Slow Braised Beef with Mushrooms & Herbs
A proper autumn supper
There comes a point in September when the light changes, the evenings become cooler and dinner starts calling for something a little more comforting. This is exactly that sort of dish. Beef is slowly braised with mushrooms, pearl onions, carrots and plenty of fresh herbs until wonderfully tender, with red wine and beef stock creating a rich, savoury sauce.
It takes a little preparation at the beginning, but after that the slow cooker does most of the work. Eight hours later, dinner is ready and the kitchen smells very much like autumn has arrived.
Under The Grapevine Wine Pairing
Slow-braised beef needs a wine with enough depth to stand alongside the richness of the meat, but this dish has more going on than simply beef. Mushrooms bring earthiness, carrots and pearl onions a gentle sweetness, while rosemary, thyme and oregano add a distinctly savoury, herbal character.
That makes medium- to full-bodied reds particularly good partners. Cabernet Sauvignon is a natural choice, as are structured Portuguese reds, Rioja or a mature Rhône blend. Look for dark fruit, some savoury complexity and enough freshness to prevent the combination becoming too heavy.
Our favourite pairing? Galodoro Barricas Reserva. Made from Touriga Nacional, Castelão and Cabernet Sauvignon, it has the ripe dark fruit, warming character and savoury depth this dish calls for. The herbs and mushrooms bring out the wine's more earthy notes, while its fruit sits beautifully alongside the slow-cooked beef and sweet carrots. It is exactly the sort of bottle to open when the first proper autumn evenings arrive.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1.35 kg boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into roughly 5 cm cubes
30 g plain flour
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped, plus extra to finish
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped, plus extra to finish
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
1½ tsp salt
60 ml olive oil
450 g fresh chestnut or cremini mushrooms, quartered
180 ml dry red wine
300 g pearl onions, peeled
350 ml unsalted beef stock
5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into generous pieces
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
Fresh oregano leaves, to finish
Start Cooking
1) Season and Brown the Beef
Combine the beef with the flour, garlic, thyme, rosemary, oregano and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Toss until the pieces are evenly coated, keeping any excess seasoned flour to one side.
Heat half of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides, working in batches rather than overcrowding the pan. Allow around 10–12 minutes in total. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker, leaving the cooking juices in the pan.
2) Cook the Mushrooms
Add the remaining olive oil and mushrooms to the same pan. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and the liquid released by the mushrooms has evaporated. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all those caramelised bits. Let it bubble briefly, then transfer everything to the slow cooker.
3) Slow Cook
Add the pearl onions, beef stock, carrots, reserved seasoned flour and remaining teaspoon of salt. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for approximately 8 hours, or until the beef is exceptionally tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
4) Finish
Once cooked, skim away any excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Stir through the sherry vinegar; this small addition of acidity is important, lifting the richness of the finished dish. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Finish with fresh thyme, rosemary and oregano just before serving.
5) To Serve
This is already quite a complete dish with the carrots, onions and mushrooms, so it doesn't need much alongside it. Creamy mashed potatoes would be my first choice, particularly for catching the sauce. Crusty bread, buttery polenta or celeriac mash would work beautifully too. And, naturally, put the Galodoro Barricas Reserva on the table.
The Vallée Blanche Viognier and roast chicken represented the lingering warmth of September. This is its counterpart: slower, richer and made for the first evening when you notice you need a jumper. Two wines. Two recipes. Two sides of September.
From the Cellar Selection
The Changing of the Seasons Case
Six wines chosen for September, from sparkling and expressive whites to lighter and richer reds. Discover The Changing Seasons Case from Under The Grapevine.
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