Braising is a French method of cooking that involves searing the meat first at high temperature for flavor, then cooking it slowly at a lower temperature. It is similar to pot roast but with less ingredients. When buying beef, the best beef cut for braising is chuck. The slow cooking breaks it down and infuse it with the flavors of the ingredients.
This braised beef recipe is an excellent comfort food and you can serve it with mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or crusty bread along with your choice of side vegetables. It is easy to make with just a little prep and you can let it cook in the oven for 2 hours. It is a wonderful party dish because you can cook it ahead of time. While it cooks slowly in the oven, your whole house smells good!
Braised Beef Method
Coating the beef with a bit of flour ensures a slightly thicker sauce. This sauce will be nice to wipe with a crusty bread later. Searing the beef at high temperature is important here because the caramelized crust gives it a distinctive flavor and desirable color. Cover the pot while it’s slowly simmering in the oven for a more uniformed heat.
The best vegetables to serve with this braised beef are mushrooms, peas, potatoes, and green beans. You can also serve it with buttered noodles or rice.
If you are cooking this dish for guests, start chopping the vegetables the day before and keep it in the refrigerator. You can also assemble your sides several hours before your guests arrive.
I hope you will try this braised beef recipe which is very easy to make and packed with flavor. Try it for your weekend dinner or if you are entertaining. Serve it with a nice red wine or even a chilled Rose.
| Prep Time | 10 mins. |
| Cook Time | 2 hours, 12 mins. |
| Passive Time | 2 hours |
| Servings |
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck cut in 2 inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sprigs fresh parsley
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a dutch oven or pot roast pot on medium/high heat. Place the flour in a rimmed baking dish. Season beef with a little salt and pepper.
- Coat the meat with flour, shaking off the excess flour. Drop the beef slowly in the hot oil . Do not crowd it. Cook it in batches and let brown about 2 mins. on each side. When all the meat have seared, set aside.
- Add the other 1 Tbsp of oil into the pot and turn heat down to medium. Stir in onions, carrots, and celery and let cook for 2 mins. Add garlic and stir. Let cook for 1 min.
- Add wine and let cook for 2 mins. Stir in beef, parsley, thyme and beef broth. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let simmer for 2 mins.
- Transfer pot into the oven in middle rack and let cook for 2 hours.
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