Veggie oil
2 ½ lbs. beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 medium onions, cut into 6ths
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/3 cup flour, more or less
7 ½ cups beef broth/stock, red wine, water (use any combination that equals about 7 ½ cups…I used 1 ½ cup wine, 4 cups beef broth and 2 cups water)
6 sprigs fresh parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 ¼ lbs. russet potatoes, quartered
4 medium carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces
7 or so whole, peeled tomatoes, lightly crushed
2 or 3 tsp. red wine vinegar
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour enough oil in to coat the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper the beef and add to the pan (divide into two batches, if necessary to get a good sauté going). Sauté the meat, uncovered, stirring only occasionally, until well-browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate. Wipe out any excess oil, but try to preserve browned bits for extra flavor.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Return the pot to the stove and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. (The onions almost seem to disappear while cooking, so make sure to add all that the recipe calls for and keep the heat under control so they don’t melt away.) Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Add the reserved beef and scatter the flour over the onion mixture and the beef (enough to lightly coat) and toss to brown the meat. Add the liquid and bring to a simmer. Tie the parsley, thyme and bay leaves together and add to the pot. Season with about 2 tsp. salt. Cover and place in oven. (Can also be done on the stovetop at a simmer, but I prefer the overall heat of the oven.) Cook the meat until tender, about 1½ hours. Longer, if you have the time.
Remove pot from the oven and skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and the tomatoes and bring to a simmer on the stove. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the liquid thickens and the veggies are tender, about 1 hour. Remove the herb bundle. Stir in the vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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