Braised Beef Over Papperdelle Pasta

Braising is, hands down, one of my absolute favorite ways to cook meat. It's a slow process, but, my god, does it produce the most fantastic flavors.

Traditionally, tough cuts of meat are difficult to work with. You either have to slice them thinly or roast them for a few hours, making your whole kitchen a steam room. Braising isn't a quick cooking method, but it allows you to keep the integrity of the meat, without chopping it into pieces resembling those in dog food.

This particular recipe is one of my favorites, with very little prep time, you can put this on the stove, stir occasionally every half hour or so and enjoy when done.

What you'll need: 

- 2.5 lbs of Beef Chuck (or any tough cut of beef) 

- 10 oz of mushrooms, Portabella or Crimini, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, diced

- 1 large tomato, diced 

-  2.5 cups of wine (Marsala or White, whatever you have on hand)

- 1 tbs of flour 

- 1/2 cup of chicken/beef broth 

- Salt, pepper and dried Oregano
- Splash of heavy cream

What to do: 

- Heat oil in a large, non-stick pan.

- Slice your meat into 1-1.5 inch chunks. 

- Toss in flour and brown on each side.

- Avoid crowding the pan, just a few pieces at a time will allow your to get the sear and keep the temperature high. 

- After all the meat has been browned (remember, you are not cooking all the way through, you are only creating a delicious crust on the meat) set it aside.

- In the same pan (this is important), reduce heat to low and throw in your garlic. 

- Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, until slightly softened. 

- Add in your mushrooms and allow them to cook for about 2-4 minutes.

- Follow up with tomatoes, broth and 2 cups of the wine. (Reserve the rest to add in halfway through the cooking process if needed. Or just drink it, I won't judge you.) 

- Season to taste, you can always add in rosemary and thyme, if you have it on hand. 

- Add in the seared meat, cover and allow to cook for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Finish with a splash of heavy cream. 

- Serve over Papperdelle Pasta and Enjoy!