Description
A hearty rustic Tuscan‑style beef casserole braised slowly in red wine and tomatoes, with aromatic herbs and tender vegetables.
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck, cut into 2–3 in chunks
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to season
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 carrots, cut into 1–2 in chunks
- 2 large potatoes, cut into 1–2 in chunks
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
- Small bunch fresh thyme, chopped
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine (e.g. Cabernet or Chianti)
- 1 cup beef stock (plus ½ cup additional for slurry)
- 1.5 Tbsp cornstarch
- Parsley, to garnish
Instructions
- Season the beef chunks with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat and brown the beef on all sides; remove and keep warm.
- In the same skillet, sauté diced onion until soft and lightly browned, then add garlic and herbs and cook another minute.
- Layer carrots and potatoes at the bottom of a slow cooker, top with the onion‑garlic‑herb mixture.
- Place browned beef over the vegetables.
- Stir in tomato paste, pour over diced tomatoes, red wine, and 1 cup beef stock.
- Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce to low and cook for 4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, mix cornstarch with ½ cup beef stock to form a slurry and stir into the casserole to thicken the sauce.
- Cook for the remaining 30 minutes, then garnish with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Any medium‑bodied dry red wine works fine (Cabernet, Syrah, Chianti, etc.).
- For extra depth, brown both vegetables and meat thoroughly.
- Heats even better the next day.
- Serve with crusty bread or creamy polenta to soak up the sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: ≈367 kcal
- Sugar: ≈4 g
- Sodium: ≈323 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
