Red wine braised beef and pasta gratin is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a special occasion or a cozy night in. The beef is braised in red wine until it is fall-apart tender, and then served over a creamy pasta gratin. The combination of the rich, savory beef and the creamy, cheesy pasta is sure to please everyone at the table. This dish is relatively easy to make, but it does take some time, so it is best to plan ahead. The good news is that most of the cooking time is unattended, so you can relax and enjoy your evening while the beef braises away in the oven.
Here are our top 7 tried and tested recipes!
RED WINE BRAISED SHORT RIBS
Provided by Claire Robinson
Categories main-dish
Time 3h35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ribs and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a plate, then add the garlic and stir until softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Carefully pour in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup. Add the ribs and any juices they have released back to the pot along with the stock. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven, to braise, until the meat easily falls off the bone, about 3 hours.
- Transfer the ribs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Simmer the liquid, skimming fat as necessary, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Transfer the ribs and sauce to a serving dish and serve.
BEEF AND RED WINE PIE WITH CHEESY POTATO TOP
Steps:
- For the beef and gravy: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Trim excess fat from the beef and cut it into about 3-inch cubes.
- Measure out all the dry spices (garlic powder, mustard powder, onion powder, salt, celery seed, ginger powder and pepper) and mix together in a large mixing bowl. Coat the beef cubes liberally in the spice mix.
- Bring a saute pan to medium heat and add the oil (a sufficient amount to shallow fry the beef). Fry the beef cubes, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, turning onto each side, until a deep golden brown. Place the browned beef in a deep casserole dish.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the leftover spice mix over the cooked beef (omit this step if all the spice mix was used to coat the beef before cooking).
- Roughly chop the garlic and onion and add to the casserole dish with the beef. Tie the thyme, bay leaves and rosemary together with kitchen string (or you can use one of the thyme sprigs to do this).
- Pour the red wine over the beef (enough to submerge all the beef, and reserving 1/3 cup for later). Wrap plastic film over the casserole dish and then wrap in aluminum foil and ensure a tight seal all around. Place the beef in the oven and cook until tender, about 3 hours.
- Remove the beef and roughly chop into about 1/2-inch cubes. Remove the fresh herbs and discard.
- Place the liquid from the casserole dish, including the onions and garlic, into a food processor and blend until smooth; this will become the gravy for the pies. Return the liquid to a saucepan and bring to a slow boil. Add the cornstarch to the water and whisk. Add to the boiling gravy, whisking while adding to avoid lumps forming. Add the reserved 1/3 cup red wine and cook the gravy, stirring regularly to avoid burning, for about 10 minutes. The gravy should be relatively thick in consistency. Add more cornstarch and water mixture if the gravy is not thick enough.
- Pour the gravy over the chopped beef to liberally coat the beef cubes; you may not need all the gravy you have made. Allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, for the pie dough: Add the flour and salt to an electric food mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix on slow speed so the flour doesn't spray out of the bowl, about 1 minute.
- Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add several cubes at a time to the flour with the mixer on slow speed. Mix until pea-size crumbs have formed.
- Mix the water and vinegar together in a small bowl. Change the attachment to the dough hook on the mixer and mix on slow speed while pouring in the water and vinegar mixture. Continue mixing until a dough ball has formed on the hook, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the dough ball, wrap in plastic film and chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough ball and sprinkle liberally with flour, as well as the work surface (countertop). Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1/16-inch thick.
- Use a 10-inch ring cutter to cut out circles of dough. Take the dough circles and place into six to eight 4 1/2-to- 5-inch foil pie tins (at least 1-inch deep). Work the dough around to ensure it is neatly covering the pie tin and slightly overlaps the edges.
- For the cheesy potato top: Peel and cube the potatoes. Boil until soft, then drain the water and mash while adding the cubed butter. When at a smooth consistency, add the cheeses and mix thoroughly to incorporate. Add some cream if needed to ensure the mash is of a smooth consistency. Add salt to desired taste.
- Spoon the beef and gravy into the dough-lined pie tins.
- Using a large cooking spoon, spoon the mashed potato over the filled pies, scraping down against the rim of the foil pie tin to ensure a smooth surface of the potato topping.
- Place the pies onto a baking tray and place the oven on fan or convection setting (if available) and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the tray and continue cooking until the pastry is cooked all the way through, 10 to 15 minutes (gently lift the pie out of the foil pie tin to check that the bottom of the pastry is fully cooked).
RED WINE-BRAISED BEEF SHANKS WITH MUSHROOMS AND BASIL-MASHED POTATOES
Steps:
- In a large Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over high heat until very hot.
- Season shanks on both sides with the Essence, transfer to Dutch oven and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer shanks to a plate and set aside. Add onion, celery, carrots and mushrooms to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelize, about 7 minutes.
- Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary and cook for 2 minutes. Add red wine and stir well with a wooden spoon, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any bits. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper and stir well to combine.
- Return shanks to the Dutch oven and bring sauce to a boil. Cover Dutch oven, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 5 hours, stirring occasionally, or until shanks are tender. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately, with sauce ladled over Basil-Mashed Potatoes. Serve with Sauteed Fennel and Leeks.
- Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
- Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
- In a saucepan combine potatoes with enough water to cover by 1 inch and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain potatoes in a colander. Add butter and milk to the saucepan and heat until butter is melted. Return potatoes to the saucepan, add sour cream, and mash with a potato masher until desired smoothness is achieved. Season with more salt (if necessary) and black pepper. Stir in chopped basil and serve immediately.
- 4 servings
- Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil. Add fennel and saute for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add leeks and season with salt and pepper. Saute until fennel and leeks are tender, another 4 minutes. Add lemon zest and butter and toss. Adjust seasoning and serve.
DRUNKEN RED WINE PASTA
Steps:
- Bring the wine and 8 cups water to a boil in a large pasta pot. Add the orecchiette and cook according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
- As the pasta cooks, heat a large saute pan over medium heat and brown the pancetta. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind. Add the shallots and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pancetta back to the pan as well as the mascarpone and 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking liquid (water/wine mixture). Stir to combine into a sauce, then mix in the cooked orecchiette; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the thyme leaves if using.
BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE
Steps:
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.
- Heat oil in pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking.
- Meanwhile, pat meat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown meat in hot oil on all sides, about 10 minutes total. (If bottom of pot begins to scorch, lower heat to moderate.) Transfer to a plate using a fork and tongs.
- Add pancetta to oil in pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sauté, stirring, until garlic begins to soften and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer, then return meat along with any juices accumulated on plate to pot. Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven. Braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Transfer meat to a cutting board. Skim fat from surface of sauce and discard along with herb stems. Boil sauce until reduced by about one third, about 5 minutes, then season with salt. Cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices and return to sauce.
BEEF BRAISED IN RED WINE
Provided by Florence Fabricant
Categories dinner, roasts, main course
Time 2h
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place the meat in a bowl, add the wine and one-half cup of the onions. Cover and refrigerate overnight, but no more than 16 hours.
- The next day, remove the meat from the wine marinade, reserving the marinade. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat the meat dry on paper towels.
- Heat the oil in a heavy three-quart casserole, add the beef and brown it on all sides. Remove the meat from the casserole and add the remaining onions and cook over medium-low heat until tender and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic.
- Add the stock and the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan. Stir in salt and pepper to taste, the bay leaf and rosemary. Return the meat to the casserole.
- Cover the casserole and place in the oven. Bake for about two hours, until the meat is tender.
- To serve at once, remove the meat from the casserole and slice it. Arrange on a platter. Reheat the sauce and check seasonings. Spoon some of the hot sauce over the meat and pass the rest alongside.
- Alternatively, the meat can be refrigerated overnight in the cooking liquid, and the next day the meat can be sliced and the sauce reheated before serving. Doing this will improve both the flavor and texture of the meat and will also allow the layer of chilled fat on the surface of the liquid to be removed and discarded.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 372, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 6 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 680 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams
BRAISED BEEF IN RED WINE
A hearty classic that tastes even better when made a day or two in advance
Provided by Raymond Blanc
Categories Dinner, Main course
Time P1DT6h
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- A day ahead, marinate the beef. Bring the wine to the boil in a large saucepan, then boil until reduced by a third to remove the alcohol (takes about 8-10 mins). Leave to cool for about 1 hr. Mix the beef steaks, carrots, celery, baby onions, garlic, crushed peppercorns and bouquet garni together in 1 or 2 large bowls, then pour the cooled red wine over them. Cover with cling film, put in the fridge and leave to marinate for 24 hrs.
- The next day, place a large colander over a large bowl and tip in the beef mixture to drain off the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hr to remove excess liquid.
- Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sprinkle the flour on a baking sheet and cook for 8-10 mins until it has turned pale brown. Set aside. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
- Separate the beef, vegetables and herbs and pat dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade liquid. Season the beef with 4 pinches of salt. In a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat, warm the clarified butter, then colour the beef steaks in it for 5-7 mins on each side - in batches if necessary. (To clarify butter, warm it gently in a small pan. The white milk solids will sink to the bottom, then you can carefully pour off the clear, clarified butter.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables to the casserole. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 mins until lightly coloured, stirring occasionally.
- Tip the toasted flour into the casserole and stir for a few secs. Pour in the marinade wine little by little, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the flour and until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add the beef and herbs, bring the sauce to the boil and skim if necessary. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 3 hrs.
- To finish the sauce, place a colander (big enough to hold the meat and veg) over a large saucepan and drain off the cooking liquor from the casserole. Put the saucepan on a high heat and boil until the sauce has reduced by about half to make a lightly coating sauce. Skim if necessary. Taste the sauce. Do not add any salt as you will be adding the smoked ham or lardons later. Return the beef and vegetables to the casserole, then pour over the sauce (discarding the herbs).
- For the garnish, heat the butter over a high heat in a large non-stick frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until lightly caramelised, adding a little more butter if necessary. Season to taste. Mix into the beef with the finely sliced ham or freshly fried lardons. Heat through, sprinkle with the parsley and serve piping hot.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 894 calories, Fat 51 grams fat, SaturatedFat 24 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 12 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 78 grams protein, Sodium 1.88 milligram of sodium
Tips:
- Choosing the right cut of beef is key. Look for a chuck roast or short rib that has good marbling.
- Browning the beef before braising it adds flavor and color.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of red wine. A full-bodied wine like a Cabernet Franc or Merlot will add a lot of flavor to the dish.
- Use a good quality beef broth. It will make a big difference in the flavor of the final dish.
- Simmer the beef for at least 2 hours, or until it is fall-apart tender.
- Making the pasta gratin is a great way to use up leftover pasta. You can also use fresh pasta if you prefer.
- Use a good quality cheese that melts well. A Gruyère or Fontina cheese would be a good choice.
- Don't overcook the pasta gratin. It should be bubbly and golden brown, but still have a little bit of a bite to it.
Conclusion:
This red wine braised beef and pasta gratin is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a special occasion. The beef is fall-apart tender and the pasta gratin is cheesy and bubbly. This dish is sure to impress your guests.
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