← Nouns Cooking · Italian

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef chuck or shin, cut into 5 cm chunks
• 8 cloves Garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1½ tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 750 ml Chianti or another dry Tuscan red
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

1. Put the beef, garlic, pepper, salt and oil into a heavy casserole. Pour in the wine; it should just cover the meat, so top up with a little water if needed.
2. Bring slowly to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, then cover and turn the heat to its lowest. Cook for 3 hours, stirring every half hour, until the beef falls apart when pressed with a spoon.
3. If the sauce is still thin, uncover and simmer for another 30 min until it is dark, glossy and clings to the meat. Taste and add more salt if needed.
4. Rest for 10 min, then serve with toasted Tuscan bread, mashed potatoes or soft polenta.

Tips

• There is no browning or soffritto: that is the tradition, and the wine and pepper do all the work.
• Like most stews it is even better the next day; it also cooks happily in a 150°C (130°C fan, 300°F) oven.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

GialloZafferano Sip and Feast Memorie di Angelina