Tuscan Beef Stew

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack placed in the lower third of the oven.

Step 2

Place the beef in a large bowl and sprinkle with the black pepper and kosher salt. Toss to coat, pressing the salt and pepper into the beef as needed.

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot with a lid over medium heat. Add the onion and whole garlic cloves and cook, stirring, for about 5-7 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent and beginning to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it is fragrant and begins to brown, about 3-5 minutes. Snugly nestle the beef in the onion and garlic mixture with the rosemary sprigs. Cover tightly with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours.

Step 4

Remove the dutch oven from the oven, stir, and uncover the pot to continue cooking for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is fork tender and is easily pierced. Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Place a strainer over a medium bowl or a Pyrex 4-cup measuring cup. Pour the meat juices into the strainer and press on the solids to extract all of the liquid. Discard the solids.

Step 5

Pour the wine into the dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and scrape up any browned bits from the pot. Cook until the wine is syrupy and reduced to 1 cup, about 5-7 minutes. Skim the fat from the reserved meat juices and pour into the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally, until thickened and the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Return the beef to the pot, and add minced rosemary. Stir gently as the meat reheats in the sauce. Add more pepper and taste season with more salt to taste. Serve with creamy polenta, mashed potatoes, or pappardelle egg noodles. *Adapted from Christopher Kimball's Milk Street