion of freshly steamed short-grain white rice to soak up all the delicious broth.