Brasato al Barolo (Beef stew with Barolo wine)

Name: Brasato al Barolo (Beef stew with Barolo wine)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Hanger steak 2.2 lbs; Tomato paste 1 spoonful; Butter ½ tbsp; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Rosemary to taste; Salt to taste; Barolo wine 5 glasses; Carrots 1; Celery 1 rib; Yellow onions 1; Garlic 1 clove; Rosemary to taste; Sage to taste; Cloves to taste; Cinnamon sticks to taste; Ground black pepper to taste

it es br de fr

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 50 min
Serving: 4 persone
Cost: High
Note + the time for marinating the meat (8-12 h)

PRESENTATION

Recipe by
Sebastian Fitarau

Typical of Piedmont cuisine, braised beef with Barolo is a rich and intensely flavored main course, perfect for special occasions. The secret lies in the long marination enriched with vegetables, spices, and aromatic herbs, during which this precious local red wine penetrates the fibers of the beef, giving it a unique and aromatic taste. The slow cooking then ensures an incredibly tender and succulent texture, completed by a thick and enveloping sauce created by blending the cooking juices. This way, the slices of meat will melt in your mouth, offering a harmony of flavors. Easy to prepare but impressive, braised beef with Barolo is perfect served with polenta or mashed potatoes, the ideal pairing for a classic of our tradition.

Don't miss these delicious braised beef recipes:

Braised Beef with Buttafuoco
Braised Beef with Pumpkin
Braised Beef with Mushrooms and Red Wine

For more Piedmont recipes, try:

INGREDIENTS

Hanger steak 2.2 lbs (1 kg)

Tomato paste 1 spoonful

Butter ½ tbsp (10 g)

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Rosemary to taste

Salt to taste

For the marinade: Barolo wine 5 glasses (750 ml); Carrots 1; Celery 1 rib; Yellow onions 1; Garlic 1 clove; Rosemary to taste; Sage to taste; Cloves to taste; Cinnamon sticks to taste; Ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Brasato al Barolo (Beef stew with Barolo wine)

To prepare braised beef with Barolo, first peel and chop the carrot 1, celery 2, and onion 3.

Wrap the cinnamon stick and cloves 4 in a cheesecloth 5. Prepare a bouquet garni by tying together rosemary and sage 6.

After cleaning the beef shoulder, place it in a large bowl with the vegetables 7, garlic 8, and whole peppercorns 9.

Add the cheesecloth with spices and the bouquet garni 11. Cover with red wine 12, seal with plastic wrap, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours 13.

Once marinated, strain the marinating liquid 13 and set it aside along with the vegetables. Pat the meat dry with paper towels 14. Melt butter in a pot, then add the meat 15.

Salt 16 and sear the meat on all sides, for a total of 4-5 minutes 17. Remove the meat from the pot and add the vegetables 18.

Drizzle with olive oil 19 and sauté for about 3 minutes, then add the meat 20 and marinating liquid 21.

Add tomato paste 22, stir, and cover with a lid 23. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 2 hours and 20 minutes, turning the meat halfway through. Once cooked, remove the meat from the pot 24, then discard the spices and herbs.

With the heat off, blend the cooking juices with an immersion blender 25, then raise the heat and reduce by half, uncovered. Ready to plate: slice the braised beef into pieces about 0.4 inches thick 26, place on a serving dish, and drizzle with the sauce from the cooking juices 27.

Garnish with rosemary 28 and a grind of pepper 29. Your braised beef with Barolo is ready to be served 30!

Storage

Braised beef with Barolo can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container, preferably covered with the sauce.

Freezing is not recommended.

The marination has a maximum storage time of 24 hours; beyond this time, it is preferable to discard the liquid as it becomes saturated with fermented substances from the meat and vegetables.

Tip

For an even more intense aroma, you can add juniper berries to the marinade.

If you prefer a more rustic texture, you can leave the vegetables in chunks instead of blending them.

The 3 rules for a top braised beef in Barolo!

What is the best cut for braising?
Starting with the type of meat, undoubtedly beef. Veal, tender and juicy, is better suited for quick cooking to appreciate its freshness and delicacy. Conversely, young beef, firmer and less flavorful, is perfect for stews and boiled dishes. The preferred cut is one with a good balance of meat and fat, including connective tissue. These soft parts enhance the quality of the meat, keeping it tender and juicy after cooking. Therefore, the most suitable cut is undoubtedly the beef shoulder.

The double cooking method.
Besides choosing the right cut, a double cooking method is crucial for keeping braised beef with Barolo tender. What does it entail? It's quite simple. First, sear the meat in a pan. This seals the surface of the meat, helping it maintain its shape and preventing the juices from escaping during cooking. Then transition to the actual cooking by adding liquid, such as broth or wine in this case, without fully submerging the meat. Otherwise, you would end up with boiled meat, not braised.

Barolo or another wine?
Purists rightly insist that braising requires Barolo for this exquisite preparation. Therefore, alternatives such as Bonarda, Nebbiolo, Barbera, or the esteemed Buttafuoco are not permitted. However, do not be surprised if you find out that the marinating wine is diluted with water. This is a fairly common technique to increase the amount of liquid needed to cover the meat, thus avoiding using more bottles of this noble wine without issues during cooking: the water will evaporate, leaving behind the wine's flavor!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.