Braised Beef with Porcini Mushrooms
With the cooler temperatures, perhaps some rain, comes the best part of all…..Fall comfort food, and of course (perhaps more importantly) the wines that go with it. Couple that with a meal that includes friends or family and you have all the makings of not just a great meal, but memories, and perhaps some new traditions. When we were trying some of our 2019 Syrah, we couldn’t help but picture braised beef with porcini mushrooms over creamy polenta. This meal may sound complicated, but it’s not! Grab some Cast 2019 Syrah, a glass, and you can create this hearty meal. We wanted to share this recipe with you so that you can enjoy a great meal with great wine!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pound chuck roast
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 1/2 cups tomato paste
- 2 to 3 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 bunch fresh thyme and a sprig of rosemary, tied with kitchen strin
- 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
Directions
Cut the roast into equal size pieces and season generously with salt and pepper. Coat a pot large enough to accommodate all the meat and vegetables with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Add the short ribs to the pan and brown very well, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches, if necessary.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Boil water for mushrooms-Once water is boiled, place dry mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water and let sit for 20-30 minutes.
While the pieces of roast are browning, puree half of the vegetables and garlic in the food processor until it forms a coarse paste. When the meat pieces are very brown on all sides, remove them from the pan. Drain the fat, coat the bottom of the same pan with fresh oil and add the pureed and cut vegetables. Season the vegetables generously with salt and brown until they are very dark and a have become caramelized on the bottom of the pan, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the caramelized bits and let it reform. Scrape the caramelized vegetables again and add the tomato paste.
Brown the tomato paste for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan. If you’d like, you can add a splash of the 2019 Syrah here as well. Lower the heat if things start to burn. Reduce the mixture by half.
Return the meat to the pan and add 2 beef broth or until it has just about covered the meat. Add the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Roughly chop the rehydrated mushrooms and add to the pan. Cover the pan and place in the preheated oven for 3 hours. Check periodically during the cooking process and add more water, if needed. Turn the meat over halfway through the cooking time.
Remove the lid during the last 20 minutes of cooking to let things get nice and brown and to let the sauce reduce. When done the meat should be very tender but not falling apart. Serve with the braising liquid.