Red wine braised beef or Barolo braised beef. Braised beef in wine is a rich and tasty dish typical of Italian cuisine and especially of Piedmontese cooking. It’s made with a piece of beef that is first seared or “braised” and then slowly and gently cooked with red wine, spices, and vegetables. The long cooking required for red wine braised beef allows the meat to become tender, savory and succulent.
The braise has an intense flavor and is usually served with delicate sides such as mashed potatoes, but also with roast potatoes, grilled vegetables or glazed carrots. The best-known version of this classic Italian main course is the Barolo-braised beef, using a robust, full-bodied wine essential for a perfect braise just like grandma’s! Let’s go to the kitchen now and prepare our red wine braised beef, but since this is a long preparation that requires an overnight marinade, be sure to plan ahead.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
Ingredients to make red wine braised beef
- 3.3 lb beef (cappello del prete (chuck cap / chuck roast))
- 4 1/4 cups red wine (Barolo)
- 2 carrots (medium)
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 white onions (medium)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 4 leaves bay leaves
- 5 whole cloves
- peppercorns black peppercorns
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- Pot
- Bowl
- Cheesecloth
- Kitchen twine
Steps to make braised beef
To prepare Barolo-braised beef, remove any external “film” from the piece of meat, then prepare an aromatic sachet with cheesecloth by placing the whole cloves, peppercorns, the cinnamon and the bay leaves in the center and tying it closed with kitchen twine to form a small packet.
Peel the carrots and onions and remove the outer strings from the celery stalks. Cut everything into fairly large pieces and peel the garlic. Place the meat in a large bowl, add the vegetables, the spice sachet and the rosemary sprig. Pour in all the wine so it covers the meat, seal with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8–12 hours.
After the marinade, remove the meat and pat it dry with paper towels, reserving the wine, aromatics and vegetables. In a heavy-bottomed pot (I use a cast-iron one) add the oil and gently melt the butter. Then place the meat in the pot and sear over high heat, turning often so a nice golden crust forms on all sides. Season with salt and pour in all the reserved liquid over the meat. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and continue cooking, letting everything simmer for 1 hour. After that time, turn the meat and continue cooking for at least another hour.
At this point the meat should be nearly ready—pierce with a fork to assess tenderness before deciding whether to extend the cooking time. When cooked, transfer the meat to a dish and keep it warm, and if necessary increase the heat to reduce the cooking liquid.
Remove the aromatic sachet and the rosemary sprig and blend the sauce with an immersion blender. Slice the meat thinly, but not too thin, arrange it on a serving platter and cover it with the freshly blended sauce.
Barolo-braised beef keeps in the refrigerator for up to two days, covered with the sauce and stored in a suitable sealed container.
Freezing is not recommended.
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