Brasato al Barolo: An Italian Christmas

Face it. The Italians have been celebrating Christmas far longer than we have. While the following recipe is not a Christmas dish per se, with its undertones of warming spices, and a braised beef centerpiece, it is not an outlandish idea that this northern Italian feast could be the focal point of your next holiday banquet.

At its simplest, Brasato al Barolo is beef braised in wine. An entire bottle of wine. We’ve seen this before. But leave it to the Italians to augment in subtle ways that produce a fine and festive result.

Ingredients
Cut of beef (try Callicrate’s tri-tip), 2lbs
Onion, 1 large
Celery, 2 sticks
Carrot, 2 sticks
Garlic, 2 cloves
Dry and bold Italian wine*
Butter, 3 Tbsp
Olive oil, 3 Tbsp
Coves, 3 whole
Cinnamon stick, 1
Bay leaves, 2
Rosemary, 1 whole sprig

*The Italians will use Barolo wine, but its cost here in the States makes it an unnecessary extravagance. Save the Barolo for siping with the meal, and opt to cook with a bottle of Nebbiolo—the same grape used in Barolo, but without the pedigree engendered mystique.

Directions
Marinate the meat: If following Italian tradition, start preparation the morning prior to the meal. While minimal time is required to prepare the marinade, the longer the meat rests in the wine and spices (Italians suggest 12 hours), the more flavorful the finished dish will be.
Place the beef in a large bowl. Add to it the spices (clove, cinnamon, bay, rosemary) in their whole forms, and the vegetables (onion, celery, carrot, garlic) roughly chopped. Douse it all with the wine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a refrigerator for as long as you have time and patience for. (As brief as one hour is acceptable in a pinch.)

Sear the meat: Once the marinading is complete (anywhere from 1 to 12 hours) remove the beef and dab dry with paper towels.
In a dutch oven, melt the butter with the oil over moderate heat. Once the butter has finished bubbling, brown each side of the beef.

Braise the meat: Strain the vegetables and spices from the wine (making sure to set the wine safely aside) and place them in with the seared meat until softened—approximately 15 minutes. Once the vegetables have softened, pour the wine over the top of it all. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the beef and set the alarm for your desired temperature (see side table). Lid the pot and lower the heat to a simmer.
Make the sauce: Once the meat has reached the target temperature, remove and tent with foil. Fish out the bay leaves and rosemary sprig (and cloves if you can find them). Increase the heat and stick-blend the vegetables and wine to a smooth purée. Allow to bubble till a desired thickness is achieved. 
Serve: Slice the beef thin and drape with the wine purée. Pair with a bottle of Barolo. We suggest the Mauro Molino Gallinotto Barolo; the older the better. Buon 

Natale!

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