Italian roast beef - Stracotto al Barolo

the classic Italian cookbook - Marcello hazan - pg 242

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Turn on the heat to moderately high, and when the oil

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Step 3

Pour enough oil into a heavy, medium-sized skillet to just cover is quite hot slip in the meat, Brown well on all sides. Transfer the meat to a platter and set aside. Choose a casserole, with a tight-fitting lid, just large enough to contain the meat. Put in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the butter, and the chopped vegetables, and over moderate heat sauté the vegetables lightly, stirring from time to time. The vegetables should wilt and color lightly, but should not brown. Turn off the heat and put in the well-browned meat. Tip the skillet, and with a spoon draw off and discard as much of the fat as possible. Add the wine, turn the heat to high, and boil for less than a minute, scraping up and loosening the browning residue stuck to the pan. Add this to the meat in the casserole. Add the broth or canned bouillon to the casserole. It should come two-thirds up the side of the meat; add more if it doesn't. Add the tomatoes, thyme, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil, then cover the pot and place it in the middle level of the preheated oven. Braise for about 3 hours, every 20 minutes or so turning the meat and basting it with its liquid, and making sure it is cooking at a steady, slow simmer. (If it is not, regulate the heat accordingly.) At times, either because the cover doesn't fit tightly or because of the texture of the meat, you'll find all the liquid has evaporated or been absorbed. If this happens before the meat is cooked, add 3 or 4 tablespoons of warm water. The meat is cooked when it feels very tender at the pricking of a knife or fork.

Step 4

Remove the meat to a cutting board.

Step 5

If the cooking liquid is too thin and has not reduced to less than 2 cup, place the casserole on the stove and boil the liquid over high heat until it has thickened, loosening any residue that may be stuck to the pot.

Step 6

Taste the sauce, adding salt and pepper if necessary.

Step 7

Slice the meat and place on a warm platter, with the slices slightly overlapping.

Step 8

Pour all the sauce over the meat and serve promptly.