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Brasato al Barolo Recipe
Brasato al Barolo is a traditional Italian dish from the Piedmont region. It's a culinary delight that combines simplicity with elegance. This dish is a perfect example of how Italian cuisine often transforms a few quality ingredients into an extraordinary meal.The name itself, "Brasato al Barolo," tells you all you need to know: it's beef braised in Barolo wine. But there's so much more to this dish than just the main ingredients.The recipe starts with a choice cut of beef, typically a chuck roast. It's slowly cooked in a rich sauce made from Barolo wine, one of Italy's finest red wines.
Ingredients
- 1 Kg beef 2.2 pounds of boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 wine bottle of Barolo wine
- 2 carrots medium
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 onion large, yellow or white
- 1 potato medium
- 1 clove garlic
- aromatic herbs a bunch, such as bay leaves, sage and rosemary
- 3 cloves
- 4 black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon butter unsulted
- 4 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Using thin kitchen twine, tie together the herbs: the rosemary, sage and bay leaves. Then clean the celery, carrots and onion. Cut these vegetables into large pieces. Finally, place the vegetables, herbs and a whole garlic clove without peel in a large bowl.
- Put the flavorings (cloves, pepper and cinnamon stick) in a small gauze tied with kitchen twine. The purpose of this step is to contain the flavorings so that they can be easily removed later.
- Add the flavorings to the vegetables and herbs. Then add the meat and cover with the wine.
The Marinade
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to marinate the meat for at least 12 hours. At the end of this time, remove the meat and place it on a cutting board.
The Cooking
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Then brown the meat over high heat in a high-sided nonstick pan. Turn it on all sides to form a nice crust on the surface.
- When browning is complete, drain the vegetables, herbs and spices with a slotted spoon and add to the meat. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. If you want a dish richer in vegetables, you can add another chopped carrot and celery at this point in the cooking process. Adjust the salt and add the wine. Cover and cook on a low heat for about 2 hours, turning the meat from time to time.
The Barolo Sauce
- When the braised beef is done, remove it from the pan and set it aside on a plate with the lid on to keep it warm and tender. Now remove the herbs and spices. Blend the vegetables with an immersion blender to obtain the delicious BAROLO SAUCE.
- Slice the beef, trying to get 2-3 slices per person, and arrange them in a serving dish. Pour the Barolo sauce over the slices and serve immediately. Accompany the brasato di manzo with a delicious soft polenta, just like they do in Piedmont! Buon appetito!
Notes
NOTE 1: I usually prepare the meat for the brasato the night before. That way, in the morning, the meat is marinated just right and I can start cooking it.
NOTE 2: One of the most common mistakes in cooking this dish is to braise the beef with vegetables and wine without browning it first. This step, which is ESSENTIAL, allows the juices to remain in the beef, keeping it tender and soft despite the long cooking time. In this way, the meat almost melts in your mouth without losing its flavor and aroma.
WHAT TO DO IF THE SAUCE IS TOO RUNNY? If you think the sauce is too liquid, add 1 medium peeled potato cut into pieces after 1 hour of cooking. This will make the sauce thicker and creamier.
Nutrition
Calories: 855kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 45gFat: 67gSaturated Fat: 23gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 33gTrans Fat: 3gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 232mgPotassium: 1100mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 5278IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 88mgIron: 6mg
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