Beef Braised in Wine
Submitted by jjtm
An Italian Piedmontese braise: beef marinated overnight in Barolo wine with bay leaves and thyme, then slow-simmered with mushrooms, carrots, and onions until fork-tender. Old-world elegance in every slice.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
3 hrsThis braise hails from Piedmont, Italy’s wine country, where they don’t mess around with either their beef or their Barolo.
A whole cut of bottom round or chuck gets rubbed with garlic, then submerged overnight in enough wine to cover it completely, soaking up bay leaf and thyme as it rests.
The next day, the beef is seared in butter and olive oil until deeply browned, then braised low and slow in the strained marinade with sauteed onions, carrots, and celery.
Golden mushrooms go in at the very end, and the sauce reduces into something rich, wine-dark, and impossibly fragrant.
Kitchen Tips
- You don’t need to use top-shelf Barolo for the marinade. Any dry, full-bodied Italian red will do the job.
- Dry the beef thoroughly with paper towels after draining the marinade. Wet meat won’t sear properly.
- Baste and turn the meat regularly during the long simmer. It keeps the top from drying out.
- Let the meat rest 5 minutes before slicing so the juices redistribute and the slices hold together.
Ingredients
Directions
This dish comes from the Piedmont region where fine wine and beef are produced.
Rub garlic into meat.
Season with salt and pepper. Place meat in a large bowl.
Add bay leaves, thyme and enough wine to cover meat.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Drain meat, reserving marinade. Dry meat with paper towels.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil in a large heavy casserole.
When butter foams, add meat. Brown meat on all sides over medium heat.
Remove meat from casserole.
Add onion, carrot and celery to casserole.
Sauté until lightly browned.
Return meat to casserole. Pour reserved marinade through a strainer over meat.
Cover casserole and reduce heat.
Simmer 2 to 2½ hours or until meat is tender.
Turn and baste meat often during cooking.
Wash and dry mushrooms thoroughly and slice thin.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet.
Sauté mushrooms over high heat until golden.
Add mushrooms to meat and cook 5 minutes longer.
Place meat on a cutting board and cool 5 minutes.
If sauce is too thin, cook uncovered over high heat 5 to 10 minutes.
Slice meat and arrange on a warm platter. Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning, then spoon over meat.
Serve immediately.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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