Italian Meat Recipes - Tuscan Braised Beef (Stracotto di Manzo alla Toscana) Recipe

Ingredients

• 900g/2 lb braising steak

• 2 garlic cloves, cut in halves

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 10ml/2 tsp chopped fresh sage

• 10ml/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• 30ml/2 tbsp olive oil

• 25g/2 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter

• 2 onions, sliced

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 150ml/2/3 cup beef stock

• coarsely grated rind of 1/2 lemon

• 45ml/3 tbsp tomato puree

• 150ml/2/3 cup red wine

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Method:

1. Rub the steak with the garlic cloves and sprinkle with salt, pepper, sage and thyme.

2. Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole (Dutch oven) and add the butter.

3. Brown the meat all over and add the onions and carrots. Brown the vegetables and blend in the stock, lemon rind, tomato puree and red wine.

4. Place in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 2 1/2 hours until the sauce is thick and the meat almost falls apart.

5. Slice the meat and spoon over the vegetables and sauce.