Braised Beef with Red Wine Sauce

By S. Danford

Elizabeth

Ingredients

• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 (2-3 lb) boneless sirloin tip or chuck roast
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 (28 oz) can Italian-style whole peeled tomatoes, undrained and cut up
• 1 T tomato paste
• 2 T snipped fresh basil or 1 t dried basil, crushed
• 1 t snipped fresh oregano or 1/4 t dried oregano, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• Cornstarch for thickening

Preparation

Step 1

Cook pancetta over med heat in 6 quart Dutch oven until crisp.
Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta and set aside. Reserve drippings in pan.
Add beef and brown on all sides in hot oil about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Transfer beef to a plate. Reserve drippings in pan.
Add carrots, onion, pepper, celery, and garlic to pan.
Cook and stir 10 minutes or until light brown.
Add wine, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon.
Simmer for 1 min.
Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried oregano and basil if using.
Return beef to the pot and add bay leaf.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
Remove beef from pan and let stand while preparing the sauce.
Remove bay leaf and discard.
For sauce, simmer tomato mixture, uncovered, about 12 min or until mixture measures 4 1/2 cups.
Stir in cornstarch to thicken and fresh basil and oregano if using.
Serve beef with wine sauce and sprinkle with pancetta.
Serve with cooked polenta or pasta.