Cozy Red Wine Braised Grass-fed Beef
Served in a Smashed Blue Cheese Potato "Bowl"
Serves: 6 to 8
This is the kind of dish for which the word "cozy" was invented! Braising is a combination-cooking method used to tenderize tougher (but no less delicious) cuts of meat. The beautifully marbled meat is browned and then cooked slowly in a seasoned broth until it is meltingly tender. All of the succulent herbs and spices permeate the meat and create an irresistible sauce to pour over mountains of mashed potatoes. Our grass-fed beef is the perfect choice for this dish. Its herbaceous flavor stands up to the depth of the red wine and smokey paprika.
Ingredients
Preparation
NotesIngredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Add to list
- 3 pounds PCC Grass-fed Beef roast, about 2 inches thick (chuck is my favorite but tri-tip, top round or brisket work well also) Add to list
- 1 sweet onion or 3 to 4 shallots, peeled and coarsely chopped Add to list
- 1 carrot, coarsely chopped Add to list
- 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped Add to list
- 1 tablespoon chopped sage Add to list
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary Add to list
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme Add to list
- 2 bay leaves Add to list
- 1 tablespoon orange zest Add to list
- 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika (use smoked if you have it) Add to list
- 1/2 teaspoon clove Add to list
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Add to list
- 2 cups dry Washington state red wine Add to list
- 4 cups rich beef broth Add to list
- Salt and pepper, to taste Add to list
- 3 tablespoons butter Add to list
- 3 tablespoons flour Add to list
- Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes Add to list
- Optional: chopped parsley, sour cream and horseradish Add to list
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325° F.
In a large "stovetop to oven" pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the roast and brown extremely well on both sides. Remove from the pan. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, sage, rosemary and thyme. Cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the vegetables start to brown gently. Add the bay leaves, orange zest, paprika, clove and cinnamon and stir 1 minute more to bloom the flavors in the spices. Pour the wine into the pan and boil until reduced by about half. Add the stock and bring back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add the roast. Cover the pan and place in the oven for about 2 hours or until the meat is fork tender.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes then remove from heat (see note).
Remove the meat and vegetables from the pan and keep warm. Skim any excess fat. Bring the cooking stock to a simmer and whip in the roux. Simmer gently until thickened. Shred the meat into large chunks and add back to the sauce.
Spoon the Blue Cheese Smashed Potatoes around the edge of wide serving bowls. Ladle the meat and sauce into the center of the bowls. Garnish with chopped parsley, sour cream and horseradish if desired.
Notes
Instead of thickening with a roux, you may puree the cooking broth with all of its onions, carrots and celery. The cooked vegetables will give it a nice texture.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "New Day Northwest" show, which aired September 28, 2011.
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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