Braised Beef in Tomato Sauce

I love my yellow pot. It’s one of those cast iron enameled Le Creuset pans. It weighs a ton and costs an arm and a leg. But it holds a special place in my kitchen heart because it seems everything I cook in it comes out perfectly. I know, I sound like an advertisement. I don’t mean to, but…….I love my yellow pot.

I recently made a delicious braised beef dish in my sunshine yellow pot. I made it up on the spot, using what I happened to have on hand. As a result, know you can change this recipe up very easily by using a different cut, or even a completely different kind of meat. I used a very inexpensive cut of beef. The wonder of braising is this method of cooking turns potentially tough cuts of meat into tender, juicy delights. Different vegetables could be easily substituted as well. 
Here’s your list of ingredients:
Olive oil
1 clove of garlic, smashed
Beef chuck, center cut steak, bone-in (about 2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and cut into large pieces
Salt and pepper
Red wine, a goodly glug
28 oz. can of Italian whole plum tomatoes in tomato puree
1c. water
Oregano, thyme and rosemary, about 1/2 tsp. each
Fingerling potatoes, cut into chunks
Sweet onions, cut into chunks
Artichoke hearts, quartered (I used canned this time, though I’ve used fresh before and like them even better)
Let's get started:
Preheat the oven to 350.
(This dish does take about 1 1/2 hours in the oven, so plan accordingly.)

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Set your pan on the stove, pour in a good glug of olive oil, add the smashed garlic clove and turn the heat up to med/high.  Rub the garlic clove all around in the hot oil to really flavor up the oil. With regard to the beef, I like to leave the bone in, trim off the excess fat and leave my meat in large chunks.

Lay your meat chunks down in the hot oil and let them brown on one side. Season the top side with salt and pepper. When the bottoms are brown, turn them over and season the brown side with salt and pepper as well.

Now it's time to start adding in our real flavor enhancers:
When both sides of the meat are done browning, add a nice healthy dose of red wine….about 6 oz….at least. Let the wine cook down, before adding the can of tomatoes. I always splurge here and buy a can of imported Italian tomatoes. I honestly think they taste better and are so worth the extra pennies. It is always my preference to use fresh herbs, but I didn’t happen to have any on hand. As a result, I used dried oregano, thyme and rosemary; about ½ tsp of each. 

I dump the whole can of tomatoes in after the wine has cooked down, and then before they can get too hot, I reach in there and give each one a good squeeze to release the juicy interior. There’s something very satisfying about squeezing a tomato and having it ooze out between your fingers. Add about 1 c. of water to the pot as well.  And now is the time to sprinkle in your herbs.

Now, it's veg time.  I found these adorable little organic Mayan sweet onions at the market.  I also had on hand some fingerling potatoes, and when I took a peek in the pantry, I found a can of artichoke hearts.  Yum!

Just cut the potatoes and onions into chunks and slide them into the pot.  Add the artichoke wedges as well. Give everything a good stir and check to be sure the meat chunks are submerged under the tomato sauce. Time to put the lid on and slide it into the oven.

You’ve got time on your hands now, so you may as well pour yourself a glass of whatever wine you poured into the pot. For me, in this case, it was a Grenache-Syrah combo. Whip up a quick salad, slice some crusty bread and dinner will be on the table soon.

Over the next hour, you will slowly come to realize the kitchen; nay the entire house smells wonderful. It means dinner is almost ready. After 1 ½ hours in the oven, take a peek. If the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork, ring the dinner bell. If not, put it back in for another 30 minutes. Buon appetito! 

 Have I told you how much I love my yellow pot?