On Sunday I tried my hand at some braising. After some recommendations from the butcher at the farmers market, I decided to combine two different cuts of meat for my braise. I chose oxtail and short rib. First, I quickly seared the meat in the dutch oven with a bit of olive oil. After all the meat was seared, I set it to the side to begin sauteing the vegetables. I combined onions, carrots, parsnips, turnips and rutabagas. Meanwhile, I reduced a bottle of cheap California Barbera down by about fifty percent. Once the vegetables were all browned, I deglazed the dutch oven with the reduced red wine. I also added 2 cups of beef broth, the seared meat, thyme, a bay leaf, black peppercorns, and a can of diced tomatoes. Next, I covered the pot and put it in the oven for 3 hours.
The result was a deep and rich pot of tender meat and robust sauce. The beef fell of the bones and was extraordinarily tender. It was good, but I'm learning I'm not a huge beef fan. The sauce of nearly pulverized vegetables was flavorful, rich and a little sweet. It was a wonderful topping for pasta. I think I'll try and make just the vegetables again for a vegetable pasta ragu.
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