Author: Dackel Princess

Or what to do when a roast is tough!

After cooking a beautiful Standing Rib Roast the other day and finding that although cooked perfectly, the meat was tough, I decided today to remake the roast into a Beef Stew. If the meat is tough, keep cooking it until it softens. That is my motto!

So, here’s my recipe, developed over the years.

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Large fireproof Dutch Oven, 3 inches deep (large size)

1 -2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
2 pounds lean stewing beef cut into 2-inch cubes
4 carrots chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 cup green pepper,
1/2 cup red pepper chopped
1 – 2 large onion chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cups of a full-bodied young red wine, or a Chianti
2 to 3 cups brown beef stock or canned beef bouillon
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic chopped
1/2 – 1 teaspoon thyme (to taste)
1 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered, sauteed in butter
3 medium potatoes peeled and quartered.
1 package frozen peas with pearl onions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Place olive oil in Dutch Oven and toss the beef in flour and then saute the beef. Remove to a dish.

(Since the meat has been cooked, when you cook the vegetables, take 2-3 tablespoons of flour and mix with 2-3 tablespoons butter in the pot. Allow to cook in order to form a base for the sauce.)

In the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Cook mushrooms in saute pan with butter.

Return the beef to the Dutch Oven and toss with the salt and pepper. Add mushrooms.

Stir in the wine and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove.

Then cover the casserole and set in lower third of preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 3 – 4 hours. Add potatoes after 1 hour. Then add the frozen peas and pearl onions. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.

For immediate serving: Serve in its casserole.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

Serves 6.

Corned Beef and Cabbage St. Patrick’s Day Feast!

Heat the oven to 290- 300 degrees F.

Heavy Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Large thick FLAT CUT Corned Beef Brisket.
3 onions
2 carrots, 1 stalk celery, 2 cloves garlic sliced thinly
4 fresh marjoram,
4-6 fresh thyme
4 bay leaves.

On the bottom of pot place, 3 large onions cut up into ¼ inch slices.
Add a few thinly sliced carrots, celery, garlic, fresh marjoram, fresh thyme and bay leaves.

Set the meat on top of the vegetables and add water to just cover the meat. Bring to a boil skimming any foam that surfaces.
Cover with lid. Place the Dutch Oven in the oven and cook slowly for 6 hours. Check and if it is boiling hard, turn oven down. If the meat is tough when you check it, it’s not done! This cut of beef needs a lot of slow cooking!
Remove from the oven, set on wire rack. Leave it covered and let it rest for 20 minutes. Slice the corned beef, and serve

Meanwhile: Portions vary depending on how many you are feeding.
Peel potatoes and cook until tender.
Peel carrots cut into chunks and cook until tender.
Remove outer skins from Pearl Onions and cut off ends. Cook until tender
Cut a large head of cabbage into wedges. Cook until very tender.