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Beef Stew

⏱ 150 min🍳 120 min👤 2 pp★★★☆☆

The beef stew that our chef recommends today is a typical winter dish, very substantial, and which requires a little patience. The main element of the recipe is the marinade, and you will have to carefully marinade the meat overnight so as to achieve a truly amazing result! The rest is simply long simmering, for which you will require a little patience. But in the end all this patience will be rewarded with a unique and delicious result! And it’s the ideal dish for special occasions, when you have guests for a dinner or lunch party for example, or simply as a hot, winter family meal. You can serve with warm polenta or a side dish of potatoes, mashed or baked. So, don’t wait any longer, gather together everything you need and make this fantastic, mouth-watering dish with the help of the video and photo gallery, following exactly what our chef did: the whole thing will be a doddle.

Ingredients

Nutritional values 380 kcal / serving
Protein
42g
Carbohydrates
8g
Fat
12g
Fiber
1.5g

* approximate values per serving

Information
150 minutes Preparation time
120 minutes Cooking time
Serves 2 persons
★★★☆☆ Challenging

Preparation

This recipe requires you to make a marinade to leave overnight. So, the night before you want to make the dish, do the following: take the piece of lean beef and grind over some sea salt, then place the fresh herbs over the surface, put it in a tall container which will hold everything tightly and cover with red wine. Finally, put it in the fridge, covered with cling film. The next day, remove the beef from the marinade (the latter which you set aside and keep) and brown it on all sides in a frying pan with a little oil. When nicely browned, remove the herbs from the pan. Cut the celery, carrot and onion into chunks and sauté them in the pan along with the beef. Add the wine marinade and a glass of hot water, then cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours on a very low heat. After cooking, blend the vegetables and the cooking liquid to make a thick and tasty sauce. Cut the beef into slices and serve with the sauce.

Tips
You can make this dish a few days in advance, divide it into portions and freeze it. To shorten the cooking time of the meat you could cook it in a pressure cooker. We recommend an aromatic red wine, such as Chianti.
Trivia
Beef is ‘red meat’, so called because it has plenty of myoglobin and haemoglobin: it is these two substances which are believed to cause cancer of the intestine, so it is advisable to eat it in moderation.

Step by step

Beef stew
Beef stew
**Click on the photos to access full step by step!

Additional information

Beef Braise with Carrots and Celery

One of the tastiest variations of beef braise includes the addition of carrots and celery, ingredients that enrich the dish with vibrant flavors and colors. During the slow cooking process, these vegetables soften and release their juices, perfectly blending with the beef. To prepare this version, simply cut the carrots and celery into pieces and add them to the pot along with the beef during the browning phase. The final effect will be a rich and flavorful beef braise, perfect to serve with mashed potatoes or polenta. This recipe can also be prepared in advance, as the flavor intensifies over time, making it ideal for family dinners or special occasions.

Piedmontese Beef Braise

The preparation of Piedmontese beef braise is a true tribute to the culinary tradition of Piedmont. This variation uses typical regional ingredients, such as robust red wine and local herbs, to enhance the flavor of the beef. Marinating with red wine is essential to give the dish an unparalleled depth of taste. During cooking, the beef becomes incredibly tender, while the sauce is enriched with aromas and fragrances. This recipe is perfect for cold winter evenings when a warm and hearty dish becomes the ideal comfort food to warm the heart and spirit.

Light Beef Braise without Wine

For those looking for a lighter version of beef braise, it can be prepared without wine, using vegetable or meat broth as an alternative. This light preparation still maintains the rich and enveloping flavor of the beef but reduces the alcohol and calorie content of the dish. It is possible to enrich the marinade with spices and herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf, which will give the dish an intense and fresh aroma. This variation is ideal for those who want to enjoy a traditional dish without giving up a balanced diet, allowing one to appreciate the beef in a lighter and healthier form.

Nutritional Benefits of Beef Braise and Calories

Beef braise is a dish rich in nutrients, thanks to the properties of beef, which is a good source of protein, iron, and B vitamins. Beef contains essential amino acids that contribute to muscle health and the maintenance of the immune system. Carrots and celery, used in many variations of the recipe, provide fiber and vitamins, making the dish even more nutritious. On average, a serving of beef braise can contain about 300-400 calories, depending on the ingredients used and the portions. Therefore, it is a substantial meal that, when consumed in moderation, can fit into a balanced diet.

Can Beef Braise be Frozen?

Many wonder if it is possible to freeze beef braise, and the answer is yes! This dish freezes very well. After cooking, simply let it cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer-safe food bags. It is advisable to divide the beef into portions so that only what is needed can be defrosted. When you wish to consume it, you can defrost the beef braise in the refrigerator for a few hours or use the microwave for quick defrosting. This way, you will always have a ready-to-eat dish available without compromising flavor and quality!