Difficulty: Easy • Serves: 4
Ingredients
1kg chuck steak (cut into 4 cm cubes)200ml quality red wine
1 medium onion (sliced)
10 stems fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
150 gm speck (cut into batons)
12 small eschallots
400 gm small button mushrooms
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 carrot (diced)
1 stick celery (diced)
1 brown onion (diced)
1 leek (white part sliced)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 litre beef stock
1 bay leaf
5 stems fresh thyme
Method
- Pre heat the oven to 150°C. Cut the rump into large 40mm pieces and place into a bowl. Add the red wine, sliced onion; fresh thyme, seasoning and olive oil then combine well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove the meat, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. Retain the wine for cooking later but discard the onions and thyme.
- Heat a large heavy base pot and add the extra virgin olive oil. Bring up to heat and add the speck, frying until crisp, then remove to a bowl. Add the small peeled eschallots and cook until golden, then place with the bacon. Add in the mushrooms and cook until sizzling and golden. Remove and add to the speck and eschallots.
- Add more olive oil and when very hot add the beef pieces and cook until well browned. Add the garlic and cook for several more minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Heat the pan with a little olive oil and add in the carrots, celery, onions and leeks. Allow to brown then add in the tomato paste and cook for several minutes. Add in the strained red wine and stir well to dissolve all the sediments.
- Bring to a simmer, add in the stock and bay leaf, cover with a lid and braise slowly for 1 to 2 hours on until the meat is tender. Top with extra wine or stock if required during the cooking process.
- Remove all the meat and set aside. Strain the liquid and discard the vegetables. Boil the liquid and reduce until slightly thick. Combine together the tender beef with the reduced liquid, speck, mushrooms, eschallots and thyme leaves.
