Brasato al Chianti

Brasato al Chianti

 

It is a typical Tuscan dish which is often served with baby onions cooked in sweet and sour sauce (the season of baby onions starts in October and ends in April). I suggest trying it also with pilaw rice or sliced fried mushrooms.

For cooking the Brasato it is necessary to respect some rule: 1) select only sterling meat 2) be careful to not pierce the meat with forks or knives to avoid losing the juices; 3) brown all sides of the meat before adding the marinade; 4) let the  Brasato rest one hour at least before serving: in this way  the meat  tissues will be tender relax and there will a better distribution of the meat juices.

Ingredients for 6/8 persons

• 1 kg  of beef
• some bay leaf
• rosemary
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 cloves
• 2 lard slices
• 4/5 table spoons of extravirgin olive oil
• 1 bottle of Chianti wine
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 table spoon of maizena
• salt
• black pepper
• in season vegetables

  

cooking steps

1.      clean the celery and the carrot and chop it roughly

2.      put the cloves into the onion and quarter it

3.      make the marinade with the wine, the bay leaves, the rosemary, the cinnamon, the onion, the carrot and the celery

4.      let the meat rest in the marinade for 24 hours

5.      take the meat off the marinade and dry it with a sheet of kitchen paper

6.      lash the meat

7.      heat the oil with the lard and the garlic clove in a pan for braising

8.      brown all the meat sides

9.      add the marinade

10.  cook it at high flame until it starts boiling

11.  put a lid on and go on cooking at low flame for about 2 hours turning the meat over every 15’

12.  take the meat out off from the pan and lay it aside

13.  take the cinnamon sticks from the marinade

14.  tip the marinade into the mixer then add the butter and the maizena

15.  mix until it becomes creamy

16.  put the marinade into the pan

17.  add the meat and cook it for about 15’

18.  turn off the flame

19.  let the brasato rest in the pan with the lid for 1 hour at least

20.  serve it sliced and dressed with the tepid marinade sauce