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BRAISED BEEF - BASE RECIPE
6 pounds boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 pieces of parsley, stems only
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
2 cups lightly oaked red wine
4-6 cups unsalted beef or chicken broth
Trim and discard the cartilage and any tendons that remain on the meat and cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat until very hot, add oil and heat , brown the meat in batches and set aside.
Make a bouquet garni of peppercorns, bay leaves, parsley stems and thyme in a piece of cheesecloth and tie securely, set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the rack in the bottom third of the oven. Reheat the oil in the same Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add carrots and celery and sweat until they begin to soften, add onions and garlic and continue to cook until softened. Remove the vegetables to a separate bowl and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup, return meat and vegetables to the pot with the bouquet garni, add the broth to halfway up the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and place in the oven. Cook (stir occasionally and add water to keep at halfway mark) until meat is tender . The vegetables become part of the sauce.
Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the meat to a shallow container to cool. Return the pot to the stove, remove bouquet garni, then reduce any remaining liquid to about 2 or 3 cups.
When fairly cool, divide the meat with the sauce into thirds. Place each portion into resealable freezer bags and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Remove all the air from the plastic bags and label before freezing. Makes meat for 3 recipes serving 4-6 each
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