Scottish Braised Beef Recipes

BRAISED BEEF RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut the beef into large chunks.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Brown the beef chunks. Then remove them and set aside.
• Cook the onions in the same skillet until they are fully cooked (or translucent).
• In a Dutch oven pot, begin layering the ingredients in the following order; 1/2 browned beef chunks, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, then half the sautéed onion and half the garlic (pressed).
• Repeat step 4 with the remaining beef chunks.
• Add the red wine and water to the meat and place the lid on top. Place the pot onto the cooktop and bring it to a boil. Place the pot into the oven for 1 1/2 -2 hours at 360 Fahrenheit. Cook until the meat is fully cooked through.

GRANDPA'S BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a thin layer of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the onions, and garlic to the hot oil and sweat them until very soft and very light caramel in color, 20 to 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and reserve.
• Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a thin layer of oil to the pan. Pat the meat dry and season very liberally with salt and pepper. Brown the meat to a deep brown all over, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Peel the potatoes and very thinly slice them lengthwise into planks. Slice the tomatoes working over a bowl to catch their juices.
• Arrange 1/2 the onions over top of the meat, season with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon thyme. Arrange 1/2 the potatoes over the onions and dress the potatoes with a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, salt, pepper, rosemary, and a handful freshly grated cheese. Top the potatoes with 1/2 the tomatoes and their juices, and season with salt and pepper. Scatter a few leaves of torn basil. Repeat the layers. Do not add basil to the top layer of tomatoes.
• Cover the pan and roast the meat in the oven until very tender, 4 hours. Cool and store for make-ahead meal.
• To reheat: Reheat, covered, in a preheated 325 degree F oven until warmed through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take off the lid of the pot, drizzle the top of the meat with oil, sprinkle with cheese, and broil to lightly crust the top. Cut down through the layers of the potatoes, tomatoes, and onions to portion the meat, serve in shallow bowls with crusty bread and pan juices.

TRADITIONAL BRAISED BEEF STEW

Steps:

• 1. 1. Heat oil in Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat until sizzling hot. Brown meat in 4 batches. Set beef aside; sprinkle with flour.
• 2. 2. Add garlic and onion to pot; cook 3 to 4 minutes until just softened, adding more oil if necessary. Stir in broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Add reserved beef, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
• 3. 3. Simmer covered, on stove-top or in 325°F (160°C) oven for 1 hour until beef is fork tender. Add vegetables; cook 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove and discard bay leaf. Garnish each serving with some chopped parsley.
• 4. • Slow-cooker Version: After Step 2, transfer mixture with carrots and potatoes to 24-cup (6 L) slow-cooker. Cook, covered, on LOW for 8 hours.
• 5. • Beef Stew Provençial Version: Add 8 oz (250 g) button mushrooms when cooking garlic and onions. Substitute dry red wine for stock. Use thyme (as above) or substitute herbes de Provençe for thyme. Instead of potatoes and carrots, use 2 cups (500 mL) cut green beans and 1/2 cup (125 mL) black olives (pitted and halved).
• 6. View Original: http://www.beefinfo.org/Default.aspx?ID=10&SecID=4&RecipeID=1

BRAISED BEEF IN RED WINE

Steps:

• A day ahead, marinate the beef. Bring the wine to the boil in a large saucepan, then boil until reduced by a third to remove the alcohol (takes about 8-10 mins). Leave to cool for about 1 hr. Mix the beef steaks, carrots, celery, baby onions, garlic, crushed peppercorns and bouquet garni together in 1 or 2 large bowls, then pour the cooled red wine over them. Cover with cling film, put in the fridge and leave to marinate for 24 hrs.
• The next day, place a large colander over a large bowl and tip in the beef mixture to drain off the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hr to remove excess liquid.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sprinkle the flour on a baking sheet and cook for 8-10 mins until it has turned pale brown. Set aside. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Separate the beef, vegetables and herbs and pat dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade liquid. Season the beef with 4 pinches of salt. In a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat, warm the clarified butter, then colour the beef steaks in it for 5-7 mins on each side - in batches if necessary. (To clarify butter, warm it gently in a small pan. The white milk solids will sink to the bottom, then you can carefully pour off the clear, clarified butter.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables to the casserole. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 mins until lightly coloured, stirring occasionally.
• Tip the toasted flour into the casserole and stir for a few secs. Pour in the marinade wine little by little, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the flour and until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add the beef and herbs, bring the sauce to the boil and skim if necessary. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 3 hrs.
• To finish the sauce, place a colander (big enough to hold the meat and veg) over a large saucepan and drain off the cooking liquor from the casserole. Put the saucepan on a high heat and boil until the sauce has reduced by about half to make a lightly coating sauce. Skim if necessary. Taste the sauce. Do not add any salt as you will be adding the smoked ham or lardons later. Return the beef and vegetables to the casserole, then pour over the sauce (discarding the herbs).
• For the garnish, heat the butter over a high heat in a large non-stick frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until lightly caramelised, adding a little more butter if necessary. Season to taste. Mix into the beef with the finely sliced ham or freshly fried lardons. Heat through, sprinkle with the parsley and serve piping hot.

RICH BRAISED BEEF WITH MELTING ONIONS

Steps:

• Dust the beef in flour, then set aside. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry for 5 mins. Add the sugar and cook for 5-10 mins, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelised. Stir in the garlic for the final few mins.
• Pour in the stock and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef and mushrooms, then season, adding plenty of black pepper. Cover and cook gently for 2 hrs until the meat is tender. Can be chilled for up to 3 days. To freeze, cool and store in freezer bags. Thaw and reheat in a pan. Serve scattered with parsley.

SUNDAY STASH BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Season beef on all sides with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature at least 45 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 275°F. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches and adding more oil if needed, sear meat until browned on all sides, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
• Add garlic and tomato paste to hot pot and stir to coat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add vinegar and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot. Stir in stock and bay leaves, then nestle short ribs back into pot. The liquid should just cover the meat; if it doesn't, add more stock or water until it does. Transfer to oven and braise until meat falls apart easily when shredded with a fork, 3 1/2-4 hours. Let cool in liquid.
• Do Ahead: Beef can be cooked up to 5 days ahead. Store in braising liquid (to keep it from drying out) in an airtight container and chill, or freeze up to 2 months. Before reheating, break off and discard fat cap that forms on top.
• Cooks' Note: To cook in a slow cooker, transfer to a slow cooker instead of oven and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.

STOUT-BRAISED STEAK WITH STACKED CHIPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Season the steaks well on all sides, then heat a frying pan with 2 tsp of the oil. Brown the steaks well on all sides, then transfer to a snug casserole or narrow, deep baking dish.
• Tip the Guinness into the frying pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any stuck meaty bits. Pour over the steaks along with the stock cube, Worcestershire sauce, brown sauce, bay and skin-on halved shallots (leave the skins on to save time - they are removed from the sauce later). Cover the dish tightly with foil first, then add the lid (or a flat baking tray). Bake in the oven for 3 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Can be done up to 1 day in advance, then cooled and chilled.
• For the chips, 1 hr before serving, turn up oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil while you cut the potatoes into as many 3cm fat chips (save the trimmings in a bowl of water and use for mash another night). Par-boil for 3 mins, then drain and let steam-dry for a few mins. Tip onto a baking tray, toss with the polenta or flour and some sea salt, then drizzle over the oil and toss again. Roast for 45 mins until really crisp and golden.
• When the chips have 20 mins left, lift your steaks from their cooking liquid and use a few sheets of baking parchment to wrap them in a parcel, followed by foil. Put on a low shelf in the oven to heat through for 20 mins. Meanwhile, strain the cooking liquid into a pan, discarding the herbs and shallots. Boil fiercely until reduced by three-quarters. Taste for seasoning, then keep warm.
• Whisk the chopped shallot, horseradish, remaining 2 tsp oil, vinegar and 1 tsp water with some seasoning, then use to dress the watercress.
• To serve, carefully open the meat parcel over your saucepan to catch any juices, and add your beef to the sauce to coat. Stack your chips between 2 plates and add a pile of dressed watercress. Lift a steak onto each plate and spoon over the syrupy juices. Any extra can be served in a jug on the side.