CookEat Recipe
Larded Beef Braised with Soffritto
A small piece of beef larded with cured pork fatback, browned over coarsely chopped vegetables and gently braised, with a little butter added to the strained juices.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 500 g lean boneless beef suitable for braising, in one piece; 50 g cured pork fatback, cut into thick strips a little shorter than a finger; Salt and black pepper; 1/4 medium onion; 1/2 carrot; 1 celery stalk about a handspan long; 40 g butter: 30 g for browning and about 10 g for finishing; 2 small splashes cold water, about 1 tablespoon each; About 200 ml hot water, equivalent to 2 small ladlefuls, plus a little if needed.
Step 2
Roll the fatback strips in salt and pepper and insert them into small cuts in the beef. Tie the meat with food-safe kitchen string and season the outside. Coarsely chop the onion, carrot and celery.
Step 3
Put the chopped vegetables and 30 g butter in a heavy casserole, with the meat on top. Cook over moderate heat, turning the meat and stirring the vegetables. When the vegetables begin to dry, add the first small splash of cold water and let it evaporate. Repeat once with the second splash. Continue until the meat has coloured and the vegetables are softened without burning.
Step 4
Add the 2 ladlefuls of hot water, cover closely with a lid and simmer gently for about 2–2 1/2 hours, turning occasionally. Add a little extra hot water only if the pan becomes dry. Check that the centre reaches at least 72°C and continue until tender enough to slice.
Step 5
Lift out the beef, strain the juices and spoon off excess fat. Return the juices to gentle heat with the remaining 10 g butter. Remove every piece of string, slice the meat and serve with the sauce.
Step 6
For an optional vegetable accompaniment, cook about 300 g spinach, Brussels sprouts, carrots or fennel separately until tender, drain well and simmer briefly in some of the finished sauce. This is an alternative side; it is not a mixture of all four vegetables.
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