Beef Braised in red wine (Boeuf a la mode)

Got this recipe from the book Mastering the Art of French cooking Page 309.

Red wine Marinade:

a big pot that will fit all the ingredients
1 cup, thinly sliced carrots, onions and celery stalks,

2 halved garlic cloves
1 Tbsp thyme
2 bay leaves

1/4 cup minced parsley
2 whole cloves or 4 allspice berries
5 pounds braising beef
1 Tbsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
5 cups of red wine such as Chianti
1/3 cup Brandy
1/2 cup olive oil

Place half the vegetables, herbs and spices in the bottom of the bowl.

Rub the meat with salt & pepper and place it over the vegetables.

Spread the rest of the vegetables and herbs over the meat. Pour the wine,

brandy

and olive oil over the meat.

Cover and marinade for at least 6 hours (or up too 12-24 hours). Turn and baste the meat every hour or so. (I marinated mine over night)

Half an hour before cooking, drain the meat on a rack.

Just before browning, dry it thoroughly with paper towels. It will not brown if it is damp.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

you will need a dutch oven or oven proof pan that is big enough to hold the meat and braising ingredients

add cooking oil such as vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer to the dutch oven and place over moderately high heat. When the oil is to the point of smoking, add the meat and brown on all sides.

This takes about 15 minutes.

pour out the excess oil/fat
Pour in the wine marinade and boil it down until it has reduced by half.

the recipe they suggest adding in veal knuckles, calf’s feet, and rind. So I added in a ham hock

then pour in enough stock or bouillon to come 2/3 of the way up the beef. (4-6 cups beef stock or beef bouillon) Bring to a simmer on stove, skim fat, cover with lid and place in preheated oven. Simmer in oven for about 3 hours, turning the meat several times during the cooking process. The meat is done when you can pierce it easily with a fork.

Then while the meat is cooking start your Brown-braised onions – (oignons glaces a brun)

18 -24 white onions (such as pearl or Cipollini onions) about 1 inch in diameter, outer skin peeled off
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup beef stock or beef bouillion
salt & pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley springs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth
9 -10 inch skillet

When the butter and oil are bubbling in pan, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10-12 minutes, rolling onions around in pan (without breaking them) brown evenly on all sides as much as possible, pour in liquid, season with salt & pepper. add in the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 45-50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet. Set aside

When the meat is tender, remove it from the oven and pan and place on a plate/platter, let it rest for about 15 minutes and then cut up into bite size pieces, set aside

for the sauce/gravy, skim the fat off the braising juices, throw the bay leaves away. then I grabbed my handy dandy hand blender and blended everything together, onions, carrots, celery. Then I took a small measuring cup and added in about 2 tbsp or corn starch with a little liquid from the sauce and mixed it together and then added it back to the sauce in pan to make a gravy. Let the gravy simmer for 10 minutes, until it thickens and if you like it thicker add corn starch to a measuring cup with a little sauce/gravy and mix together and add back to pan until its thickened to your liking. Once its as thick as you like it, Then add the meat to gravy and add onions and mix everything together.

I served the meat and onions with mashed potatoes. Place desired amount of potatoes on a plate and then add meat and onion and then spoon gravy over the top.

RECIPE: Red wine Marinade:

a big pot that will fit all the ingredients
1 cup, thinly sliced carrots, onions and celery stalks,
2 halved garlic cloves
1 Tbsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 whole cloves or 4 allspice berries
5 pounds braising beef
1 Tbsp Salt
1/4 tsp pepper
5 cups of red wine such as Chianti
1/3 cup Brandy
1/2 cup olive oil

Place half the vegetables, herbs and spices in the bottom of the bowl.
Rub the meat with salt & pepper and place it over the vegetables.
Spread the rest of the vegetables and herbs over the meat. Pour the wine,
brandy
and olive oil over the meat.
Cover and marinade for at least 6 hours (or up too 12-24 hours). Turn and baste the meat every hour or so. (I marinated mine over night)
Half an hour before cooking, drain the meat on a rack.
Just before browning, dry it thoroughly with paper towels. It will not brown if it is damp.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
you will need a dutch oven or oven proof pan that is big enough to hold the meat and braising ingredients
add cooking oil such as vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan in a thin layer to the dutch oven and place over moderately high heat. When the oil is to the point of smoking, add the meat and brown on all sides.
This takes about 15 minutes.

pour out the excess oil/fat
Pour in the wine marinade and boil it down until it has reduced by half.

the recipe they suggest adding in veal knuckles, calf’s feet, and rind. So I added in a ham hock
then pour in enough stock or bouillon to come 2/3 of the way up the beef. (4-6 cups beef stock or beef bouillon) Bring to a simmer on stove, skim fat, cover with lid and place in preheated oven. Simmer in oven for about 3 hours, turning the meat several times during the cooking process. The meat is done when you can pierce it easily with a fork.

Then while the meat is cooking start your Brown-braised onions – (oignons glaces a brun)

18 -24 white onions (such as pearl or Cipollini onions) about 1 inch in diameter, outer skin peeled off
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup beef stock or beef bouillion
salt & pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley springs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth
9 -10 inch skillet

When the butter and oil are bubbling in pan, add the onions and saute over moderate heat for about 10-12 minutes, rolling onions around in pan (without breaking them) brown evenly on all sides as much as possible, pour in liquid, season with salt & pepper. add in the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 45-50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet. Set aside
When the meat is tender, remove it from the oven and pan and place on a plate/platter, let it rest for about 15 minutes and then cut up into bite size pieces, set aside
for the sauce/gravy, skim the fat off the braising juices, throw the bay leaves away. then I grabbed my handy dandy hand blender and blended everything together, onions, carrots, celery. Then I took a small measuring cup and added in about 2 tbsp or corn starch with a little liquid from the sauce and mixed it together and then added it back to the sauce in pan to make a gravy. Let the gravy simmer for 10 minutes, until it thickens and if you like it thicker add corn starch to a measuring cup with a little sauce/gravy and mix together and add back to pan until its thickened to your liking. Once its as thick as you like it, Then add the meat to gravy and add onions and mix everything together.

I served the meat and onions with mashed potatoes. Place desired amount of potatoes on a plate and then add meat and onion and then spoon gravy over the top.