This is an updated version of my mom’s braised beef tips served over white rice, which was a Ryan family staple and a comforting, delicious dish on a cool winter’s night. This recipe adds the smoke-rich flavor of pancetta as a big, sharp-breaking curveball against the standard preparation of braised beef. I enjoy both the old and the new ways to cook this family standard.
SERVES 8
PREP TIME: 40 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 2½ TO 3 HOURS
¼ cup olive oil
1 (6-pound) boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
10 ounces pancetta, chopped
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 celery ribs, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 thyme sprigs
4 rosemary sprigs
¼ cup tomato paste
4 cups dry red wine
4 cups water
1 Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2 Heat the oil in a deep, heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat until it is shimmering but not smoking.
3 Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the hot oil on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to a large platter and set aside.
4 Add the pancetta to the oil in the pot and sauté, stirring frequently, until the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes.
5 Add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
6 Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sauté, stirring vigorously, until the garlic turns golden and soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
7 Add the wine to deglaze and boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the water.
8 Put the meat back in the pan and cover with foil. Transfer to the oven and braise until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, 2½ to 3 hours.
9 Transfer the meat to a large cutting board. Pour the pan juices into a medium saucepan and boil until reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes.
10 Cut the meat across the grain into ½-inch-thick slices and place in a large serving dish. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve.
Nolan’s Serving Tip: Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes (here) or linguine.
When my mom made roast beef she would place a chuck roast, fat side up, in a shallow roasting pan in the oven, season with salt and pepper, and insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast. Very straightforward. Chef Cris lends a Tuscan accent to this standard with the addition of extra-virgin olive oil, red wine, and plum tomatoes.
SERVES 8
PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 3 HOURS
½ cup olive oil
1 (3½-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed of fat
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for the sauce
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more for the sauce
1 pound white mushrooms, quartered
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
4 cups dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained, seeds removed
Nolan’s Tip: One way to increase the surface area of the meat (for dry rubs and seasoning) is by making ½-inch cuts in a crosshatch pattern.
1 Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2 Heat the oil in a large, heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer—but not to the point where it is smoking.
3 Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season it with salt and pepper. Cook the meat in the hot oil until it is browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer the meat to a platter.
4 Reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables turn golden brown and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, and sage and stir until the herbs become fragrant and light in color, about 1 minute.
5 Add 1 cup of the wine to deglaze and stir briskly, making sure to lift the caramelized vegetables that are sticking to the pan.
6 When the wine has almost evaporated and thickly coats the vegetables, raise the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 3 cups wine, the bay leaf, and the tomatoes and bring to a boil.
7 Return the roast to the pan and turn to coat it; cover the pot with foil and transfer it to the oven.
8 Cook the meat for 1½ hours. Turn the roast over and ladle some sauce over the top.
9 Cover the pot again and cook until the meat is fork-tender and the internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 1 hour more.
10 Remove the meat from the pot and transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with foil and let rest while you finish the sauce.
11 Transfer the liquid to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; reduce until it has a medium-thick consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12 Cut the meat into thick slices (don’t be surprised if it falls apart) and place on a warmed serving dish. Cover with sauce and serve.