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Meat, Italy

Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta

Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta is an Italian slow cooked dish for 4 people, ready in 3 hours and 30 minutes, medium difficulty, for €4.60 per person. Chuck beef simmers for hours in red wine with carrots, celery, and rosemary until fork tender. Success depends on marinating the meat beforehand and cooking it low and slow so it stays moist.

This Sunday, a big Barolo braised beef that simmers for hours, served with creamy polenta to soak up the sauce.

Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta
Total time
3 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Chuck beef, slowly braised in a full bodied red wine with carrots, onion, and celery, turns fork tender and falls apart easily. The wine, reduced over hours, becomes a deep, slightly woodsy sauce that the creamy polenta soaks up with every bite. Rosemary and bay leaf season the meat gently, never overpowering it.

This is a Sunday dish, the kind you start in the early afternoon to enjoy the hours while the house fills with the smell of warm wine and herbs. It suits a meal among adults or for guests more than a family dinner with kids, since the wine and bold flavors are pronounced. Fall and winter are its natural seasons, when you want something that warms you up.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chuck beef 1 kg

Pantry

  • Full bodied red wine 75 cl
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 2
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Instant polentaoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Wateroften in the pantry 1 l
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Celery stalk 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Rosemary 2 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Celery, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the carrots, onion, and celery into large dice, and let the beef marinate with them in the wine, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf. 1 h

    A wine from Piedmont is ideal, but a full bodied red from your own region will work just as well.

  2. Drain the meat, keeping the marinade, pat it dry, and brown it on all sides in the oil. 10 min

    Dry the beef well, damp meat steams instead of browning.

  3. Add the drained vegetables, let them color, then pour in the strained marinade and cover. 5 min

    Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot while the wine heats.

  4. Let it braise over low heat with the lid on, turning the meat from time to time. 2 h 30

    The simmer should be gentle, the meat is done when a fork slides in with no resistance.

  5. Cook the polenta in salted water, stir in the butter, and serve with the beef topped with sauce. 10 min

    Pass the sauce through a food mill or blender to make it silkier.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a well marbled piece of chuck rather than a lean cut, it will stay moist after three hours of cooking.
  • Check the liquid level regularly during braising, and add a bit of hot water if the sauce reduces too fast.
  • Make the dish the day before if you can, the meat firms up slightly as it rests and tastes even better reheated gently the next day.

The variations

  • Swap the Barolo for another full bodied red wine from your area, the result stays close even though Piedmont wine adds extra roundness.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chuck with whole cremini and portobello mushrooms, braised the same way but for less time.
  • To save time, use a pressure cooker and cut the braising to 45 minutes under pressure, the meat will come out almost as tender.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of the same red wine used in cooking
  • A lemony arugula salad
  • Crusty bread for soaking up the sauce

Storage

The braised beef keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor often improves the next day. It freezes well for up to 2 months, with or without the polenta. Reheat the meat over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, and make the polenta fresh right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can I use a different cut of beef instead of chuck?

Yes, beef cheek or shin work very well for braising, since they are collagen rich cuts that turn tender with slow cooking. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin, they would dry out after three hours of simmering.

Do I really need to use Barolo wine?

No, a full bodied red wine from your area works just fine, Barolo mainly adds a particular roundness and complexity. The key is picking a wine you would enjoy drinking, since it concentrates its flavor into the sauce.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, it is actually recommended, the braised meat tastes even better after a night in the fridge. Reheat it gently the next day and make the polenta just before serving, since it does not keep well once cooked.

Why marinate the meat before cooking?

The wine and vegetable marinade tenderizes the meat fibers and seasons it deeply before braising even begins. One hour is enough, but you can leave it overnight in the fridge for an even stronger flavor.

How long does it take to make a Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta?

Count 3 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta?

About 510 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a Barolo braised beef with creamy polenta cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains celery, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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