Ordinarily i don't think Merlot makes a very good cooking wine but
yesterday i tried the ATK recipe for beef braised in barolo wine, only i
did not have any barolo and didn't care to pay the 30 odd dollars for
the only bottle available at a local wine shop so i used a 12 dollar
bottle of Chilean merlot, and i was very impressed with the results.

The following recipe, [amended by me] is from

https://www.americastestkitchen.com/...2220&iSeason=6

which, at the web site, there are pictures for the defatting and tying
of the beef roast.
--
JL

Beef Braised in Barolo

Purchase pancetta that is cut to order, about 1/4 inch thick. If
pancetta is not available, substitute an equal amount of salt pork (find
the meatiest piece possible), cut it into 1/4-inch cubes, and boil it in
3 cups of water for about 2 minutes to remove excess salt. After
draining, use it as you would pancetta.

This braise can be prepared up to 2 days in advance; complete the recipe
through step 2. When you're ready to serve, skim off the fat congealed
on the surface and gently warm until the meat is heated through.
Continue with the recipe from step 3.


Serves 6
1 chuck-eye roast , boneless (about 3 1/2 pounds), middle fat cut out
and whole roast tied up.
Table salt and ground black pepper
4 ounces pancetta , cut into 1/4-inch cubes (see note)
2 medium onions , chopped medium (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
2 ribs celery , chopped medium (1 cup)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about
1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon bleached all-purpose flour
1 bottle Barolo wine (750 milliliters) [replaced with the above
mentioned merlot]
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes , drained
1 sprig fresh thyme leaves , plus 1 teaspoon minced leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
10 sprigs fresh parsley leaves


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees.
Thoroughly pat beef dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt
and pepper. Place pancetta in 8-quart heavy-bottomed Dutch oven; cook
over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about
8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towel-lined
plate and reserve. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat; set Dutch oven
over medium-high heat and heat fat until beginning to smoke. Add beef to
pot and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
Transfer beef to large plate; set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium; add onions, carrots, celery, and tomato paste
to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften
and brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, sugar, flour, and reserved
pancetta; cook, stirring constantly, until combined and fragrant, about
30 seconds. Add wine and tomatoes, scraping bottom of pan with wooden
spoon to loosen browned bits; add thyme sprig, rosemary, and parsley.
Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; increase heat to high
and bring liquid to boil, then place large sheet of foil over pot and
cover tightly with lid. Set pot in oven and cook, using tongs to turn
beef every 45 minutes, until dinner fork easily slips in and out of
meat, about 3 hours.

3. Transfer beef to cutting board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow
braising liquid to settle about 5 minutes, then, using wide shallow
spoon, skim fat off surface. Add minced thyme, bring liquid to boil over
high heat, and cook, whisking vigorously to help vegetables break down,
until mixture is thickened and reduced to about 3 1/2 cups, about 18
minutes. Strain liquid through large fine-mesh strainer, pressing on
solids with spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; you should
have 1 1/2 cups strained sauce (if necessary, return strained sauce to
Dutch oven and reduce to 1 1/2 cups). Discard solids in strainer. Season
sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Remove kitchen twine from meat and discard. Using chef's or carving
knife, cut meat against grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Divide meat
between warmed bowls or plates; pour about 1/4 cup sauce over and serve
immediately.

jay wrote:
> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:53:04 -0800, Joseph Littleshoes wrote:
>
>> Ordinarily i don't think Merlot makes a very good cooking wine but
>> yesterday i tried the ATK recipe for beef braised in barolo wine, only i
>> did not have any barolo and didn't care to pay the 30 odd dollars for
>> the only bottle available at a local wine shop so i used a 12 dollar
>> bottle of Chilean merlot, and i was very impressed with the results.
>
> I don't blame you! $30 vs $12..
>
> Merlot is a little soft to me, I don't even drink it often. The barolo is
> aged in oak and will be "big" as compared to the merlot..with more tannins.
>
> 2 recipes prepared the same, one with merlot and one with barolo ..it would
> be hard to impossible to tell the difference. IMHO
>
> You spent more ($12) than I would have.

My cooking wines are Carlo Rossi Paisano ($9 for 4 liters), and Opici
Marsala and Madiera ($4.50 for 3/4 liter) 190-proof alcohol isn't
available in California, but I use it (Everclear, Gold Seal) at half
quantity when vodka is called for.

Jerry
--
"The rights of the best of men are secured only as the
rights of the vilest and most abhorrent are protected."
- Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, 1927
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

jay > writes:
>You spent more ($12) than I would have.

How do you spend $0 on a bottle of red wine to cook with?

In article >,
Joseph Littleshoes > wrote:

> Ordinarily i don't think Merlot makes a very good cooking wine but
> yesterday i tried the ATK recipe for beef braised in barolo wine, only i
> did not have any barolo and didn't care to pay the 30 odd dollars for
> the only bottle available at a local wine shop so i used a 12 dollar
> bottle of Chilean merlot, and i was very impressed with the results.

For savory dishes, my two favorite cooking wines are Merlot and
Burgundy. Especially for beef sauces.
--
Peace, Om

Remove _ to validate e-mails.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson

jay wrote:

> On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:53:04 -0800, Joseph Littleshoes wrote:
>
>
>>Ordinarily i don't think Merlot makes a very good cooking wine but
>>yesterday i tried the ATK recipe for beef braised in barolo wine, only i
>>did not have any barolo and didn't care to pay the 30 odd dollars for
>>the only bottle available at a local wine shop so i used a 12 dollar
>>bottle of Chilean merlot, and i was very impressed with the results.
>
>
> I don't blame you! $30 vs $12..
>
> Merlot is a little soft to me, I don't even drink it often. The barolo is
> aged in oak and will be "big" as compared to the merlot..with more tannins.
>
> 2 recipes prepared the same, one with merlot and one with barolo ..it would
> be hard to impossible to tell the difference. IMHO
>
> You spent more ($12) than I would have.


The ATK (Americas test kitchen) show recommended a less expensive bottle
of Barolo 12 - 16$ iirc over a more expensive (older) bottle, i intend
to eventually do the recipe with the less expensive Barolo but i will
probly first use a good burgundy.

The pancetta makes a big difference in the finished product, i had never
thought to use pancetta or bacon in a beef dish.
--
JL

Joseph Littleshoes wrote:
> The ATK (Americas test kitchen) show recommended a less expensive bottle
> of Barolo 12 - 16$ iirc over a more expensive (older) bottle, i intend
> to eventually do the recipe with the less expensive Barolo but i will
> probly first use a good burgundy.

I saw that recommendation, but when I asked for it at an otherwise
primo
wine shop, they looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe it was the plus
fours
and trilby that I was wearing, but I don't think so. $12 to $16 Barolo
is either
plonk or carries a zero profit margin. Even explaining that I wanted
to cook
with it got a dismissive shrug. They probably thought-- this guy cooks
with
stuff he won't drink.

stark wrote:
>
> Joseph Littleshoes wrote:
> > The ATK (Americas test kitchen) show recommended a less expensive bottle
> > of Barolo 12 - 16$ iirc over a more expensive (older) bottle, i intend
> > to eventually do the recipe with the less expensive Barolo but i will
> > probly first use a good burgundy.
>
> I saw that recommendation, but when I asked for it at an otherwise
> primo
> wine shop, they looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe it was the plus
> fours
> and trilby that I was wearing, but I don't think so. $12 to $16 Barolo
> is either
> plonk or carries a zero profit margin. Even explaining that I wanted
> to cook
> with it got a dismissive shrug. They probably thought-- this guy cooks
> with
> stuff he won't drink.

That's what you get for shopping at a snooty "cool kid" store. They will always
try to guilt you into spending more than necessary.

On Sat, 04 Nov 2006 14:13:03 GMT, Gary >
wrote:

>stark wrote:
>>
>> Joseph Littleshoes wrote:
>> > The ATK (Americas test kitchen) show recommended a less expensive bottle
>> > of Barolo 12 - 16$ iirc over a more expensive (older) bottle, i intend
>> > to eventually do the recipe with the less expensive Barolo but i will
>> > probly first use a good burgundy.
>>
>> I saw that recommendation, but when I asked for it at an otherwise
>> primo
>> wine shop, they looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe it was the plus
>> fours
>> and trilby that I was wearing, but I don't think so. $12 to $16 Barolo
>> is either
>> plonk or carries a zero profit margin. Even explaining that I wanted
>> to cook
>> with it got a dismissive shrug. They probably thought-- this guy cooks
>> with
>> stuff he won't drink.
>
>That's what you get for shopping at a snooty "cool kid" store. They will always
>try to guilt you into spending more than necessary.

I'd like to know what store knowingly carries $12-16 a bottle "plonk"?
Most businesses believe in customer service and try to give their
customers good value for the dollar. It encourages customer loyality
and has something to do with staying in business.

--
See return address to reply by email

"guy klose" > wrote in message
...
> jay > writes:
>>You spent more ($12) than I would have.
>
> How do you spend $0 on a bottle of red wine to cook with?
>---------

I don't think that is what Jay meant. I think he was implying that he would
have spent less than $ 12.00 .

Gary wrote:

> That's what you get for shopping at a snooty "cool kid" store. They will always
> try to guilt you into spending more than necessary.

Mebbe so, but I don't think of "Buster's Wines" as being snooty. Some
of the sales
staff might get a little huffy, but I can handle that. You just tilt
your head back,
get your nose a little higher than theirs, and say "well, my dog likes
it."

On Fri, 03 Nov 2006 10:53:04 -0800, Joseph Littleshoes
> wrote:

>
>Ordinarily i don't think Merlot makes a very good cooking wine but
>yesterday i tried the ATK recipe for beef braised in barolo wine, only i
>did not have any barolo and didn't care to pay the 30 odd dollars for
>the only bottle available at a local wine shop so i used a 12 dollar
>bottle of Chilean merlot, and i was very impressed with the results.
>
>The following recipe, [amended by me] is from
>
>https://www.americastestkitchen.com/...2220&iSeason=6
>
>which, at the web site, there are pictures for the defatting and tying
>of the beef roast.

snippady doo dah

This looks really great Thanks
I definitely will try this
Koko
A Yuman being on the net
(posting from San Diego)

stark wrote:
> Gary wrote:
>
>> That's what you get for shopping at a snooty "cool kid" store. They will always
>> try to guilt you into spending more than necessary.
>
> Mebbe so, but I don't think of "Buster's Wines" as being snooty. Some
> of the sales
> staff might get a little huffy, but I can handle that. You just tilt
> your head back,
> get your nose a little higher than theirs, and say "well, my dog likes
> it."

That's a good line. I'll use it next appropriate time.

Jerry
--
"The rights of the best of men are secured only as the
rights of the vilest and most abhorrent are protected."
- Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, 1927
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 08:52:44 -0800, Koko >
wrote:

>This looks really great Thanks
>I definitely will try this
>Koko
>A Yuman being on the net
>(posting from San Diego)


It's so nice to have you back Koko! Are you planning to stick around
or are you just toying with us?



--
See return address to reply by email

On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 21:19:09 -0800, sf wrote:

>On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 08:52:44 -0800, Koko >
>wrote:
>
>>This looks really great Thanks
>>I definitely will try this
>>Koko
>>A Yuman being on the net
>>(posting from San Diego)
>
>
>It's so nice to have you back Koko! Are you planning to stick around
>or are you just toying with us?
>
>

Thank you sf for the welcome back.

I'm hopeing to stay. I have been lurking off and on.
I was active a while back and was making plans to attend the cookin at
Squeeks but that was when we found out my 5 yr old grandson needed
open heart surgery so everything went on hold.

All is well now and our lives are back to what ever normal is ;-)

Looking forward to being more active on rfc.

Koko
A Yuman being on the net
(posting from San Diego)