Main Dish
Brad's Braised Beef with Polenta
Mercury Geyserville
21015 Geyserville Ave
Geyserville, CA 95441
mercurywine.com
- RECIPE YEAR: 2017
- RECIPE BY: Brad Beard
- YIELD: Serves 6
- PAIRS WELL WITH: The Element
This recipe is a fun take on an old favorite, with a surprising twist that takes braised beef to a whole new level. Ask your favorite cheese monger for Gouda GOAT cheese . . . yes, Gouda Goat! This is the secret that makes the whole dish sing. Cheers!
Ingredients:
- 1 beef roast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cups beef broth
- 6 slices pancetta, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 carrots, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 shallots, finely minced
- 2 cups Mercury Element red wine
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- 4 cups cooked polenta
- 1 cup shredded Gouda goat cheese
Directions:
Start the beef roast in the morning. Dice the pancetta, prepare the veggies and pour yourself some wine! First, get up early and throw your roast into a crock pot, season with the salt, and add 1 cup of the broth. Let it cook all day. When it's done and falling apart, finish the job by pulling the meat apart with a fork. Let the pulled meat sit in the warm crock pot. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Throw the diced pancetta into a Dutch oven and cook over medium heat to get it all crispy and coat the bottom of the pot with the fat. When crispy, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Increase the stove top heat to high, then warm the olive oil with the pancetta fat in the pot. Add the pulled beef from the crock pot and brown for 45 seconds to 1 minute. You can do this in batches until all of the meat is browned. Transfer the beautiful browned meat to a plate. Now (without cleaning the bottom of the pot where you browned the meat), add the carrots, onion and shallots to the good stuff left from browning and cook, stirring, until the veggies are softened. Now pour in the delightful MERCURY red wine. Pour yourself a glass, too! Scrape the pan with a whisk and whisk all the veggies and wine together. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes, then add the remaining 2 cups broth. Using tongs, add the browned meat right into the boiling liquid! Grab those sprigs of rosemary and thyme and toss them into the boil, too! Remember that crispy pancetta from the start of the recipe? Now is the time to toss that into the mix. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Pour yourself a little more MERCURY wine. You deserve it. After the liquid has cooked into the meat, remove the pot from the oven and let sit for 20 minutes. While you wait, you may want to make a little polenta or rice. Spoon that onto plates and place a good dollop of meat on top. Then dip under the fat to spoon up some of the savory cooked veggies and broth and pour on top of the meat. NOW HERE COMES THE AMAZING PART: Take that shredded Gouda goat cheese and sprinkle liberally over the meat and polenta . . . absolute heaven! While you are watching the cheese melt, top off your glass of MERCURY wine and enjoy! Cheers!
