Brasato al Barolo

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat the beef cheeks very dry, then season all over with the fine salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dust lightly with the plain flour, shaking off any excess. Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery so they cook down quickly and evenly; this is important for achieving a 60-minute version with a refined sauce.

2. 2

   Heat a heavy casserole or pressure cooker base over medium-high heat. Add the unsalted butter and extra-virgin olive oil. When the foaming subsides, sear the beef cheeks well on both sides until deeply browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan; strong color here builds the final sauce. Remove the meat to a plate.

3. 3

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic cloves to the same pot and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly caramelised at the edges. Add the fresh rosemary, bay leaf, and whole cloves and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour in the Barolo wine and bring to a vigorous boil, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Reduce the wine by roughly one third, about 8-10 minutes; the raw alcohol aroma should soften and the liquid should look slightly syrupy.

5. 5

   Return the beef cheeks to the pot and add the hot beef stock. The liquid should come about two thirds up the meat, not completely cover it. Lock the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. If using a conventional heavy pot instead, this cut will not become tender in 60 minutes; the realistic minimum is considerably longer.

6. 6

   Open the pot and check doneness: the beef cheeks should yield easily to a knife and feel gelatinous but still hold their shape. Transfer the meat to a warm plate. Remove and discard the rosemary, bay leaf, and cloves.

7. 7

   Bring the sauce to a brisk simmer and reduce for 3-5 minutes if needed. For a classic texture, either leave the vegetables rustic or blend the sauce until smooth. Whisk in the cold unsalted butter off the heat to give the sauce shine and roundness. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

8. 8

   Return the beef cheeks briefly to the sauce to glaze them, then serve hot with the sauce spooned over. A short rest of a couple of minutes before plating helps the fibres relax and the glaze cling better.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •This accelerated classic version is designed around a pressure cooker; for traditional stovetop brasato, beef cheeks usually need 2 1/2 to 3 hours of gentle braising.
• •If you want a deeper, more traditional flavor, marinate the beef overnight in the wine and aromatics, but that would add substantial resting time beyond the 60-minute target.
• •Serve with polenta, mashed potatoes, or potato puree to catch the sauce.
• •Beef cheek contains plenty of collagen; trim only hard exterior sinew, not the internal marbling, which melts into the sauce.

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