Here's a good, hearty recipe for the winter months! This brasato (or really, braised beef) can take a while to make, but the leftovers also make a fantastic base for a shepherd's pie. Just dice the beef, cook it in a little of it's broth to caramelize, then add mashed Yukon Gold potatoes with parsnips and gruyere cheese as a top layer, then bake.
Ingredients
Brasato
- 1 bottle (750ml) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 3-lb beef chuck pot roasts
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled, coarsley chopped
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed
- 1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 14-oz can beef broth
- 2 large sprigs fresh sage
- 2 large sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 celery root (1lb) peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb turnips, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 lb carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Simmer the wine in a large saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup (for about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Sprinkle the roasts with salt and pepper. Add one roast to the pot and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a large plate, and repeat with the second roast.
Spoon the fat from the pot, then add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-high heat until the vegetables begin to brown (about 6 minutes). Add tomato paste, then stir. Add broth, then bring to a boil. Add sage, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Return the roasts and any juices to the pot, tucking the roasts in so they fit as a single layer. Pour the reduced wine over and ccover.
Transfer the roasts to the oven and braise for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn roasts over. Cover, then braise until the roasts are tender (another 1 hour 15 minutes).
Transfer the roasts to the cutting board, then tent with foil. Strain the braising liquid into a medium saucepan, pressing the solids through a strainer. Spoon the fat from the braising liquid, and keep the liquid warm.
For the vegetables, melt the butter with the oil in a heavy, large skillet over high heat. Add celery root, turnips, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until browned in spots (about 8 minutes). Add 1 cup of the braising liquid from the pot roast. Cover, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
Uncover the vegetables, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar, then add sage and parsley, then cook until the sauce is reduced to a glaze, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Cut roasts into 1/2-inch-thick slices, and serve with vegetables and braising liquid.
Enjoy!
