Braise & Stew Recipes

Braised Pot Roast of Beef in Red Wine

Yield: 20 portions

10 lb. Beef, bottom round, chuck, or brisket, tied

8 oz. oil

1 lb. mirepoix

1 oz. garlic

1 lb. tomatoes, or 6 oz. tomato puree

2 C red wine

1 qt. brown stock or brown sauce

2 oz. refined starch (potato, arrowroot) dissolved in water (slurry),

or 8 oz. brown roux

Sachet of parsley, bay thyme and peppercorns

Method

1. Dry the meat so that it will brown more easily and tie it so it will hold its shape. Season the meat with salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a brazier over high heat and brown the meat well on all sides. Remove from pan. (Alternative method: brown meat in a very hot oven.)

2. Add the mirepoix and the garlic to the brazier and brown it. Add the tomato and cook to caramelize.

3. Deglaze with red wine and then add the stock or sauce. Bring to a simmer and adjust the seasoning. Add the sachet.

4. Place the meat back into the braising pan. Cover and braise the meat until tender, about 2-3 hours, in a 350-degree oven.

5. Remove meat from pan and keep warm for service in a covered pan. Discard sachet

6. Skim the fat from the braising liquid. Adjust seasoning. Adjust the consistency of the sauce with a slurry.

7. Strain the sauce and adjust the seasonings.

8. Slice the meat across the grain. The slices should not be too thick. Serve each 4 oz (125 g) portion with 2 oz (60 mL) sauce.

ALTERNATIVE METHOD OF SERVICE

Cool meat as soon as cooked. For service, slice cold meat on electric slicer and arrange in hotel pans. Add sauce, cover pans, and reheat in oven or steamer. Individual portions may also be reheated to order in the sauce.

Cuban-Style Braised Pork Shoulder

Yield: 20 portions

Ingredients

10 lb. boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and tied

2 Tb. salt

1 Tb.  freshly ground black pepper

2 oz. garlic, minced

2 Tb. dried oregano or 1/4 C fresh oregano, chopped

1  bunch parsley, stems removed and discarded, leaves chopped

1 bunch  scallions, green parts only, chopped

Zest & juice from 2 each lime, lemon, and orange

1-2 Tb ground cumin

1 Cup extra virgin olive oil

8 oz. onion, thinly sliced

1 qt. chicken stock or broth

Method

1. Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper.

2. In a large bowl, whisking together the garlic, oregano, parsley, scallions, citrus zests, cumin, citrus juice and olive oil.

3. Place the pork shoulder in the marinade, cover and marinate it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

5. Heat a braising pan just large enough to hold the pork shoulder. Add some olive oil to the pan and place the pork shoulder in the pan, searing on all sides to a rich brown color.

6. Remove the pork and place the onions in the pan, cook for a few minutes to soften the onions and deglaze with chicken stock.

7. Place the pork on top of the onions, cover and cook in the oven until fork tender, about 3 hours.

8. Remove the roast from the pan and let it rest for about 15 minutes until it is cool enough to slice. Serve with the delicious pan juices and onions.

   Serve with black beans & rice, fried plantains and mojo slaw

Braised Veal Shanks “Osso Buco”

 Yield: 12 portions

Method

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large braising pan. Season the veal and brown it in the pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.

2. Add the mirepoix and garlic. Lightly caramelize the vegetables.

3. Add the tomato paste and lightly caramelize.

4. Deglaze with the white wine. Simmer and reduce the wine by half volume.

5. Add the brown sauce and bouquet garni. Return the veal to the pan.

6. Cover and cook in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 1¼ to 1-3/4 hours, until the veal is tender.

7. Remove the veal. Strain the braising liquid and skim off the fat.

8. Reduce the sauce until it thickens slightly

9. To thicken, make a slurry with the refined starch by dissolving it in an equal part of water by volume. While the sauce is simmering, add enough of the slurry to lightly thicken.

10. Return the veal shanks to the sauce and service.

Blanquette de Veau (White Veal Stew)

Method

1. Cut the veal into 1-inch (2½ cm) dice.

2. Blanch the meat. Place in a sauce pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, drain, and rinse the meat under cold water (see Note).

3. Return the meat to the pot and add the onion, bouquet garni, and salt.

4. Add enough stock to just cover the meat.

5. Bring to a boil, skim, cover, and lower heat to a slow simmer.

6. Simmer until meat is tender, about 1½ hours. Skim when necessary.

7. Strain off the stock into another pan. Reserve the meat and discard the onion and bouquet garni.

8. Reduce the stock to about 2½ pt (1.25 L).

9. Meanwhile, prepare a white roux with the butter and flour. Beat into the stock to make a veloute sauce, and simmer until thickened and no raw flour taste remains.

   Note: For gluten free, make a slurry of about 1 oz. refined starch (potato starch, arrowroot) by combining equally part of the starch with water. Whisk into the simmering sauce to thicken it.

10. Remove the sauce from the heat. Beat the egg yolks and cream together, temper with a little of the hot sauce, and stir into the sauce.

11. Combine the sauce and meat and heat gently but do not boil.

12. Season to taste with a few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of nutmeg and white pepper, and more salt if needed.

NOTE

Blanching eliminates impurities that discolor the sauce. This step can be omitted, but the product will have a less attractive appearance.

Coq au Vin (Chicken in Wine)

Method

1. Cut the salt pork or bacon into batonnet shapes, 1” x ¼” x ¼” (2 X ½ X ½ cm).

2. Place the bacon pieces in a saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and drain.

3. Add the oil to a large sauté pan and place over moderate heat. When hot, add the blanched bacon. Sauté until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

4. Increase the heat to high. Add the chickens to the fat remaining in the pan and brown well on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan.

5. Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan and sauté until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the bacon pieces. Pour off the fat from the pan.

6. Add the wine and stock to the pan and bring to a boil.

7. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and garlic, tied in a piece of cheesecloth.

8. Return the chicken to the pan. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Cover and cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven or over very low heat on top of the stove until chicken is done, about 30-40 minutes.

9. Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and place in a heated pan or on a serving platter. Garnish with the mushrooms, onions, and bacon pieces.

10. Degrease the cooking liquid carefully.

11. Place over high heat and boil until the liquid is reduced to about 1 qt (1 L).

12. Mix the butter and flour to make beurre manie. Beat in the beurre manie a little at a time, just enough to thicken the sauce lightly. Strain the sauce over the chicken and garnish.

13. At service time, sprinkle each portion with a little chopped parsley.