“Il cibo buono non ha bisogno di parole.”
Translation: Good food needs no words.
Yep, it is that time of year again, long 4th of July weekend and the tourists have arrived in full force…the traffic warrants that “do not go anywhere” scream! We may not see your face again until Tuesday evening, all of the stores have run out of food, all the fresh seafood has been gobbled up along with the fresh fruits and vegetables from the farm stands!…and so it goes to be expected every year, but this year is special 3-5 nights of full on fireworks, the pets love it you know.
So I’m breaking rules starting with dinner on the fourth, Pellegrino Artusi type STRACOTTO, Using Chianti and taking hints from Billi Parisi, and hopefully 3 hours will be long enough to produce a tender roast.
Pellegrino Artusi’s classic Italian pot roast is known as Stracotto (often corrupted as staccato). This recipe from his iconic 1891 cookbook, La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene, calls for a large, marbled cut of beef larded with garlic, simmered low and slow for 5 to 6 hours with a flavorful mix of vegetables, tomato sauce, and red wine or Marsala.
Ingredients”. slightly adapted
- Beef: 3.3 lbs (approx. 1.5 kg) thick beef flank, chuck, or similar pot roast cut
- Lard (or Pancetta): 1.7 oz (50 g), finely chopped
- Butter: 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Veggies: 1 large onion, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk (all cleaned, peeled, and chopped)
- Aromatics: 2 cloves garlic, 2 bay leaves
- Sauce: 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce or purée (I used a can of San Marzano peeled tomatoes, 28 ounces)
- Liquid: 1 cup full-bodied red wine (Artusi also suggests Marsala or a splash of rum). (Chianti)
- Broth: 2 cups (or enough to keep the meat moist while braising)
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: Dehydrated assorted mushrooms plumped in in warm water, strain mushroom juice and add to the pot before placing in the oven.
Instructions
- Prep the Meat: Pierce the beef flank with small, shallow holes and insert the garlic cloves into the slits. Season the exterior of the beef with salt and pepper.
- Make the Soffritto: In a saucepan, gently melt the butter and add the finely chopped lard and onion. Sauté until the onion is golden-brown.
- Add the Vegetables & Sear: Add the chopped carrot and celery to the pot and cook for a few minutes. Add the prepared meat and brown it evenly on all sides over the heat. [1]
- Braise Low and Slow: Pour in the red wine (or Marsala), tomato sauce, bay leaves, and broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on very low heat (or in the oven) for 5 to 6 hours, turning the meat occasionally and adding more broth if it gets dry.
- Serve: Once it’s fork-tender, remove the meat and cut it into rather thick slices. Place the slices on a serving platter. Puree or blend the remaining vegetables and pan juices into a rich sauce, and pour it over the beef.
For a visual guide on the traditional browning and braising process to achieve a perfect, fall-apart texture: