Beef braised in red wine

Name: Beef braised in red wine
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1.4 kg beef shoulder, preferably oyster blade, trimmed and cut into six-centimetre cubes; 4 litres red wine; 2 bay leaves; 2 sprigs thyme; 6 garlic cloves; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; ¼ cup plain flour; Sea salt; Freshly ground white pepper; Vegetable oil; 1 carrot, roughly chopped; 1 large brown onion, roughly chopped; 1 stick celery, roughly chopped; 2 litres beef stock

Jeremy and Jane Strode

October 18, 2011

Time:2 hours +Serves:4

When working at Michel Roux's Waterside Inn in England, I watched the head chef cook this recipe twice a week in winter. No one else was allowed to prepare the dish. For 25 years, the restaurant has had three Michelin stars. I cook it in our restaurant, Bistrode, every year.

Ingredients

1.4 kg beef shoulder, preferably oyster blade, trimmed and cut into six-centimetre cubes
4 litres red wine
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
6 garlic cloves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
¼ cup plain flour
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Vegetable oil
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 large brown onion, roughly chopped
1 stick celery, roughly chopped
2 litres beef stock

Method

Two days before cooking, put the beef, two litres of the red wine, bay leaves, thyme, garlic and peppercorns in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 170C.
Place flour on a baking tray and put in oven for about 10 minutes. Set aside. Drain meat and pat dry, discarding the wine and retaining spices. Heat oil in a frypan and brown meat on all sides. Season. Heat a casserole pan with vegetable oil. Fry carrot, onion and celery until brown. Add remaining wine and retained spices and boil until the liquid has reduced by three quarters - 10-15 minutes. Stir in flour, then the stock.
Season and bring to the boil. Add the beef, reboil and skim. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 2 to 2½ hours. Serve with mashed potato, celeriac or parsnip.