Five Dot Ranch Slow-Braised Beef
This is the kind of dish that requires a very long cooking time but holds great rewards for those with enough patience. I like to use brisket, which typically has a lot of sinew and — when cooked for many hours at low temperature in braising liquid — comes out with incredible depth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 pounds best quality brisket (ask for the 'first cut')
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (Mutti brand preferred)
- ½ bottle dry white wine, plus water or beef stock
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Salt meat aggressively and let come to room temperature (1 hour).
- Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven until almost smoking. Sear meat until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes per side. Remove to rest.
- Add fresh olive oil, scrape up brown bits. Add carrots, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Salt and sweat until soft, 3-4 minutes.
- Add tomato paste to center, cook 30 seconds undisturbed, then stir through. Add meat back in.
- Pour in wine, bring to a boil. Add water or stock to almost cover meat. Boil 4-5 minutes.
- Cover and cook in oven 1 hour. Flip meat, add water if needed. Cook another 1 hour covered.
- Flip once more, turn off oven, return uncovered for 30 minutes. Rest on cutting board 10 minutes. Slice into fillets and serve with braised greens and sauce.
💡 James' Tip
Ask your butcher for the 'first cut' of brisket — it's thinner, more uniform, and has less fat. The aggressive initial salting and room-temperature tempering make all the difference.
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