Tuscan Slow Cooked Braised Beef with Red Onions

by Luciano Ghinassi

Luciano starts his day early at the restaurant and this is one of the dishes that he makes first thing so that it cooks long and slow to ensure the muscle breaks down and becomes tender, while the onions soften in the wine resulting in a delicious ‘sugo’ which is then served perfectly with creamy polenta.

Braising is a simple cooking technique that involves browning the meat in a pan with a fat, oil or butter, and then cooking it in a little liquid inside a saucepan with a lid, on the stove or in the oven. The concept behind the braising is the exchange of flavours between the meat and the liquid in which it is cooked. The long and slow cooking helps to develop flavours and to transform even the toughest cuts into a very tender braised meat.

ingredients

• 1 kg beef muscle
• 5oo grams of sliced onions (Tropea onions if available)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 glass of red wine.preferably Chianti
• 1/2 glass of vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

method

1. Cut the beef into large chunks and lightly cover it in flour.
2. Add 4 tablespoons of oil to a saucepan and caramelize the beef.
3. Slice the onions and cook in 4 tbsp of oil until they soften.
4. Add the meat, salt and then the wine and vinegar.
5. Cover and cook on a low heat for at least 1 1/2 hours, until the meat is soft and falls apart, stirring occasionally.
6. Cook polenta following instructions on the packet.
7. Place the polenta on the plate, followed by the brasato.
8. Enjoy with a good glass of Chianti Classico.

If you would like to read more about Luciano Ghinassi and his very popular restaurant in Florence, Buca Lapi, then click here.