Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 boneless beef chuck, rump or top round roast (4 1/2 pounds)
1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
OR 1 tablespoon Chinese Five Spice (instead of anise, fennel, cinnamon, cloves and pepper)
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Garnish: sliced green onions

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Heat oil in a 4-5 quart oven-proof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add roast and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, garlic and spices. Bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and cover with a tight lid. Place pot in oven and bake for 3 hours, (turning once or twice) or until tender. Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes. While meat rests, make gravy: Skim fat from liquid and discard. Mix cold water and cornstarch and add to the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly. Let boil 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Arrange meat on a platter and spoon some gravy over it; sprinkle with green onions. Serve with extra gravy. Serves 6-8.

Each serving contains 518 calories, 20g fat, 2g carb, 622mg sodium, 172mg cholesterol.