The creamy stew with chestnuts and red wine is the perfect main course for this season: very tender and flavorful.
The cut of meat recommended by the butcher for a perfect final result is the beef chain, located in the back of the thigh, attached to the eye of round (often separated from it).
It is an elongated muscle, rich in fibers and connective tissue — therefore perfect for stews, boiled meats, braised dishes, or pot roasts.
During slow cooking, the collagen melts, making the meat very tender and the sauce creamy.
Clearly, cuts like the chuck eye or brisket are also excellent; the important thing is that they are pieces suited for the long cooking typical of stews.
The already cooked chestnuts, added in the last half hour of cooking, provide the dish with a truly unique touch of sweetness and an autumnal flavor.
For the excellent success of the recipe of creamy stew with chestnuts, you need to have patience, but only because the cooking time is about 2 hours on low heat… patience that will be well rewarded by the final result.
READ THE F.A.Q. AND TIPS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RECIPE.
OTHER INTERESTING RECIPES:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Slow Cooking, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, Autumn
Ingredients
- 2.6 lbs beef (chain or chuck eye or brisket)
- 2 tbsp type 1 flour (or 00)
- 1 cup red wine (full-bodied like Montepulciano)
- 2 cups meat broth (or vegetable)
- 7 oz chestnuts, boiled (or steamed)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- bay leaf
- rosemary
- salt
- vegetable mix for stir-fry (celery, carrot, onion)
- extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Food Processor
- Casserole
Steps
The day before, I steamed the chestnuts with the Varoma Bimby TM6; I peeled them and set them aside. You can also boil them traditionally or buy them ready-made (read the tips and F.A.Q.).
With the food processor, I chopped a carrot, a celery stalk, and a small onion that I used for the stir-fry.
I had the butcher cut the meat into pieces about 2 inches in size.
Flour the pieces of meat and shake off the excess flour.
Heat the oil in the casserole and brown the meat well to seal the pores without burning it. Once all pieces are well browned, temporarily remove them from the casserole.
Add a little water to the bottom of the pot (which should not be burnt), add the chopped vegetables for the stir-fry, and stew for a few minutes. Then add the tomato paste.
Put the meat back in the casserole, stir with a wooden spoon to flavor it with the vegetables and tomato paste, then deglaze with red wine. Add the bay leaf and rosemary.
Pour in the hot broth, cover with a lid, and cook on low heat for at least 1.5 hours. After the first 50 minutes, check the liquid, and if needed, add some hot broth.
About half an hour before turning off, add the chestnuts; cover and continue cooking for another 30 minutes, until the meat is very tender and the cooking sauce is dense and creamy.
Before turning off, adjust salt and, if desired, add a little pepper.
Tips:
For extra creaminess, mash 3–4 chestnuts with a spoon during the last minutes of cooking: they will make the sauce velvety.
You can prepare it in advance and reheat it on low heat the next day: it will be even more tender.
Excellent with mashed potatoes, soft polenta, or rustic bread croutons.
Check out my review of the Cecotec 24-bottle wine cellar
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How do I make the stew very tender?
The key is slow cooking on low heat. It should never boil hard: gentle heat allows the collagen in the meat to dissolve, making it soft and the sauce creamy.
Can I use frozen chestnuts?
Yes, they work perfectly. Steamed or frozen chestnuts are added in the last 30 minutes of cooking, while those already boiled are added in the last 10–15 minutes.
Is it possible to prepare it in advance?
Absolutely yes: in fact, it’s even better the next day, as the flavors blend better. Store it in the refrigerator for 2 days and reheat it on low heat with a splash of broth.
