Italian comfort food, slow-cooked main course
A rustic Italian comfort dish with creamy golden polenta, tender slow-braised beef, and a glossy red wine sauce. It is rich, warming, and perfect for a cozy family meal.
Recipe video
Pat the beef very dry. Season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour.
Dice the onion, carrot, and celery. Mince the garlic and keep the herbs ready.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, then transfer it to a plate.
Lower to medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, then cook until softened and lightly golden.
Stir in garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and scrape the browned bits from the pan.
Return the beef to the pot. Add broth, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, until fork-tender.
Turn the beef once or twice during cooking and add a splash of broth if the sauce reduces too much.
Remove the herbs. Shred or slice the beef, then simmer the sauce uncovered until glossy.
For the polenta, bring water, milk, and salt to a gentle boil in a heavy saucepan.
Slowly whisk in the polenta in a thin stream to avoid lumps.
Reduce to low heat and cook, stirring often, until thick, creamy, and tender.
Turn off the heat. Stir in butter and Parmigiano until smooth and glossy.
Spoon the polenta into warm bowls and top with braised beef and sauce.
Finish with parsley, extra Parmigiano, and a little black pepper. Serve hot.
