I credit my Dutch oven casserole, the cobalt blue one I bought at a yard sale for twenty dollars, with producing the most wonderfully tender beef I’ve ever eaten. The amazing thing is that the beef was a chuck roast, one of the toughest cuts on a cow.
My oval Dutch oven, which usually sat unused in the cupboard above my stove, was the only pot large enough to contain the plate-size, bony cut labeled “arm roast” I’d pulled from the chest freezer one Sunday in October. The heavy-bottomed pot browned the meat as dark as walnut skin. I poured in enough water to make the roast look like it was taking a shallow bath, and the lid clunked down with authority. I set it into a low oven, got caught up in weekend tasks, and hours passed. What emerged from that pot was a miracle only heat, time, and a solid pot could create: the complete transformation of the un-chewable and sinewy into a succulent feast.
Since then, I’ve come to think of slow-simmered dishes as the most convenient, stress-free, and satisfying of all. In an old community cookbook, I found a recipe called “Stay-A-Bed Stew,” a name I now apply to anything that cooks unattended on the stovetop or in the oven. It’s widely known as braising.
The recipes in this chapter all use this remarkable old-world method. You’ll encounter a compendium of pot roasts, stews, and other meals of luscious meats steeped in their own gravy, from homey Boston Baked Beans with Brisket (page 120) to singular Heavenly Green Stew (page 117). Stuffed with root vegetables or beans, baked inside a flaky crust, or served with a raft of buttermilk biscuits, these are stand-alone meals where a crisp, brightly dressed salad is a nice, but nonessential, counterpoint.
The standard way to braise involves browning the meat, which heightens beef’s most savory compounds, before adding stock, wine, water, or a combination. The liquids carry those flavors as they melt the fat connecting the meat fibers, until those fibers fall apart with a fork’s prodding. Grassfed Pot Roast with Parsnips, Carrots, and Fingerlings (page 104) exemplifies this classic method written for first timers. It serves as a model for browning the meat and the steps involved in building layers of flavor through the choice of liquid, vegetables, herbs, and the timing and judicious use of salt.
Other recipes illustrate variations on the essential technique where the meat is seared in the oven, a better choice for rounded roasts, which brown more evenly with less splattering and attention. Some of these braised meats are not browned until the very last step. In Tomato-Braised Beef Cheeks with Wilted Spinach and Oven Polenta (page 113), a final blast in a hot oven crisps the beef and sauce to a veneer. This braise-and-glaze technique also creates the syrupy sauce of Rolled Cranberry-Glazed Beef Brisket with Braised Red Cabbage (page 107), a pot roast worthy of centerpiece status on the holiday table.
These are recipes to make when you have the time, in anticipation of the days when you don’t—try them for Sunday suppers, holidays, potlucks, or a workday when everything else feels like too much. Pot roasts, stews, and other simmered beef dishes all freeze well, defrost in the microwave, and reheat in the oven, tasting better than the day you made them. Their leftovers are a treasure trove of comforting meals, from Potato-Pot Roast Croquettes (page 106) to Last-Minute Beef Ragù (page 112). Meals that took hours to cook one day or a month ago give you a break when you need it, so that you can take a breath, lift your spoon, and just eat.
Braising Choice Cuts
The very best braising cuts come from the forequarter, predominantly the chuck primal. “Pot roast” is a cooking term applied to labels on chuck roasts, as in “boneless pot roast.” Although these well-exercised muscles rife with intermuscular fat become exceptionally tender through slow simmering, grassfed retains more texture than grain-finished beef even when thoroughly cooked. Absent from this list are any cuts from the round (with the exception of sirloin tip roast) because they are disappointingly dry and stringy when braised and are best reserved for the quick-cooking recipes in chapter 6 or the slow roasts in chapter 8.
BEEF CHEEKS are palm-sized muscles prized from the pockets of cheekbone. These heavily worked muscles are loaded with flavor and broth-enriching collagen and are conveniently portion sized for braising.
BRISKET is the large, flat pectoral muscle with long, thick muscle fibers and a fat cap on one side. It is sold whole or in halves: the “flat” is the leaner squared-off cut; the “point” or “nose” is tapered and has a layer of fat running through it. One of the premium pot roast cuts, brisket is also ideal for smoking and brining and poaching for corned beef (chapter 10, page 264).
CHUCK ROAST is a general term for any flat-sided and thick (usually three to five inches) cut from the chuck, or shoulder. It contains several muscles groups with grains running in different directions bound by seams of connective tissue. Sold under many different names, all have the clue “chuck” on the label. Chuck roasts are commonly boneless, and some of them come rolled and tied in netting. Others contain bones, which contribute flavor to the braising liquid. Look for the superlative blade roast, the arm roast with a tell-tale round bone in the center, and the 7-bone pot roast, distinguished by a thin, curved bone that looks like the number “7.” All chuck roasts turn tender after low, slow cooking, whether in a braise or in a low oven (chapter 8, page 198).
FLANK is a thin abdominal muscle from the bottom sirloin with thick meat fibers running in the same direction. One of the few cuts that adapts equally well to high or low-heat cooking, it is a very lean (though not inexpensive) option for braising that shreds beautifully.
SHORT RIBS are the meaty bones from the chuck, or shoulder, rib primals, and plate. English-style ribs are cut into roughly 4-inch lengths that may come in four-bone sections (you can cut through the intercostal meat to make single-bone servings). Flanken or Korean-style are very thinly sliced cross-cut short ribs (about ¼ inch). You can also buy boneless short ribs. Most braising recipes call for the thicker English style, which benefit from trimming some of the exterior fat (Trimming, page 51) before use.
SIRLOIN TIP ROAST, aka round tip roast, is a relatively tender, boneless roast that lies between the sirloin, or hip, and the round, or hindquarter. Leaner than chuck roasts, it is the only cut from the round I recommend for braises and stews. It is also one of the most versatile cuts for both slow and fast cooking methods.
TONGUE is a collagen-laden whole muscle that requires hours of slow-simmering to become tender, and is often corned. Once cooked and peeled, tongue can be eaten as is, thinly sliced or chopped for tacos, or breaded and fried to make cutlets or fritters.
 THE BEST STEW BEEF
While you can buy pre-cut stew beef, there are many reasons why I prefer to cut my own. Primarily, I like to know exactly what beef I’m getting. Packaged meat labeled “stew meat” generally comes from the chuck or the round, but I prefer the chuck by far. Round cuts turn dry even after hours of cooking in a liquid because these single muscles have little of the intermuscular fat that “melts” during slow cooking.
By cutting my own stew beef, I can also control the size and trim off all the fat. For dishes like Richard Olney’s Beef Bourguignon (page 126), which I like to serve in wide bowls with a knife and fork, I cut a chuck roast into large chunks. When making Two-Bean Chili Colorado (page 130) and other dishes eaten with a spoon, I cut the beef into bite-size cubes.
Size also lets me adjust the timing of any stew. If I have two hours or more, larger pieces are no problem, but if I want the stew done within ninety minutes, I cut the beef into ½-inch cubes and get dinner done on time.
Doing it yourself instead of buying packaged “stew meat” also saves money, and, because cut meat has more surface area exposed to potential contamination, it can give you peace of mind if you have food safety concerns. This goes for “fajita meat” and “kebab meat,” too, which you can cut yourself from a good-sized steak or small roast (page 50). |
SLOW COOKER CONVERSION
I don’t often use a slow cooker, but I appreciate the convenience it offers to people who can’t be at home to tend a simmering pot. Many of the braises and stews in this chapter, and many stocks and soups in chapter 9 can be adapted for slow cookers with a six-quart capacity.
Read through the recipe first because most of them involve browning—either in a skillet before simmering or in the oven afterwards—which will require additional cookware. You’ll brown in a skillet and then capture the flavor in the browned bits on the skillet’s surface by scraping it clean with a little added liquid and pouring it all into the slow cooker. For recipes calling for browning after simmering, you’ll need to transfer the meat to an oven-safe pan. Only you can decide if the slow cooker offers you a convenience.
Other adjustments you’ll need to make include reducing the stock or other liquid called for in the recipe by one-quarter to one-half because there is less evaporation in a slow cooker. Also, reserve herbs and spices for the last hour of cooking to preserve their punch, and taste and fine-tune the seasonings before serving. I’ve found these general time guidelines below hold true—provided that you start checking the beef’s doneness on the early side because you can overcook a braise—tailored to manufacturer’s recommendations and your own experience:
Pot roast, short ribs, and beef stock: 10 to 12 hours on low or 5 to 6 hours on high.
Stews and soups: 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. |
GRASSFED POT ROAST
with Parsnips, Carrots, and Fingerlings
A superlative pot roast is one of life’s essentials, and this recipe covers all you need to make it your own. Patient browning makes all the difference, especially if you use water in place of good beef stock. Once the stovetop work is done, the oven does nearly all the rest, simmering the meat to succulence and bathing it all in a velvety sauce that’s perfect with a spike of mustard, if you like. I stuff the pot with root vegetables, including sweet parsnips and waxy fingerling potatoes, in good proportion to the beef. There’s always enough for last-minute company, or to provide leftover beef for the Potato-Pot Roast Croquettes (recipe follows) on another night.
Makes 6 servings with leftovers
1 (3- TO 3½-POUND) BONELESS CHUCK ROAST
KOSHER SALT
1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL
1 MEDIUM ONION, THICKLY SLICED
3 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
3 CUPS LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
1 TABLESPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
1½ TEASPOONS SALT
¼ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
1 TEASPOON CHOPPED FRESH THYME LEAVES OR ½ TEASPOON DRIED
2 BAY LEAVES
3 LARGE CARROTS, PEELED
2 LARGE PARSNIPS (ABOUT 1 POUND), PEELED
1½ POUNDS FINGERLING POTATOES 1 TABLESPOON WHOLE-GRAIN MUSTARD (page 234), OPTIONAL
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the beef dry and season it liberally with the kosher salt on both sides. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. A splatter screen reduces clean up. When it shimmers, add the beef and cook undisturbed until the underside is deeply browned, about 10 minutes. Turn the beef and brown the other side, about 10 minutes more.
Using tongs, remove the meat from the pot and set it aside on a dinner plate. There should be just a film of fat in the pot; if necessary, pour out any excess. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it browns, about 6 minutes. By now, the bottom of the pot will be darkened from the meat bits stuck to it. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the flour is absorbed. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce. While the liquid comes to a boil, use a wooden spoon to scrape the film of flour and the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and the beef, along with any juices from the plate, to the liquid. The surface of the beef will be just above the liquid. Cover the pot securely and place it in the oven for 2½ hours.
Meanwhile, cut the carrots and parsnips by dividing the slender part from the thicker end. Slice the slender end into 1-inch rounds; cut the thick ends lengthwise and crosscut them into 1-inch crescents. Cut the potatoes into 2-inch-long segments.
Turn the beef over and fit the carrots, parsnips, and potatoes around the beef, pushing them into the liquid so that they are partially submerged. Cover the pot and continue braising, stirring the vegetables once, until the beef shreds readily with a fork and the vegetables are very tender 1 to 1½ hours more for a total of 3½ to 4 hours.
Transfer the pot roast to a cutting board, scoop the root vegetables into a warmed serving bowl, and discard the bay leaves. If necessary, skim any fat from the gravy with a ladle. (If serving this the next day, chill the gravy in the refrigerator and lift off the layer of fat.) Stir in the mustard, if using, and taste for seasoning.
Slice the pot roast thickly, or, for leaner servings, divide it along the natural seams, trim off the fat, and cut it into serving pieces. Arrange the beef in the center of the vegetables in the serving bowl and pour the gravy over all.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Bone-in chuck roast makes a ready substitute for boneless—just pull away the bones, trim any fat, and slice the chunks before serving.
Brisket is a terrific cut to pot roast, a bit fattier than chuck roast with a grain that generally runs in the same direction for easy slicing. |
POTATO-POT ROAST CROQUETTES
These crisply coated, fluffy potato cakes are just one reason we hoard leftover pot roast in my house. Little did I know that we’re not alone: clever cooks from Japan to Ireland shape mashed potatoes and cooked meat into cakes, then batter and fry them. The result is a thrifty bistro-style supper. I shape the croquettes to the size of duck eggs, pan-fry them until golden brown all the way around, and we devour them with a salad of escarole in mustardy vinaigrette.
Makes 4 servings
1½ POUNDS RUSSET POTATOES (ABOUT 3 MEDIUM), PEELED AND QUARTERED
1 TABLESPOON SALT
2 EGGS
¼ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
1 CUP COARSE, DRY BREADCRUMBS
5 OUNCES LEFTOVER POT ROAST (page 104), COOLED AND COARSELY SHREDDED (ABOUT 1 CUP)
¾ CUP VEGETABLE OIL
Put the potatoes in a saucepan, and add cool water to cover. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, add the salt, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return them to the pan to steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer, grater, or masher, the smoother, the better. Beat 1 of the eggs, add it to the potatoes along with the pepper, and stir just to blend them in.
Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Put the breadcrumbs into a pie plate or wide, shallow bowl. Scoop and lightly pack the potato mixture into ¼-cup measuring cup. Tap it out into the palm of your hand and flatten it into a pancake. Press about 1 tablespoon of the shredded pot roast into the center of the pancake, then fold the potato over to enclose it. Use your hands to pack and smooth the potato into an egg shape. Repeat with the remaining potatoes and meat; you’ll get 10 to 12 croquettes. Dip each croquette into the egg, letting the excess drip off, and roll it in the breadcrumbs, pressing lightly for an even coat. Place them on a dinner plate and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. (They’ll also hold in the refrigerator for 12 hours to fry the next day.)
Fit a rack into a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 250°F. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and have a slotted spoon on hand. When a droplet of the egg sizzles instantly in the skillet, shallow-fry the croquettes 4 at a time so that you have enough space to roll them over. Use the spoon to roll them around gently. When the underside is golden brown, turn the croquettes over and fry the other side. Drain them on the rack, put them in the oven to keep them warm, and fry the second batch. The croquettes will hold in the warm oven for 30 minutes.
ROLLED CRANBERRY-GLAZED BEEF BRISKET
with Braised Red Cabbage
This festive garnet-glazed roast makes pot roast worthy of a Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner. Braised in whole cranberries, brown sugar, and ginger, the beef drinks in a tangy sweetness. It’s an unusual combination, but I’m always looking to include these beloved little fruits in my cooking outside of Thanksgiving. Yet I nearly abandoned the idea until I was browsing through my 1952 Joy of Cooking and found a cranberry pot roast, which emboldened me to try out my own. The cranberries’ natural pectin creates a chunky, chutney-like sauce to garnish the beef, which I like to serve with Braised Red Cabbage (recipe follows) and baked mashed butternut squash.
Brisket, with its long fibers and loads of collagen, is one of the best pot-roasting cuts there is. The flat cut is the leaner, thinner part of a whole brisket (the point end has a fat layer running through it). I trim it well, then roll it up and tie it using the silicone bands (Sources, page 273) in place of butcher’s twine, which allows me to serve this brisket in lovely rounded slices.
Makes 6 servings with leftovers
BRISKET
1 (3½- TO 4-POUND) FLAT CUT BRISKET
KOSHER SALT
1 (12-OUNCE) BAG FRESH OR FROZEN CRANBERRIES
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
¾ CUP PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
1 TEASPOON GROUND GINGER
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
¼ TEASPOON GROUND CLOVES
1 CUP LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
1 CUP ORANGE JUICE
1 BAY LEAF
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Cut 5 (14-inch) strands of butcher’s twine or have 5 large silicone bands on hand. Trim any fat from the underside of the brisket, pat it dry, and season it liberally on both sides with the kosher salt. Roll it up tightly the long way with the fat on the outside and tie it with the butcher’s twine or secure it with silicone bands. Put the roast in a Dutch oven or other deep and heavy pot just large enough to contain it. Roast it uncovered in the hot oven until dark walnut brown, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the cranberries, onion, brown sugar, ginger, pepper, cloves, stock, orange juice, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and pour the cranberry mixture over the beef. Cover the pot and cook the beef until you can shred the meat easily with a fork, 2 to 2½ hours.
Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Transfer the beef to a clean oven-safe serving dish and remove the twine or bands. Strain the sauce, reserving the cranberry mixture, and pour the sauce over the beef. Discard the bay leaf. Roast the beef uncovered in the oven until it forms a shiny glaze and the sauce is syrupy, 12 to 15 minutes. Slice the beef ½ inch thick and spoon the cranberries all around it before serving with the braised cabbage, if desired.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Boneless chuck roast that comes rolled and tied is also ideal for this dish.
Sirloin tip roast, aka round tip roast, is a leaner choice than chuck for braising and slices easily and handsomely. |
Makes 6 servings
2 POUNDS RED CABBAGE (ROUGHLY 1 MEDIUM HEAD)
1¼ TEASPOONS SALT
2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER
1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 CUP DRY RIESLING OR WHITE WINE
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Quarter the cabbage, cut out the core, and slice it into ¼-inch ribbons. When ready to cook, toss the cabbage with the salt in a large bowl. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the cabbage in large handfuls and cook until each batch wilts, making more room in the pan. Pour in the wine and cover. When you see steam escaping from the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the cabbage is very tender and only a film of liquid remains, 30 to 35 minutes. Taste for salt, season it with the pepper, and cover to keep it warm.
ROAST BEEF BRAISED IN ZINFANDEL
with Winter Herbs and Potato Gnocchi
This is a meat and potatoes dinner that I love to make for dinner guests. Sirloin tip roast, aka round tip roast, is the only cut from the round primal that likes a long braise to produce moist slices of beef. Because it is nicely shaped and boneless, it’s ideal for slicing whole. I treat the beef with a moist rub of garlic and fresh herbs for up to two days before browning it in a hot oven and slow-cooking it in red wine. Like all pot roasts, it demands so little active work time, I can get my hands involved in making the Potato Gnocchi (recipe follows). Or, serve it with slices of artisan bread to sop up the winey juices.
Makes 6 servings
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
4 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND SMASHED
2 TABLESPOONS FINELY CHOPPED FRESH THYME
2 TABLESPOONS FINELY CHOPPED FRESH ROSEMARY
1 TABLESPOON FINELY CHOPPED FRESH SAGE
1 TABLESPOON KOSHER SALT
1 (2½- TO 3-POUND) SIRLOIN TIP ROAST
1 MEDIUM ONION, THICKLY SLICED
2 FENNEL BULBS, CORED AND THICKLY SLICED
12 OUNCES CREMINI MUSHROOMS, STEMS TRIMMED AND CUT IN HALF
1 (750-ML) BOTTLE ZINFANDEL OR OTHER DRY RED WINE
2 BAY LEAVES
4 TABLESPOONS CHILLED UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO ½-INCH CUBES
Make an herb paste by muddling together the olive oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt in a mortar and pestle or a small mixing bowl with a wooden spoon. Rub the herb paste all over the roast, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days.
Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack positioned in the lower half of the oven. Place the roast in a Dutch oven and roast uncovered until the garlic and herbs in the rub change color and the beef surface is nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300°F.
Scatter the onion, fennel, and mushrooms around the roast. Pour the wine over the meat and vegetables and tuck in the bay leaves. Cover and braise until you can shred the meat easily with two forks, 2½ to 3 hours.
Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F. Use tongs to lift the beef from the pot onto a cutting board and cover to keep it warm. Scoop the vegetables from the broth with a slotted spoon onto a serving platter and keep warm in the oven. Discard the bay leaves. Place the pot with the braising liquids over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and reduce until it is syrupy and reduced to about 1 cup, about 20 minutes. Remove it from the heat, whisk in the butter to make a glossy sauce, and taste for salt.
To serve, slice the beef ½ inch thick against the grain and arrange it on the bed of vegetables. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat slices to moisten them and pass the rest at the table to serve with the gnocchi, if desired.
If you can make mashed potatoes, you can make gnocchi, tender potato pillows that turn velvety in any sauce. I make it even easier by baking the potatoes in the oven while the Roast Beef Braised in Zinfandel slow cooks. To speed things up, you can also microwave them. A food mill or ricer makes the smoothest potato puree for gnocchi. I break from tradition by using a melon baller to portion and shape them, which yields more consistently sized gnocchi that are perfectly bite sized (i.e., not too big).
To make the gnocchi well in advance, or save extra for another meal like the Last-Minute Beef Ragù (page 112), freeze the gnocchi for up to 3 months, and boil them straight from the freezer as instructed.
Makes 6 servings
1¾ POUNDS RUSSET POTATOES (ABOUT 4 MEDIUM)
1 CUP (4½ OUNCES) ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR, PLUS ADDITIONAL FOR SHAPING
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 EGG, BEATEN
OLIVE OIL FOR GREASING THE BOWL
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Boneless chuck roasts, which are sometime rolled and tied, are less lean than sirloin tip roast, may take an additional 30 to 60 minutes cooking time.
Brisket, rolled and tied according to the instructions in the recipe for Rolled Cranberry-Glazed Beef Brisket (page 107) works great here, too. |
Pierce the potatoes 3 to 4 times with a fork and bake them on the rack alongside the braising beef or in a preheated 350°F oven until they can be stabbed straight through with a fork, 1 to 1½ hours. Alternatively, microwave the potatoes according to the settings on your microwave until fork tender.
When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, and pass it through a food mill or ricer into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, use a hand masher to mash the potatoes in the bowl, taking care to mash them well. Sift the flour and salt over the potatoes and add the egg. Use a fork to combine the ingredients into a supple, non-sticky “dough.” Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
Dust a baking sheet with flour and have a small bowl of flour on hand. Use a melon baller or a 1 teaspoon measuring spoon to portion the potato into tiny rounds and flick each ball of dough from the melon baller with your thumb to leave a small cup. Dust the melon baller and your thumb frequently to keep the dough from sticking. As you shape them (expect some irregularity), arrange the gnocchi in a single layer on the baking sheet and set them aside. (To freeze the gnocchi, freeze them directly on the baking sheet until firm, about 2 hours. Then, package them in a resealable freezer bag for storage for up to 3 months.)
To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and grease a large mixing bowl with olive oil. Drop half of the gnocchi into the pot and use a slotted spoon to capture them about 30 seconds after they bob to the surface, draining them well. Toss them with the olive oil in the bowl and repeat with the remaining gnocchi.
LAST-MINUTE BEEF RAGÙ
This is a meal built on leftovers. The braised meat from any pot roast becomes the foundation for a traditional pasta sauce that simmers for only 20 minutes. This recipe prepares enough ragù for the full one-and-a-half-pound batch of Potato Gnocchi (page 111) or one pound of pasta, fresh or dried. Wide, short papardelle is an Italian standard for this type of meaty sauce. Stout hollow pastas, like penne rigate (with ridges) and campanelle are good, too.
Makes 4 to 6 servings
2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
10 TO 12 OUNCES RESERVED LEFTOVER POT ROAST (page 104), COARSELY SHREDDED
4 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND VERY THINLY SLICED
1½ CUPS LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228)
1 (28-OUNCE) CAN WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES, DRAINED
1 TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE
½ TEASPOON SALT
¼ TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES
1½ POUNDS GNOCCHI (PAGE 111), OR 1 POUND FRESH OR DRIED PASTA
GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add the pot roast, garlic, and stock and simmer steadily for 10 minutes until the liquid reduces by half. Crush the tomatoes with your fingers as you add them to the skillet, and stir in the tomato paste, salt, and pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes, and taste for salt.
Meanwhile, boil the gnocchi as directed in the recipe on page 111 or the pasta in boiling salted water until tender to the bite. Serve immediately in warmed pasta bowls with a ladle of the ragù sprinkled with Parmesan and black pepper to taste.
TOMATO-BRAISED BEEF CHEEKS
with Wilted Spinach and Oven Polenta
“What do you want with beef cheeks when there are plenty of perfectly good cuts?” my butcher Kevin teased me. It’s true that cheeks are the most overworked cow muscle there is. Once braised, they are fine-grained and rich, which makes them worth seeking out. I’ve savored these nuggets of beef—like mini-pot roasts—in restaurants, so I had to try them at home.
This recipe is remarkable for more than using an unusual beef cut. Instead of the classic braising technique, you simmer the cheeks first until they are nearly melting and then brown them under the broiler, giving them a burnished, almost crisp finish on the outside. The creamy Oven Polenta (recipe follows) bakes in the oven alongside the beef, and the spinach cooks while they broil. Serve this in pasta bowls to eat all together with soup spoons.
Makes 4 servings
4 BEEF CHEEKS (ABOUT 2 POUNDS)
KOSHER SALT
3 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
¼ TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES
2 TABLESPOONS TOMATO PASTE
¾ CUP LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
¼ CUP BALSAMIC VINEGAR
1 (14-OUNCE) CAN CRUSHED TOMATOES, DRAINED
¼ TEASPOON GROUND FENNEL SEEDS
1 BAY LEAF
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
12 OUNCES FRESH SPINACH, STEMMED AND ROUGHLY CHOPPED (ABOUT 8 CUPS)
Trim the membranes from the exterior of the beef cheeks with a flexible, thin-bladed knife, leaving intact the seam of collagen inside the meat. Pat the cheeks dry and season them liberally with the kosher salt on both sides. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion until it turns translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and spread it around the pan. Cook until it darkens in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, vinegar, tomatoes, fennel seeds, bay leaf, and black pepper and bring to a simmer. Nestle the beef cheeks into the sauce in a single layer. Cover and braise in the oven for 3 to 3½ hours.
When the beef pulls apart readily with a fork, remove the pot from the oven and turn the broiler on high. Transfer the beef cheeks from the braising liquid into a small skillet greased with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Broil, watching closely, until the beef cheeks are nearly blackened on the surface, about 3 minutes.
To cook the spinach, bring the tomato braising sauce to simmer over medium-low heat. Spoon off any pools of fat. Add the spinach and stir it into the sauce. Cover and cook until wilted. Taste for seasoning and discard the bay leaf. Serve each beef cheek over the spinach, sauce, and the polenta, if using, in warmed wide bowls.
Start making this before you begin the Tomato-Braised Beef Cheeks with Spinach (page 113), or any other braise or stew. It cooks alongside and will wait for hours kept warm in a low oven.
Makes 4 servings
1 CUP POLENTA
½ TEASPOON SALT
2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER
1 CUP FINELY GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE
Preheat the oven to 300°F with the rack positioned in the lower half of the oven. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Place the polenta and salt in a 2-quart oven-safe casserole dish and whisk in 1 cup of cool water until smooth. Whisk in the boiling water until the polenta is smooth. Cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid or aluminum foil and place in the oven to cook for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. When the polenta is swelled, glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the pan when stirred, remove it from the oven and stir in the butter and Parmesan. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Boneless short ribs, rich in collagen like beef cheeks, are superb in this braise. Check them for doneness after 2½ hours of braising and spoon off any excess fat from the tomato sauce before cooking the spinach.
Meaty beef shank is also excellent if you’re game to eat around the bone and they braise in about 2 hours. |
WHISKEY POT PIE
Using a single pot, this beef pie simmers on the stovetop ever so briefly before it finishes cooking in the oven beneath a golden brown crust. The alcohol in the whiskey cooks off, leaving an unbeatable flavor. Suet-Butter Pie Crust (recipe follows) makes the flakiest crust I know, but you can substitute your favorite homemade or purchased dough for the top crust. To go straight from the stovetop to the oven, you’ll need a deep oven-safe skillet, ideally ten inches wide and at least two inches deep.
Makes 6 servings
3 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 POUND STEW BEEF, CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES
1 TABLESPOON SALTED BUTTER
1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL
1 LEEK, GREEN AND WHITE PARTS CHOPPED
2 MEDIUM CARROTS, CHOPPED
3 TABLESPOONS LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
2 TEASPOONS LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH THYME OR ½ TEASPOON DRIED
⅛ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
2½ CUPS LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
5 TABLESPOONS WHISKEY
2 TABLESPOONS DIJON MUSTARD
1 MEDIUM POTATO (ABOUT 8 OUNCES), PEELED AND CUT INTO ½-INCH CUBES
1 (9-INCH) UNBAKED PIE DOUGH SUCH AS SUET-BUTTER PIE DOUGH (RECIPE FOLLOWS)
FLOUR FOR DUSTING
Whisk the flour with the salt and toss it with the beef cubes until they are well coated. Heat the butter and oil in a large and deep oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the beef cubes and cook, turning them 2 to 3 times, until well browned, about 8 minutes.
Add the leek and carrots and cook until the whites of the leek turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the parsley, thyme, pepper, and the stock and stir, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, stir in the whiskey and mustard, and cover.
Simmer the stew for 30 minutes. The beef will still be firm, but become tender while baking. Taste the beef for salt and pepper, then stir in the potatos, and let the stew cool slightly while you prepare the crust.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured countertop into a circle at least ¼ inch thick. Trace a paring knife around a dinner plate a little larger than the circumference of your skillet to make the round top crust. Lift the crust up gently and center it on top of the beef filling. It will sink down and invert neatly up the sides of the skillet. Use a paring knife to make 4 slits in the top of the crust for vents. Bake the pie until the crust is golden brown and some of the gravy is bubbling up around the edges, 60 to 70 minutes. Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Kidneys, if you’re partial to them, belong in this pie along with the beef. About 8 ounces, trimmed (page 51) and cut into 1-inch chunks, will do nicely if you cook them with the beef and bake as directed. |
SUET-BUTTER PIE DOUGH
This is the flakiest pie dough I’ve ever made, one I keep at the ready in my freezer for potpies and turnovers as well as for dessert pies. This is a stiff dough that’s easy to work with and patch if it cracks. Suet is the brittle, dense white fat that surrounds the kidneys. You can request it through a custom butcher (Sources, page 270). Simply separate the fat from any membrane and grate it using a large box grater. Stored in the freezer until the occasion calls for it, suet brings fantastic flavor to pie dough but softens quickly at room temperature, even more so than butter. Measure the suet and keep it chilled until you’re ready to make the dough. For easiest handling, be sure to chill the dough well before rolling it out.
Makes 2 (9-inch) crusts
3 CUPS (13½ OUNCES) ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH THYME OR 1 TEASPOON DRIED, OPTIONAL
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 CUP (2 STICKS) UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO ½-INCH CUBES AND CHILLED
½ CUP (3½ OUNCES) BEEF SUET, LARD, OR VEGETABLE SHORTENING, CHILLED
⅓ CUP COLD WATER
To make the dough in a food processor, combine the flour, thyme, if using, and salt in the processor bowl and pulse 2 to 3 times to blend. Add the cold butter cubes and suet and pulse 4 to 5 times in 2-second bursts until the flour looks like coarse cornmeal.
Pour the water in through the feed tube and pulse 6 to 8 times more until the mixture collects into a dough.
To make the dough in a stand mixer, put the flour, thyme, if using, and salt in the bowl and stir with the paddle attachment. Add the cold butter cubes and suet and stir on low speed until the flour mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water and stir until it collects into a dough.
To make the dough by hand, combine the flour, thyme, if using, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry blender or two table knives to cut the cold butter cubes and suet into the flour until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the water and stir with the pastry blender or a fork until it collects into a dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and smear it once or twice on the counter using an open palm to collect any scraps. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces (each enough for 1 9-inch pie), shape each piece into a disk, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at last 30 minutes before rolling. Store the extra pie dough in the freezer for up to 1 month.
HEAVENLY GREEN STEW
These tender beef chunks in a pool of warmly spiced spinach-yogurt sauce form the most exciting rendition of beef stew I’ve ever had. Called saag gosht, it’s a one-dish meal to relish over steamed basmati rice. The beef plays second fiddle to fresh spinach wilted and puréed to become the braising sauce. The stew’s most alluring qualities come largely from garam masala—the Indian spice blend of coriander, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper. The spiciness and intensity of garam masala can vary greatly, so be sure to taste your blend or make your own as I do based on Julie Sahni’s master recipe from Classical Indian Cooking (see note).
Makes 6 servings
4 TABLESPOONS VEGETABLE OIL, DIVIDED
2 MEDIUM ONIONS, CHOPPED
3-INCH PIECE GINGER, PEELED AND VERY FINELY CHOPPED (3 TABLESPOONS)
6 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
2 TEASPOONS GROUND CORIANDER
2 TEASPOONS GARAM MASALA*
12 OUNCES FRESH BABY SPINACH OR 1 (10-OUNCE) BAG FROZEN SPINACH, THAWED
½ CUP PLAIN YOGURT
2 TEASPOONS SALT
2 TO 2½ POUNDS STEW BEEF, CUT INTO 1½-INCH CUBES
1 (4-INCH) CINNAMON STICK
2 BAY LEAVES
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn caramel colored, about 5 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander, and garam masala and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and, if it’s fresh, cook until it wilts. Transfer the spinach mixture into a food processor. Add the yogurt and salt and purée until very smooth.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. When it shimmers, cook the beef, working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, turning 2 to 3 times until well browned, about 10 minutes per batch. Add the spinach purée to the pot with the beef and stir in 2 cups of water. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat and scrape the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer on the stovetop until the beef is fork tender, 1¼ to 1½ hours. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves and taste for salt and garam masala before serving.
NOTE: To make 5 tablespoons of garam masala, combine 2 tablespoons ground cumin, 1½ tablespoons ground coriander, 1¼ teaspoons ground cardamom, 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, 1¾ teaspoons black pepper and mix well. Store it in an airtight container.
CUBAN-STYLE SHREDDED BEEF AND PEPPERS
(Ropa Vieja)
This beef, tomato, and bell pepper stew is as vibrant as the Havana I visited years ago. It involves a two-step method for transforming a whole roast from the chuck into shredded beef for serving with Black Beans and Rice (page 219) or wrapping into a flour tortilla. Though based on the ropa vieja, this one doesn’t use the traditional flank steak since I prefer to reserve that pricier cut for the grill. Instead, I use a bone-in arm roast that is quite lean for a chuck roast and has a uniform grain. Use any pot roast with a bone to contribute flavor to the broth. Once braised and shredded, the meat stews with tomatoes, more garlic, sliced onion, peppers, and spices to enjoy any way you can dream up.
Makes 6 servings with leftovers
BRAISE:
1 (3½- TO 4-POUND) BONE-IN POT ROAST
1 (28-OUNCE) CAN WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES
1 GARLIC CLOVE, PEELED
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
1 MEDIUM CARROT, CHOPPED
1 CELERY STALK CHOPPED
6 WHOLE PEPPERCORNS
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 BAY LEAF
STEW:
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
1 WHITE ONION, THINLY SLICED
2 TEASPOONS GROUND CUMIN
⅛ TEASPOON CAYENNE
2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 RED, YELLOW OR GREEN BELL PEPPER, SEEDED AND THINLY SLICED
½ TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO
1½ TEASPOONS SALT
1 CUP LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO
Place the beef in a Dutch oven that fits it snuggly. Add only the juice from the canned tomatoes, reserving the tomatoes for later, and just enough water to reach the surface of the meat. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, celery, peppercorns, salt, and bay leaf. Cover the pot with the lid ajar and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the meat shreds readily with a fork, 3½ to 4 hours.
Use tongs to lift the beef from the liquid and place it into a bowl to cool. Strain the liquid and discard the cooked vegetables. Return the liquid to the pot and bring it to a steady simmer over medium heat. Reduce it by half to make about 1 cup, about 15 minutes. When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred it finely with two forks, discarding any fat, cartilage, and bone.
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns limp, about 3 minutes. Add the cumin, cayenne, garlic, and bell pepper and continue cooking without browning until the vegetables are very tender, about 6 minutes. Mash the reserved whole tomatoes and add them with the oregano, salt, and the reduced broth. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes until the tomatoes break down and the flavors mingle. Stir in the shredded meat to reheat it for 5 to 7 minutes, and sprinkle on the cilantro just before serving.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Boneless chuck roasts are automatic substitutes for the bone-in arm roast.
Skirt steak, the thin, boneless and lean steak much like flank shreds wonderfully once braised to tenderness. |
BOSTON BAKED BEANS WITH BRISKET
and Beet-Carrot Slaw
Every Saturday morning, my mother simmered navy beans for our baked bean supper while we kids watched cartoons. I may not make them on a weekly basis, but I can’t live for long without made-from-scratch molasses-sweetened baked beans. These baked beans are modeled after a recipe by Boston chef Jasper White. (You’ll need to soak the beans eight to twelve hours in advance.) My innovation is to snuggle a small grassfed brisket down into the beans as they stew. Not a proper Bostonian thing to do, but it makes a fabulous one-pot supper for my family. I serve this dish with Beet-Carrot Slaw (recipe follows), which I make while the beans and meat complete their simmering and achieve that crispy brown glaze I covet.
Makes 6 servings
2 CUPS DRY NAVY BEANS, SOAKED FOR 8 TO 12 HOURS, DRAINED AND RINSED
1 MEDIUM ONION, CHOPPED
2 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 TABLESPOON DRY MUSTARD
½ TEASPOON SWEET PAPRIKA
2 TEASPOONS SALT
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
1 BAY LEAF
1 (2- TO 2½-POUND) BRISKET, POINT OR FLAT CUT, TRIMMED
⅓ CUP PACKED DARK BROWN SUGAR
⅓ CUP MOLASSES
1 HEAPING TEASPOON TOMATO PASTE
1 TABLESPOON APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
1 TABLESPOON CORNSTARCH
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the beans, onion, garlic, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and bay leaf in a Dutch oven. Add 2 cups of water, stir to blend, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Nestle in the brisket and bring the liquid back to a boil. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook until the beans are tender and you can pry off a chunk of the brisket with a fork, 2 to 2½ hours.
Whisk the brown sugar, molasses, tomato paste, vinegar, and cornstarch with ½ cup water and stir it into the beans. Turn the brisket over and continue cooking, uncovered, until the surface of the beans and brisket are mahogany brown, 30 to 45 minutes more for a total of 2½ to 3¼ hours. Skim off any surface fat and taste for salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf. To serve, separate small portions of the brisket with two forks and serve from the pot along with generous spoonfuls of the beans.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Chuck steak is a smaller cut from the shoulder that will fit nicely into this pot of beans and cook to tenderness.
Short ribs, either English style or boneless, add interest to this pot of beans. Spoon off any excess fat pooled on the surface before serving. |
This fresh, crunchy, and colorful beet salad could make a convert out of committed beet naysayers. Raw beets are sweet like carrots and stain everything they touch. To grate them, you might want to use the grating attachment on your food processor or don a pair of plastic food service gloves if you keep them around for seeding jalapeños. Alternatively, choose golden beets or the candy-cane striped variety called Chioggia.
Makes 6 servings
1 SHALLOT, FINELY CHOPPED
2 TABLESPOONS RED WINE VINEGAR
1 TEASPOON DIJON MUSTARD
2 TEASPOONS SUGAR
6 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
½ TEASPOON SALT
1/ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
1 POUND BEETS, TRIMMED, SCRUBBED, AND COARSELY GRATED (ABOUT 4 CUPS)
2 LARGE CARROTS, PEELED AND GRATED (ABOUT 2 CUPS)
½ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
Whisk the shallot, vinegar, mustard, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking until well blended. Season with the salt and pepper. Toss with the beets, carrots, and parsley. Let the slaw sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
BASQUE CUTLETS BAKED IN RED PEPPER SAUCE
If you’ve been tempted to try tongue but cold and pickled doesn’t appeal to you, this is the just the recipe. The first time I tried it at Epi’s Basque restaurant near Boise, Idaho, I became a convert: the thin fried tongue cutlets surprised me with their beefy flavors and were delightful in the mild red pepper-tomato sauce. At Epi’s, this dish is served with steamed long-grain white rice.
This recipe, adapted from Epi’s original, has three steps: simmering the tongue, making the sauce, and frying the cutlets. You can prepare the tongue and the sauce up to two days in advance, then cook the cutlets and reheat the sauce on the day you plan to serve it.
Don’t skip this distinctive recipe if you don’t want or can’t get beef tongue. Instead, substitute one of the suitable cuts suggested below, and you can jump right into making the sauce and frying the beef.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
TONGUE:
1 (2½- TO 3-POUND) BEEF TONGUE, RINSED
4 CELERY STALKS, CUT INTO 4-INCH SECTIONS
1 MEDIUM ONION, PEELED AND QUARTERED
5 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED
1 BAY LEAF
1 CUP (4½ OUNCES) ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2½ TEASPOONS SALT
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
4 EGGS
1½ CUPS COARSE, DRY BREADCRUMBS
1 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
SAUCE:
10 DRIED CHORICERO OR RED ANAHEIM CHILE PEPPERS, STEMMED
1 TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL
3 GARLIC CLOVES, MINCED
1 SMALL ONION, FINELY CHOPPED
⅓ CUP TOMATO PASTE
2½ CUPS FRESH OR CANNED TOMATO PURÉE
¼ TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES
1½ TEASPOONS SUGAR
1 TEASPOON SALT
¼ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY
To cook the tongue, place it in a large stockpot with the celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover the tongue completely and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Partially cover the pan, and reduce the heat to low, keeping the meat completely submerged, until you can pierce it easily all the way through with a skewer, 3½ to 4 hours. Cool the tongue in the cooking liquid until it is cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin while the tongue is still warm and trim off any fat and gristle. Cover and refrigerate until it is cold so that it is easier to slice thinly. Discard the cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the chiles in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered, for 45 minutes. Drain the chiles and pass them through a food mill into a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste, tomato purée, pepper flakes, sugar, salt, the reserved chiles, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer steadily for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick. Taste the sauce for salt and keep it warm over low heat.
To fry the beef cutlets, cut the chilled beef tongue crosswise into slices ¼ inch thick. (Save any pieces too small for frying, chop finely, and add them to the sauce.) Put the flour into a wide, shallow dish and whisk in the salt and pepper. In another wide, shallow dish, beat the eggs, and place the breadcrumbs in a third dish. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, dredge the beef tongue slices in the flour, shaking off excess, dip into the eggs, and press the slices into the breadcrumbs to coat them evenly. Fry until golden brown on each side, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Drain on the paper towels and continue until you have fried all the slices.
Slip the cutlets into the sauce to reheat them before serving portions of tongue and sauce with a sprinkling of the parsley.
VARIATION: BEEF TONGUE FRITTERS
For an appetizer, simmer, skin, and chill the tongue as directed, skipping the sauce. Slice, flour, and fry the tongue according to the recipe instructions and serve the hot fritters with Herb Aïoli (page 187) or Harissa (page 129).
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Tenderized steaks, including cube steaks or other round steaks pounded ¼ inch thick (see Chicken Fried Steak with Buttermilk Gravy, page 182), allow you to skip the initial simmering step required for tongue. Make the sauce and fry the beef as directed. |
COWBOY COFFEE BEEF STEW
with Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits
Make-ahead, better-the-next-day beef stew is my potluck standard. Once, I added some strong leftover coffee to the broth and my rancher friends told me it was the best stew they’d ever had—strong praise from grassfed beef producers. My conclusion: coffee combined with well-browned meats and good broth makes the ultimate stew gravy. Biscuit dough dropped on the top to bake during the stew’s final half hour in the oven transforms it into a complete country-style meal.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
STEW:
2 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
2 TEASPOONS SALT
½ TEASPOON GROUND ALLSPICE
⅛ TEASPOON CAYENNE
2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER
2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL
2½ TO 3 POUNDS STEW BEEF, CUT INTO ¾-INCH CUBES
3½ CUPS LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
½ CUP STRONG BREWED COFFEE
1 BAY LEAF
1 MEDIUM ONION, COARSELY CHOPPED
6 MEDIUM CARROTS, PEELED AND CUT AT AN ANGLE ¾ INCHES LONG
1½ POUNDS RUSSET POTATOES (ABOUT 3 MEDIUM), CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
2 TABLESPOONS CORNSTARCH OR ARROWROOT
BISCUITS:
1½ CUPS (6¾ OUNCES) ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1½ CUPS (6¾ OUNCES) WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR
1 TABLESPOON BAKING POWDER
1 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
2 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
¾ TEASPOON SALT
6 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, CUT INTO CUBES AND CHILLED
⅔ CUP HEAVY CREAM
⅔ CUP BUTTERMILK
To prepare the stew, whisk the flour, salt, allspice, and cayenne in a small bowl and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Melt the butter and heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, cook the beef cubes, turning 2 to 3 times until they are walnut brown all over, about 10 minutes per batch.
Reduce the heat to medium and return all the beef to the pot. Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture over it and cook while stirring until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the stock, coffee, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot clean.
Cover the pot and transfer it into the oven for 30 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, potatoes, and pepper, and continue cooking in the oven until the beef and the vegetables are tender to the bite, 1 to 1¼ hours more for a total of 1½ to 1¾ hours.
Meanwhile, make the biscuit dough. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the heavy cream and buttermilk. Stir until the dry ingredients absorb all the liquid and you can collect the dough into a ball.
Remove the stew from the oven and taste it for salt and pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cool water and stir it into the stew.
Using a ⅓ cup measure as a scoop, portion the biscuit dough and plop the mounds in a single layer on top of the stew. (They’ll be touching.) Put the stew back in the oven and bake until the biscuit tops are tinged with brown, an additional 30 to 35 minutes.
RICHARD OLNEY’S BEEF BOURGUIGNON
Julia Child’s friend and contemporary Richard Olney never became as famous as The French Chef, but he was just as passionate about provincial French food. His version of beef bourguignon has several key elements that make it a standout, including red wine-marinated beef and brandy and a two-stage browning for the beef. To give this stew some elegance, I separate the most tender of the chuck roasts, the blade chuck roast, along the natural seams into large serving pieces. Use any chuck roast you like for this luxurious version of humble stew I serve with cauliflower purée (see Mashed Potato Mix Up, page 214).
Makes 6 servings
1 (3½- TO 4-POUND) BONE-IN CHUCK ROAST
KOSHER SALT
1 (750-ML) BOTTLE DRY RED WINE
¼ CUP PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED
1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH THYME OR 1 TEASPOON DRIED
1 MEDIUM ONION, SLICED ½ INCH THICK
4 MEDIUM CARROTS, PEELED AND SLICED IN 1-INCH SECTIONS
¼ CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
⅓ CUP BRANDY
3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED AND SMASHED
½ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
½ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH FLAT-LEAF PARSLEY, STEMS RESERVED
1 BAY LEAF
10 OUNCES PEARL ONIONS OR 1 (10-OUNCE) BAG FROZEN PEARL ONIONS
2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER
1 POUND FRESH MUSHROOMS, SLICED IN HALF
Divide the beef along the natural muscle seams into 7 to 8 large sections, cutting any oversized pieces to make them more or less even. Put the beef in a shallow glass or ceramic container that fits the meat snuggly and include the bone. Season it generously with the kosher salt and pour in the wine, the ¼ cup olive oil, and thyme. Cover and marinate the beef in the refrigerator for 3 to 12 hours, turning the beef once. Drain the meat and blot dry with paper towels, reserving the marinade.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots, stirring occasionally, until they are speckled brown, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set them aside. Increase the heat to medium high and brown the beef on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and continue to cook, turning often, until well browned all over, about 6 minutes more. Don’t rush this step; taking the time to let the meat develop a dark crust produces the richest sauce.
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Return the vegetables to the pot with the meat, add the reserved bone, marinade, and the brandy. Bring the liquids to a boil and scrape the bottom of the pot clean to release all the browned bits. Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic, pepper, parsley stems, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and braise it in the oven until a fork readily pierces the meat all the way through, 2 to 2½ hours.
Meanwhile, if using raw pearl onions, you will need to peel them first. Bring a small pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Plunge in the onions and boil for 2 minutes. Drain, cool, and trim the root end to pop them from their skins. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onions until they are translucent and tender, about 3 minutes. Slide them out of the pan to a large serving dish. Add the mushrooms to the same pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, until they are well browned, about 8 minutes. Put them in the dish with the onions.
Use a slotted spoon to lift the meat and vegetables from the broth into the serving dish with the onions and mushrooms, discarding the bone, parsley stems, and bay leaf. Skim any fat from the stock, strain it through a sieve into a saucepan, and simmer to reduce over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables in the bowl, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve.
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Boneless chuck roasts, as long as they are not rolled and tied so that you can cut neat pieces, are perfect substitutes.
Sirloin tip roast, aka round tip roast, is the lean and boneless cut from the round that you can cut into serving pieces of any size to braise.
Beef cheeks or boneless short ribs will enrich the sauce with their collagen and will need 30 to 60 minutes more cooking time to become tender. |
CHICKPEA-BEEF TAGINE
with Harissa
I am a fanatic for chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), and I created this North African-inspired stew to get as many chickpeas as beef into every bite. (If using dried chickpeas, you’ll need to soak them eight to twelve hours in advance.) You build layers of flavor into the stew with each step of browning the vegetables and the meat. Toasted cumin and coriander add their warm spices to the tomato-based broth, which gets a kick from the addition of lemon zest and olives just before serving. I serve this with pearl-sized balls of Israeli couscous, larger than the standard North African dried semolina granules, which you boil in salted water and drain, just like pasta. Pass the Harissa (recipe follows), a spicy red pepper condiment you can whip up in the food processor.
Makes 6 servings
1¼ TEASPOON WHOLE CUMIN SEEDS
1½ TEASPOONS WHOLE CORIANDER SEEDS
1 TO 1½ POUNDS STEW BEEF, CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES
KOSHER SALT
4 TABLESPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED
1 MEDIUM ONION, THINLY SLICED
1 RED, ORANGE, OR YELLOW BELL PEPPER, THINLY SLICED
½ TEASPOON RED PEPPER FLAKES
1 TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE
¼ TEASPOON TURMERIC
1 (28-OUNCE) CAN WHOLE PEELED TOMATOES
1 TABLESPOON RED WINE VINEGAR
1 CUP DRIED CHICKPEAS, SOAKED FOR 8 TO 12 HOURS OR 1 (15-OUNCE) CAN GARBANZO BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
¼ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER
4 OUNCES BRINED GREEN OLIVES, SUCH AS MANZANILLA OR PICHOLINE, PITTED (ABOUT 1 CUP)
1 TABLESPOON LEMON ZEST
MORE CHOICE CUTS:
Baby Meatballs (page 82) are a fun substitution for the stew beef, and in combination with canned chickpeas, they make the quickest stew possible that simmers for 25 to 30 minutes. |
Heat a dry small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stand by while they become fragrant and darken in color, about 1 minute. Quickly remove them from the pan and grind to a powder in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle. Repeat with the coriander seeds, toasting them until fragrant and darkened in color, about 1 minute. Grind them to a powder and mix with the cumin in a small bowl. Set it aside.
Season the meat liberally with the kosher salt. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan and steam the meat, cook the beef cubes, turning 2 to 3 times until well browned, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to a dinner plate and set it aside.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan and cook the onion and pepper, stirring often, until they are wilted and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the reserved cumin and coriander, and pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens in color and sticks to the bottom of the pot, about 3 minutes more.
Pour in 1½ cups of water and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Add the reserved beef, turmeric, tomatoes with their liquid, vinegar, chickpeas (only if using dried), and the pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beef is fork tender and you can mash the chickpeas with a fork, 1½ to 1¾ hours.
Stir the olives and lemon zest (and the chickpeas, if using canned) into the stew, and taste for salt. Serve in shallow bowls with the harissa, if desired.
This piquant red pepper sauce is not only a great stew garnish, it’s also a lively spread for sandwiches and, for spice-lovers, a dip for Finger Steaks (page 183) or Beef Tongue Fritters (page 121). Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Makes 1 cup
1 CUP PACKED ROASTED RED PEPPERS FROM A JAR
3 GARLIC CLOVES, PEELED
2 TABLESPOONS APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
¼ CUP EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1½ TABLESPOONS RED PEPPER FLAKES
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 TEASPOON CARAWAY SEEDS
¾ TEASPOON GROUND CUMIN
⅛ TEASPOON SUGAR
Combine the peppers, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, pepper flakes, salt, caraway seeds, cumin, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Purée, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary, until it is very smooth. Transfer the harissa into a bowl and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
TWO-BEAN CHILI COLORADO
I learned about the magic of toasting dried chile peppers from the market women in Oaxaca City while eating more than my share of enchiladas. The heat of a dry skillet deepens and enlivens the flavors of the ancho chile peppers before they are soaked in water and puréed with stock. That purée is the backbone of this chili, which is also simmered with beer and black and pinto beans. (If using dried beans, you’ll need to soak them eight to twelve hours in advance.) No slap-dash, tomato-heavy chili, this is worth making and waiting for, and the perfect game night fare for friends. As often as I can, I make a double batch of this chili to whip out the Chili Colorado Casserole variation to serve ten or more people at a potluck.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
12 WHOLE DRIED ANCHO CHILE PEPPERS, STEMMED AND SEEDED (SOURCES, PAGE 272)
1 WHITE ONION, PEELED
8 GARLIC CLOVES, UNPEELED
1 TABLESPOON VEGETABLE OIL
2 TO 2½ POUNDS STEW BEEF, CUT INTO ½-INCH CUBES
1 TABLESPOON GROUND CUMIN
2½ TEASPOONS SALT
1½ TEASPOONS DRIED OREGANO, PREFERABLY MEXICAN (SOURCES, PAGE 272)
¼ TEASPOON GROUND ALLSPICE
¼ TEASPOON CAYENNE
1 HEAPING TABLESPOON TOMATO PASTE
3 CUPS LOW-SALT BEEF STOCK (SHORT ORDER STOCK, PAGE 226; ROASTED BEEF STOCK, PAGE 228) OR WATER
1 (12-OUNCE) BOTTLE DARK BEER
½ CUP DRIED BLACK BEANS, SOAKED FOR 8 TO 12 HOURS OR 1 (15-OUNCE) CAN BLACK BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
½ CUP DRIED PINTO BEANS, SOAKED FOR 8 TO 12 HOURS OR 1 (15-OUNCE) CAN PINTO BEANS, DRAINED AND RINSED
2 TABLESPOONS MASA HARINA OR 2 CORN TORTILLAS, TORN INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES
2 OUNCES QUESO FRESCO OR FETA, CRUMBLED (ABOUT ½ CUP)
½ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO
Bring a teakettle of water to a boil over high heat. Heat a dry medium skillet over medium heat. Open the chiles flat and toast them in the hot skillet on each side 2 or 3 at a time. Use tongs to press them on the pan’s hot surface until they lighten in color, about 30 seconds. Work quickly to avoid burning them. Turn and toast the other side. Put the toasted chiles into a bowl, submerge them in the boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice the onion in half, chop half and set it aside. Put the other onion half cut side down onto the same dry skillet used to toast the chiles and leave it to lightly scorch over medium heat, about 5 minutes At the same time, put the unpeeled garlic cloves into the skillet and cook until they soften and blacken in spots.
Peel the garlic and transfer it to a blender. Add the scorched onion and the chiles along with ¾ cup of their soaking liquid. Purée until very smooth and set the chile sauce aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the reserved chopped onion and cook until it turns translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, cumin, salt, oregano, allspice, and cayenne and cook until the beef is no longer pink and the liquid evaporates. Pour the reserved chile sauce into the pot and simmer the sauce until its red color deepens from brick red to red-brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stock, beer, and the drained and rinsed soaked black and pinto beans, if using dried. Partially cover, bring it to a simmer, and cook over low heat until the beef and beans are tender to the bite, 1 to 1¼ hours.
Taste for salt and cayenne, and add the masa harina. (If using canned beans, add them now.) Continue to simmer uncovered, stirring, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve the chili in deep bowls topped with the crumbled cheese and cilantro.
VARIATION: CHILI COLORADO CASSEROLE
Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. Warm 15 6-inch tortillas one at a time in the skillet on both sides, about 15 seconds per side. Wrap the warmed tortillas in a kitchen towel to keep them pliable. Cut the tortillas in half. Whisk 1 cup sour cream with 3 or 4 tablespoons of water to thin it until it drizzles off a spoon. Grate 3 cups Monterey Jack cheese.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Ladle about ½ cup of the sauce from the Two-Bean Chili Colorado into a 13 × 9-inch baking dish and spread it to cover the bottom. Make a single layer of tortillas over the sauce, fitting them as best you can, and top with half of the chili, 1 cup of the grated cheese, and drizzle with ¼ cup of the sour cream. Repeat the layers of tortillas, chili, cheese, and sour cream. Top with the remaining tortillas and grated cheese. Bake immediately to prevent the tortillas from getting too soft until the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve in slices drizzled with the remaining sour cream and the crumbled queso freso and cilantro, if desired.