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Braised Beef Stew

This is the kind of dish you crave when winter really settles in — a proper braised beef stew that fills the house with the most wonderful smells. Ingredients For 6 people 1.5 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes. 150 g salt pork, cut into 2 thick slices. 1 large onion or 2 medium ones. 4 garlic cloves. 250 ml good quality red wine. 250 ml beef stock. 1 tablespoon tomato sofregit. 3 tablespoons flour. 18 small pearl onions. 50 ml red wine for cooking the onions. 500 g mushrooms. 50 g butter. Olive oil. Salt. 50 g sugar. Boiled rice to serve alongside.     Method Trim any rind from the salt pork and cut it into 2 or 3 pieces. Put it in your casserole with just a few drops of oil over medium heat, and let it render its fat. Remove the salt pork and set aside. In the fat it's left behind, brown the beef — but don't crowd the pot. Do it in two or three batches so you don't drop the temperature too much, which would make the meat release its ju...

Braised Beef Stew







This is the kind of dish you crave when winter really settles in — a proper braised beef stew that fills the house with the most wonderful smells.

Ingredients

For 6 people
  • 1.5 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes.
  • 150 g salt pork, cut into 2 thick slices.
  • 1 large onion or 2 medium ones.
  • 4 garlic cloves.
  • 250 ml good quality red wine.
  • 250 ml beef stock.
  • 1 tablespoon tomato sofregit.
  • 3 tablespoons flour.
  • 18 small pearl onions.
  • 50 ml red wine for cooking the onions.
  • 500 g mushrooms.
  • 50 g butter.
  • Olive oil.
  • Salt.
  • 50 g sugar.
  • Boiled rice to serve alongside.

 

 

Method


  1. Trim any rind from the salt pork and cut it into 2 or 3 pieces. Put it in your casserole with just a few drops of oil over medium heat, and let it render its fat.
  2. Remove the salt pork and set aside. In the fat it's left behind, brown the beef — but don't crowd the pot. Do it in two or three batches so you don't drop the temperature too much, which would make the meat release its juices and turn tough. Once each batch gets a nice golden color, take it out and set it aside.
  3. In the same fat (add a bit more oil if needed), cook the onion and garlic, both chopped quite fine. Add back the salt pork and beef, sprinkle in the flour, and let it cook for a minute or so, stirring so it doesn't stick. Season lightly with salt.
  4. Put the uncovered casserole in the oven preheated to 180°C and cook for 4 minutes. Stir the meat around and give it another 4 minutes. Take the casserole out and lower the oven to 160°C.
  5. With the casserole back on the stovetop, stir in the tomato sofregit, the wine, and enough stock to just cover the meat. Give it a good stir and bring it to a gentle boil. Then return it to the oven, this time with the lid on, and cook for two to two and a half hours. Every so often, give the pot a shake. If the sauce starts looking too thick, add more stock. Taste and adjust the salt.
  6. While the meat is cooking, prepare the mushrooms. Clean them and quarter them. Heat a little oil in a pan, sauté the mushrooms, season with salt, then drain off any excess oil. Set aside.
  7. Boil the rice, drain it, and rinse with cold water. Pack it into molds or ring molds if you like.
  8. Put the pearl onions, still in their skins, in a pot covered with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and let them cool, then peel them.
  9. In a pan with a touch of oil and the butter, fry the peeled onions until they start to color. Sprinkle with the sugar, let it caramelize, then pour in the 50 ml of wine. Let it reduce down nicely.
  10. After the stew has cooked its time, add the mushrooms and caramelized onions to the casserole and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes.
  11. Bring the whole casserole to the table and serve with a little mound of white rice on each plate.


Time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Notes

When you buy your beef, ask for a cut without too much sinew or fat. Shoulder meat works beautifully and turns wonderfully tender.
For this stew, a cast iron or earthenware casserole makes all the difference. And to get it just right, you need to take your time with it — as our mothers used to say, it needs to go "xup-xup" without rushing.

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