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Alexandria, Virginia

Braised Beef, Italian-Style

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs round or chuck steak, approx. 1½" thick
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
  • 1 sm. red bell pepper, cut in thin strips
  • 1 sm. onion, chopped
  • 2 lg cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1 14.5-oz can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp celery salt
  • ½ tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 bottle dry red wine, divided
  • 4 lg leaves fresh basil, plus more for garnish, as desired
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • freshly grated Parmesan for serving, as desired

Instructions

  1. Moisten steak with wet paper towels. Season lightly w/ salt and pepper.

  2. Coat bottom of Dutch oven or lg casserole with olive oil. Cook steak in oil over med.-high heat until well browned on both sides, approx. 10 min. per side.

  3. Meanwhile, sauté bell pepper and onion over med. heat in lg skillet coated w/ olive oil.

  4. When beef is browned, add sautéed pepper and onion, garlic, water, bouillon cube, stewed tomatoes, celery salt, and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to med.-low.

  5. Reserve ½ c. wine and pour rest of bottle over beef.

  6. Cover. Simmer 1½ hrs.

  7. Add basil, parsley, and bay leaf. Continue to simmer until steak is fork-tender and reaches at least 145 F, approx. 30-60 min.

  8. Transfer meat to heated platter w/ cooked pasta, spaghetti squash, sautéed eggplant, mashed cauliflower, or other bed, as desired. Remove bay leaf. Using slotted spoon, top beef w/ lg vegetable pieces. Set aside to rest.

  9. Meanwhile, make sauce: Add remaining wine to liquid in pot. Add butter. Increase heat to med-high and just bring to low boil. Immediately reduce heat to med.-low and simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally. Transfer to serving dish.

  10. Garnish meat and serve w/ sauce and freshly grated Parmesan, as desired.