Braised in Barolo

In a land of full-bodied wines, a wine-based recipe cannot be missing. The cuisine of northern Italy often has ties and similarities with that of France, and the braised meat in Barolo is the result of the experience of the chefs of our lands expatriated to France in the seventeenth and seventeenth centuries. Here they learned the art of “nouvelle cuisine” (new cuisine) and revived it in the homes of the bourgeoisie of the time. The term braised comes from the dialect “brasa” (embers) and refers to the special cooking method originally used: the pot containing the meat was placed in the center of the embers and left to cook for a long time in the wine. The peculiarity of Barolo lies in its body. It is a balanced and elegant wine, persistent and intense in taste, with floral and fruity scents. The cooking hours allow the collagen of the meat to soften and to give the great personality of Barolo and all its rich aromas to the meat, transforming it into a real delicacy.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg of beef (priest’s hat)
  • 1 bottle of Barolo red wine
  • 1 golden onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 2 sprigs of thyme (fresh)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 sage leaves
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 piece of cinnamon
  • salt
  • black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 20 gr of butter
anchovies al green

Method

Take the meat and, according to your needs, remove some small fat parts, but not completely, because this too is essential for the perfect success of the recipe. Clean the celery, carrot and onion by cutting them into large pieces about 2-3 cm. In a large bowl, place the meat accompanied by spices, aromatic herbs and a clove of garlic. Also add the vegetables and pour in the Barolo, until the meat and all the other ingredients are completely covered by the wine. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to marinate in the fridge for 8-12 hours. After this time, remove the meat from the marinade and pat it dry with kitchen paper, without throwing away the bowl containing the Barolo and the vegetables.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil with the butter and brown the meat over high heat, sealing it well on all sides.
At this point, transfer the meat to a second pan suitable for long cooking, add the vegetables from the marinade and juice, until it reaches half the height of the meat (it must not be completely covered). Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, close the pot with its lid and continue cooking for about 2 and a half hours.
Turn the meat every 30-45 minutes and make sure that the cooking juices have not dried out (in this case add some liquid from the marinade kept aside). After the first hour of regular cooking of salt.
When the meat is ready, remove it from the pot and let it cool for at least 30 minutes. Set aside a few ladles of liquid from the stock (to subsequently adjust, if necessary, the density of the accompanying sauce), discard the aromas and the clove of garlic and blend all the remaining mixture with an immersion mixer.
Meanwhile, slice the meat and arrange on a serving dish. Serve it with the prepared accompanying sauce.

Your braised beef in Barolo is ready. A decisive, strong personality and such a precious taste will conquer even the finest palates.