Chile Braised Beef Short Ribs →

Here’s a riff on the many versions of braised beef dishes found around the world. Wine, onion, garlic, Ancho chiles, coffee, and Mexican chile powder combine to create a rich, slightly spicy version of more traditional braised beef dishes like Pot Roast, Beef Bourguignon, Italian Ragu, or Flemish Carbonnade. Making a batch of Mexican Chile Powder and the Coffee-Chile Dry Rub ahead is well worth the effort. Both are exceptional spice mixes to add to your spice cabinet.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ -2 pounds boneless beef short ribs cut into 1 ½ inch pieces

• 6-8 ounces bacon ¼ inch chop

• 1 large or 2 medium onions chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic minced

• 1-2 large dried Ancho chiles (1= less spicy)

• 2 tablespoons coffee-chile dry rub (See Note)

• 4 ounces Cremini mushrooms sliced

• 1-2 Bay leaves

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 1 cup beef stock or chicken stock with a teaspoon of beef bullion

• ½ cup crushed tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• salt and pepper

Note: Coffee-Chile Dry Rub

• 2 tablespoons Mexican Chile Powder (highly recommended) or chile powder of your choice)

• 2 tablespoons finely ground coffee beans

• 5 teaspoons dark brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon hot smoked Spanish paprika

• 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Mix the ingredients in a small bowl. Store in a tightly closed glass jar in a cool dark place.

PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 300F.

1. Soak the dried Ancho in the hot beef stock.

2. In a dutch oven over medium heat, fry the chopped bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon bits and set aside. Pour off all but a tablespoon of bacon fat.

3. While the bacon is cooking, coat the beef pieces with the coffee-chile dry rub. Brown the beef in batches until browned and crusty on both sides. Set aside in a covered dish.

4. Add the mushrooms to the pot and sauté for a minute or two. If the pot is too dry, add another tablespoon of reserved bacon fat.

5. Add the garlic and chopped onion to the pot and sauté until fragrant and translucent.

6. Add the tomato paste and stir around with the onions and garlic in the pot for a minute or two.

7. Add the cup of dry red wine and deglaze the pan; allow to reduce by ½.

8. While the wine is reducing, remove the Ancho from the beef stock and cut crosswise into 1-inch strips. Remove the seeds and using a mini-food processor, buzz the chile strips with a ¼ cup of stock until creamy.

9. Once the wine has reduced, add the beef and stir to coat. Add the bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, reserved stock, and chile mixture and stir. Cover and place the Dutch oven in the middle of the preheated oven for 2 ½ hours until the beef is very tender. Be careful when you open the Dutch oven, it will be very hot!

10. Optional: if you want the sauce to have a thicker consistency, mix two tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, melted butter, or olive oil with 2 teaspoons of flour until smooth. Add a small amount at a time to the simmering sauce while whisking until the sauce has thickened to your taste.

Serve with egg noodles, raspberry-glazed carrots, and peas, or yellow rice and black beans or your veggie of choice.

Wine choice: this rich, slightly spicy dish calls for a full-bodied red wine with some fruit to compliment the spice. Zinfandel is a good choice as is Malbec; Merlot, Carmenere, Shiraz, Tempranillo, and full-bodied Garnacha would also work.

Chile Crusted Rib Eye Steak →

Most cooks understand that the high tannin concentrations in full-bodied red wines ‘cleanse’ the inside of your mouth to enhance the beefy richness of your steak. Did you know that coffee grounds can serve the same function when used as a rub on steak? The acidity of ground coffee beans replicates the tannins in red wine enhancing the flavor and tenderness of the meat.  For this recipe, finely ground coffee beans, chile powder, brown sugar, and paprika combine to make an exceptional steak rub that tenderizes and adds flavor to your steak; using a preheated, very hot cast iron skillet creates a wonderful, caramelized crust on the meat and yields a juicy steak. This rub is mildly spicy-hot; if you want to kick up the spicy heat a notch add a small amount of cayenne powder to the rub. If you don’t have access to a grill, pre-heat your oven to 400 F. and follow the recipe. You may have to adjust your cook time; using a meat thermometer will ensure your steak will be cooked to your preference. A creamy, tangy Mango Avocado Salad compliments the spicy richness of the steak.

Chile Crusted Rib Eye Steak
Serves 4

Ingredients

·  2 tablespoons Mexican Chile Powder (highly recommended) or chile powder of your choice)
·  2 tablespoons finely ground coffee beans
·  5 teaspoons dark brown sugar
·  1 tablespoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
·  1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
·  1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
·  1 teaspoon ground ginger
·  1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more
·  2- 16 ounce boneless Rib Eye steaks (about 1 inch thick)
·  2 tablespoons olive oil
·  ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder (optional)

Preparation
1. Mix chile powder, ground coffee, brown sugar, paprika, dried oregano, pepper, garlic powder, ginger, and salt in a small bowl.
2. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and season them generously on both sides with salt and spice rub Place on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and chill in the fridge uncovered for 3–6 hours. This dries the surface of the steak and helps to create the crust when you cook it on a hot skillet.
3. To help them cook quickly and more evenly, bring the steaks to room temperature for an hour before cooking.
4. Preheat the grill (or oven) to 400°F. Preheat a cast-iron skillet on the grill while the grill heats up. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to the hot skillet and cook the steaks 2-3 minutes on each side with the grill closed. This will create a nice crust and give you a medium-rare steak. (The internal temperature should be at about 125-130 F.) Transfer the steaks to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Slice 1/2-inch thick. (The steak pictured below was cooked 2 ½ minutes per side with the grill covered.)

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2022

Wine pairing: this rich steak dish demands a full-bodied dry red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Cotes du Rhone, Carménère, Barolo, Super-Tuscan, or full-bodied Rioja.

Barbacoa Tacos →

When I lived in Mexico I fell in love with barbacoa, a traditional Mexican street food. Slow-cooked with herbs and spices until tender and almost falling-apart, barbacoa most commonly uses cheap cuts of beef or lamb with plenty of connective tissue that adds flavor and tenderness. Not just a favorite street food, barbacoa is a favorite at many family tables. This recipe is a great alternative to the ubiquitous tacos we most often encounter here in the States. Give it a try. I think you’ll be impressed. It may become your go-to recipe for tacos! Avocado and Tomato Salad is the perfect side dish and a perfect compliment to this delicious recipe. The recipe is adapted from a recipe by Marisol Chancellor’s grandmother in Monterrey, Mexico. Mil gracias a Marisol y su abuela!

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Barbacoa Tacos
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chuck roast

• 1 tablespoon of oil

• 2 onions sliced

• 6 garlic cloves smashed

• 1/2 tablespoon oregano

• 1/2 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 2/3 cup broth or water

• Taco shells or corn tortillas, salsa, onions, cilantro, and Cotija cheese for serving.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. degrees.

2. Cut the chuck roast into 2-3 inch pieces and season generously with salt and pepper.

3. In a dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, add the oil and brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat.

4. While the meat is browning, slice the onions and smash the garlic cloves, and set aside.

5. Remove the meat from the pot and add 1/3 cup broth/water to the dutch oven. Scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot.

6. Arrange half of the onions and garlic on the bottom of the pot and place the meat on top. Cover the meat with the rest of the onions and garlic and sprinkle with the oregano and cumin.

7. Add the apple cider vinegar, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until fork-tender.

8. Remove the meat from the pot and set it aside in a covered container.

9. Optional but recommended: remove the caramelized onions and garlic and any juices left in the pot. Add 1/3-1/2 cup of water to the pot and deglaze the pot over medium heat. Add the liquid to the caramelized onions and garlic and puree in a food processor until smooth.

10. Shred the meat with two forks and add the pureed sauce to add delicious flavor and keep the shredded meat moist.

11. Serve with warm tortillas or taco shells, salsa, cilantro, crumbled Cotija cheese, and onions.

Wine pairing: while a chilled beer is traditional, red wines like Merlot, Malbec, Carménère, Rioja, and Garnacha are good choices. Bill Seibert at Shellburne Falls Cork recommends a 2015 Mas du Soleiller Saint-Chinian “Terasse de Schiste”.

Adapted from: https://marisolcooks.com/2020/10/21/dutch-oven-barbacoa/

Blackened Steak with Heirloom Tomato and Basil Salsa →

The development of the blackening technique is most often attributed to Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme who popularized Louisiana Cajun and Creole cooking back in the 1970’s. Cajun cooking was described by Prudhomme as old-style French country cooking using more pungent spices than are commonly associated with refined French cuisine. Creole cooking is multi-ethnic and incorporates Spanish-Latino, Italian, French, and African spices. Blackening happens when butter and pungent Creole spices come in contact with a very hot cast iron skillet resulting in a charred flavorful crust and a moist interior for your fish, chicken, or beef. The process involves a lot of heat and smoke, so I prefer to blacken on the grill outside rather than set off the fire alarms in the house. Like they say, “If you can’t stand the heat (and smoke), get out of the kitchen!”

Blackened Steak
Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 New York Strip or Rib-Eye steaks about 8 ounces each and about an inch thick

• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted to brush on the meat

• Blackened Steak Spice (recipe below)

Preparation:

1. Preheat your cast iron skillet.

2. Using a paper towel, dry the surface of your steak well. This helps develop the crust in the blackening process.

3. Spread a layer of the spice mixture on a plate, brush both sides of the meat with melted butter and lay the meat on the spice mix to establish a layer of butter and spices that will create the delicious crust on your steak; do this on both sides of the meat. Alternatively, if you want flavor and less crust, you can sprinkle the spice mix over both sides of the buttered steak.

4. Once the skillet is very hot, place the steak on the skillet and don’t move it for 3 minutes. There will be a lot of smoke! After 3 minutes turn the steak over for another 3 minutes for rare or 4 minutes for medium-rare.

5. Remove the steak from the skillet, tent, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the steak into ½ inch slices and serve garnished with Tomato Salsa accompanied by a green salad and some good bread.

For the Salsa:
Seed and chop the tomato(es). (One medium tomato will yield about 1/2 cup of salsa.)
Thinly slice a few leaves of fresh Basil and add to the chopped tomato.
1-2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
Add two parts olive oil to one part red wine vinegar: 1 tablespoon olive oil/2 teaspoons vinegar.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Blackened Steak Spice
Coffee is commonly used to add an earthy depth of flavor and complexity in chili recipes. In the spirit of Creole cooking, this blackening spice recipe incorporates finely ground coffee into a traditional blackening spice recipe for steak. It works! The spice mix is pungent and mildly hot, so if you want to kick-it-up-a-notch, increase the cayenne or red pepper flakes.

Yield 3/4 cup
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds (toasted lightly to bring out the oils and flavor)

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (lightly toasted)

• 2 tablespoon Ancho chili powder (or 1 Chipotle chili powder and 1 generic chili powder)

• 2 tablespoons finely ground strong coffee beans (I used 50/50 French Roast and Espresso)

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (if you don’t have smoked paprika use another regular paprika)

• 1 tablespoon sea salt (or kosher salt)

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a skillet over high heat for about 2 minutes; stirring constantly until fragrant.

2. In a spice grinder, blend the toasted cumin and coriander with the dried oregano and red pepper flakes, pulsing a few times until the seeds are pulverized.

3. Pour the spices from the grinder into a bowl and add the other ingredients. Whisk together to mix well. Store in an airtight container.

Wine pairing: a medium to full bodied, fruit forward red wine like a garnacha/grenache, pinot-noir, or merlot. For this recipe you may want to avoid full-bodied heavily oaked wines with pronounced tannins that will clash with the pungent spices in the spice mix.

Adapted from:
https://keviniscooking.com/copycat-blackened-meat-seasoning/#wprm-recipe-container-28880
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/coffee-rubbed-rib-eye-recipe-1916521
http://www.welike2cook.com/2012/02/tow-blackening.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/09/us/paul-prudhomme-creole-cajun-louisiana-cooking.html

Steakhouse Pan Seared Steak →

You don’t need to spend upwards of $20. for a restaurant-quality steak dinner when you can make it at home the way professional chefs do for well less than $10. per steak. Here’s a simple, quick, and deliciously flavorful way to pan sear the steak of your choice. Patting the steak dry, seasoning, and refrigerating it uncovered in the fridge will dry the surface and create a professional crust when you sear it on the hot pan. Give it a try and you may never order steak off a restaurant menu again.

Allow 6-7 ounces of steak per person
Ingredients:

• 1 -1 1/2 inch thick Tenderloin, Sirloin, N.Y. Strip, Rib Eye steak or other steak of your preference

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 2 cloves of garlic crushed

• salt and pepper (or Montreal Dry Rub)

• a few sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary

Preparation:

1. Dry the surface of the steak with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper or Montreal Dry Rub. Place the steak on a rack uncovered in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

2. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

3. Heat a heavy bottom skillet like a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Heat the oil until it just begins to smoke. You want the skillet hot to give a good sear.

4. Add the steak(s) to the skillet and sear for 30 seconds on each side.

5. Add butter, the crushed garlic, and the sprigs of herbs to the pan and mix around.

6. Turn the steak and cook each side for one minute at a time spoon-basting the steak with the herb-garlic-butter sauce on each side.

7. Cook the steak until the internal temperature is 115-125 degrees for rare or until you press on the steak and it gives like the fleshy part of your palm just below the thumb. (2-3 minutes total after the initial sear depending on the thickness of your steak) For medium-rare, the internal temp should be 125-130 F.

8. Remove the steak from the pan to a plate and tent for 3-4 minutes.

Serve with a salad or vegetable of your choice and starch of your choice like Mango and Tomato Salad and Mushroom Risotto

Wine pair: full-bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Chianti, Super-Tuscans, and Zinfandel are all good choices to pair with beef.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmC9SmCBUj4 Thanks to Gordon Ramsay.

Beef Pot Roast →

Slow cooked, braised Yankee Pot Roast with a rich sauce or gravy is a tradition in New England and a comfort food from my childhood. My adult sons still refer to “Grandma’s pot roast” as one of their favorite foods when they were kids. So this recipe aims to keep the Pot Roast tradition alive in my family and to share an up-dated version of this regional braised dish that came to this country with immigrants from England, Ireland, France and other European countries (pot roast, carbonnade, daube, fricassee, brisket, or stew). In addition to the traditional ingredients of onion, garlic, celery and herbs (typically thyme and/or marjoram), I like to add red wine and re-hydrated dried mushrooms for extra flavor. Both are optional and can be replaced by an equal amount of water or broth. Like most braised dishes Pot Roast uses an inexpensive, tough cut of meat with plenty of connective tissue (collagen) that turns gelatinous and allows the meat fibers to separate and transform into fall-apart tender flavorful meat during the slow, low-temperature braising process. This is a dish worth waiting for.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

*Special equipment: a dutch oven or other cast-iron pot with a cover that can go in the oven.

• 3 pounds chuck roast cut into 4 chunks

• 3-4 tablespoons flour

• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 medium onion chopped

• 3 tablespoons celery chopped (about 1 medium stalk)

• 2 large cloves of garlic (or 3-4 medium)

• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (2 teaspoons dried thyme)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1/8 cup dried mushrooms like porcini or shitake

• 1 cup water, plus extra water or broth as needed for the braise

• ½ cup dry red wine

• salt and pepper

Preparation:

*preheat the oven to 300 degrees

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a cup of boiling water to re-hydrate. Set aside.

2. Salt and pepper all sides of the chunks of beef generously and dredge the beef chunks in the flour shaking off excess flour.

3. Working in batches brown all sides or the beef in the dutch oven over medium high heat. Place the browned beef on a platter and tent to keep warm.

4. Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the same pan you browned your beef in, adding a little oil if necessary.

5. Once the onion is translucent and the celery is tender, add the tablespoon of tomato paste to the pot and stir it around with the vegetables for a couple of minutes.

6. Strain the mushroom water (discard any sediment accumulated in the bottom of the cup) into the pot and add the wine.

7. Chop the re-hydrated mushrooms and add to the pot along with the chunks of beef and any juices left on the plate. Add ½-1 teaspoon of salt and half as much black pepper (to taste).

8. Add enough water or chicken or beef broth to the pot to just cover the meat and bring to a boil.

9. Put the pot or dutch oven in the preheated oven and cook for 1 ½ hours. Carefully take the pot out of the oven (it will be very hot!), take the lid off and turn over the pieces of beef. Carefully replace the pot in the oven and cook for an additional 1 ½ hours.

After three hours the meat should be almost fall apart tender and there should be a thick rich sauce in the pan. If the sauce is too thin, you can remove the meat to a platter and tent and reduce the sauce in the pan over medium high heat, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn’t burn.

Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles and a vegetable or salad of your choice. I like roasted carrots and parsnips flavored with anise inflected tarragon: toss your cut-up inch thick pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and a teaspoon of dried tarragon and cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until fork tender. Our friend Liz O’Shea from Ireland likes to boil and mash parsnips and carrots together with butter, salt, and pepper. You could add a little tarragon to that version as well.

A full-bodied dry red wine from grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, or Malbec from the U.S. or South America; a Super-Tuscan blend from Italy; or any of the big red wines from France, Spain or Portugal. Lots of choices, but you want something balanced and full-bodied with good tannins to complement the richness of the beef.

Braised Beef Short Ribs →

Winter in New England is the time for braising: slow-cooking inexpensive cuts of meat with herbs and wine until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and you have a rich flavorful sauce. This recipe is adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook and uses Chinese Five Spice Powder in the sauce. The warm spices that comprise Five Spice Powder (star anise, clove, cinnamon, and fennel) contribute an extra dimension to the richness of the flavorful tomato, mushroom, and wine-based sauce. Adding a small amount of tomato puree at the end of the braise brightens the final product and tempers the pungency of the Five Spice Powder. Serve over your favorite starch: rice, pasta, potatoes, or polenta accompanied by green beans or sugar snap peas, or a green salad with a tangy vinaigrette. If you want a more traditional ragu consistency, shred the tender chunks of braised beef with two forks or a knife and fork. Either way, I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups beef broth + ½ cup of chicken or beef broth (see Note)

• ½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms (or dried shiitake if you can’t find porcini)

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry (or 1 ½ teaspoons anchovy paste)

• ½ teaspoon five-spice powder

• ½ cup dry red wine

• 14.5 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes in puree drained and crushed or well-chopped; puree reserved (5 or 6 tomatoes)

• 1 1/2- 2 pounds of boneless beef short ribs or chuck roast, fat trimmed

• 1 cup tomato puree (reserved)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 with the rack positioned in the middle position.

1. Microwave ½ cup of beef broth with the mushrooms in a covered microwave-safe container until steaming hot. Let mushrooms sit and soften in the broth for at least 5 minutes. (Alternatively, heat the broth on the stove until hot, add the mushrooms, cover and allow the mushrooms to soften for at least 5 minutes.)

2. Drain the mushrooms in a fine-mesh strainer lined with a paper coffee filter. Press the mushrooms to release all the liquid; reserve the liquid and finely chop the softened mushrooms.

3. Trim the beef and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces. Sprinkle the beef chunks with salt and pepper.

4. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a dutch oven over med-high heat and brown the beef. (working in two batches will allow the beef to brown better.) Tent the beef and set aside.

5. Add another tablespoon of oil in the same pot and add the chopped onions; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until translucent and tender (about 5 minutes); add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. (don’t burn the garlic!)

6. Add the tomato paste, anchovies, and five-spice powder and cook stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes until a dark crusty fond forms on the bottom of the pot.

7. Add the wine, increase the heat to med-high and bring to a simmer, stirring up any browned bits of fond; cook until almost all the wine is evaporated and the pot is almost dry (3-5 minutes).

8. Add the chopped, crushed tomatoes, a cup of beef broth, the ½ cup of mushroom/beef soaking liquid and chopped mushrooms and bring to a simmer.

9. Add the beef chunks, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours until the beef is very tender.

10. Remove the pot from the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes (it’s hot!). You should have a thick sauce with tender pieces of beef. Taste it. You can serve it like this, or if you want a bit more fresh tomato flavor and a slightly thinner sauce add 1/2- 1 cup of reserved tomato puree and a half cup of chicken or beef broth. Simmer gently over low heat for an additional ½ hour to integrate the fresh tomato puree flavor into the sauce.

Serve over egg noodles or farfalle, or Creamy Parmesan Polenta. The sauce can be refrigerated in a covered container for 3 days or frozen for two months.

Braised Beef and Creamy Polenta

*Note: if you don’t want to make your own beef broth, use prepared beef broth from the soup section of the supermarket. Alternatively, you can add 1 ½ teaspoons of beef base concentrate like “Better than Bouillon” added to 1 ½ cups of chicken broth or water.

Pairing wine with 5 Spice powder can be challenging. Try balanced, medium full-bodied red wines with some fruit-forward like a Syrah from the Rhone Valley, Garnacha/Grenache, or fruit-forward Pinot Noir. Avoid high tannin wines.

Adapted from: America’s Test Kitchen Twentieth Anniversary T.V. Cookbook,

Beef Stew →

This hearty, rich stew is kind of a cross between a traditional Beef Stew and a Boeuf Bourguignon. The best of both worlds. I don’t remember where I got the original recipe, but over the years I’ve modified it to suit my tastes. Like most braised meat dishes using less expensive cuts of meat like beef chuck with plenty of connective tissue is preferred to using lean cuts of meat that can become dry and stringy during the braise. Serve with plenty of good crusty bread to sop up the delicious sauce. The flavor improves the next day. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

Serves 6-8

For the braised beef:

• 4-5 pounds boneless beef chuck (not lean), cut into 2-inch pieces

• 3 ounces pancetta, or slab bacon

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 carrots, quartered

• 3 celery ribs, quartered

• 2 medium onions, quartered

• 10 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/4 cup brandy (optional)

• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine (about 3 3/4 cups)

• 2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California

• 2 thyme sprigs (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

• 12 juniper berries (optional)

• 3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

• 3 cups water (enough to cover the meat and vegetables in the braise)

For the vegetables:

• 2 pounds small white boiling potatoes (or 4 large Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)

• 5 large carrots peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch slices.

• 1 cup of frozen peas (optional)
  

Preparation:

Braise the beef: 
Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in middle.

1. Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper. (I use Montreal Dry Rub)

2. Brown the pancetta in an oven-proof heavy pot like a dutch oven; remove the browned pancetta and set aside. Leave any of the flavorful fat that accumulated in the pot

3. If needed add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.

4. Add the meat to the pot and brown the meat, in 3 batches, turning to brown on both sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to a platter and tent.

5. Reduce heat to medium, then add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and caramelized about 12 minutes.

6. Push vegetables to one side of the pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook paste, stirring, for 2 minutes, then stir into vegetables

7. Stir in wine, bouquet garni (see note) of bay leaves, juniper berries, and thyme, and boil until wine is reduced by about two thirds, 10 to 12 minutes.

8. Add broth and water to the pot along with beef, and any juices from platter and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in oven until meat is very tender, about 2-2 1/2 hours.

9. Set a large colander in a large bowl. Pour stew into a colander. Return pieces of meat to pot, remove the bouquet garni and add the remaining vegetables to a food processor or blender.

10. Puree the remaining vegetable and return puree to the liquids in the pot. (This will add richness and thicken the stew.) Let cooking liquid stand 10 minutes.

Cook the potatoes and carrots:

1. While beef braises, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes; slice carrots diagonally into 1-inch pieces.

2. Once the braise is completed, remove the pot from the oven, remove the bouquet garni, puree the remaining braised vegetables and add the puree to the stew. Add the potatoes and carrots to the stew (make sure they are submerged) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 40 minutes. (Add frozen peas for the last five minutes.)

3. Serve with crusty bread.

   *Note: a bouquet garni is a tied pouch of cheesecloth filled with fresh or dried aromatic herbs often used when braising to infuse flavor into a sauce or stew; to be removed before finishing the stew.

   ** Note: the stew improves in flavor if made a day ahead. Allow to cool, cover, and chill up to 5 days. Reheat, covered, over medium heat or in a 350°F oven.

   A full-bodied red wine like a Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja, Bordeaux, Haut Medoc, Barolo, Barbaresco, or Super-Tuscan compliments this rich stew.

Marinated Grilled Sirloin Tips →

Serves: 4
Preheat your grill and oil the grates.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of Sirloin Tips

• Beef Marinade

  Ingredients:

  • ½ c. olive oil

  • 1/3 c. soy sauce

  • ¼ balsamic or red wine vinegar

  • 2 cloves of crushed/minced garlic

  • 2 tablespoons Lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard

  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

  • ½ teaspoon. sweet basil (see note)

  • ½ teaspoon thyme (see note)

  *Note: you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon each of rosemary, thyme, and fennel broken up with the back of a spoon, or coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

  Adapted from: Weber Grill Cookbook

Preparation:

1. Pat steak dry with paper towels.

2. Place steak in a ziplock plastic bag, pyrex baking dish, or any other container that will hold the steak and pour over the marinade, cover, and refrigerate.

3. Allow steak to marinate for 4 hours or longer.

4. Remove the steak from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature at least a half-hour before grilling.

5. Remove steak from marinade and, using a paper towel, pat off excess marinade to prevent flare-ups on the grill.

6. For a 1 1/2 inch thick steak, cook over a hot grill for 2-3 minutes per side for medium rare. (130-135 degrees)

7. Remove from grill and tent for 5 minutes to allow the meat juices to soak back into the steak.

8. Slice steak across the grain.

Serve the steak with your favorite vegetable, or salad.

A full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, or other full-bodied red wine pairs well with grilled beef.

Pan Seared Filet Mignon with Red Wine and Wild Mushroom Sauce →

This is a delicious, rich, umami-laden sauce that is made for beef….filet mignon, porterhouse, rib-eye, flank steak, etc. Your choice. Enjoy!

4-6 servings

For the Red Wine Sauce:

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons. olive oil

• 1 small onion chopped

• 1 small tart green apple unpeeled, chopped

• 1 celery stalk, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 750 ml bottle Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry full-bodied red wine

• 1 cup ruby or tawny port

• 1 cup beef stock

• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, or a ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• 5 tablespoons butter

• 1 lb. assorted wild mushrooms wiped clean, stemmed, and sliced (shiitake, crimini, oyster, beech, etc. I often use 1/3 shitake and 2/3 crimini.)

• 2 tablespoons minced shallots

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)

• ½ teaspoon cornstarch mixed in a tablespoon of cold water (optional

Directions:

1. Saute the first 5 ingredients.

2. Add the wine, thyme, port, and beef stock and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1 ¼ cups.

3. Strain through a medium wire mesh strainer, pressing down the vegetables to extract as much flavor and juice as possible, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. In a separate pan, melt 2 tbs butter and sauté mushrooms and shallots until golden brown

5. Add wine reduction to the mushrooms and bring to simmer.

6. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tablespoons butter and the Dijon.

7. If you want a slightly thicker sauce, whisk the cornstarch and water to create a smooth slurry and slowly whisk it into the wine sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer to thicken and remove from heat.

Cook the Filet Mignon:

• 6 one inch thick Filet Mignon steaks patted dry with a paper towel

• salt and pepper to taste, or

• Montreal Steak Seasoning (optional)

1. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Add 3 filets at a time, and cook for 2 minutes; turn over and cook an additional 2 minutes for medium-rare.

3. Remove from skillet, set aside, and tent.

4. Add remaining filets and cook as above.

5. Remove from heat and tent with the other filets.

6. Pour the wine sauce into the skillet and bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits of caramelized crust from cooking the beef.

7. Spoon the sauce over the filets just before serving.