Braised Beef and Polenta

By braised we mean a piece of meat cooked slowly in a little cooking liquid, often consisting of wine, the term braising, in fact, derives from the dialectal term “brasa”, or embers.

In the past, the pot containing the piece of meat and the rest of the ingredients was surrounded by red-hot embers and left to cook for a long time.

Before starting cooking, it is required to marinate for many hours in the alcoholic liquid, usually flavored with vegetables and herbs.

Cooking must be prolonged and carried out at a medium temperature in order to allow the collagen to dissolve and make the meat softer and tastier.

The cooking base is of main importance for the realization of the dish, filtered and reduced, it is placed on the braised meat cut into slices before serving.

In the notes at the bottom of the recipe you will find all the rules and important things you need to know for the success of the recipe and for a surprising result.

I recommend pairing this dish with one of these structured red wines:

Nebbiolo DOC or Nero d’Avola DOC, Italy

Syrah AOC Valais or Pinot Noir DOC Grisons, Switzerland

Chateauneuf-du-Pape AOC, France