Portuguese Beef Stew (Alcatra)

Cook Time 2.5 hours

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
20g butter
1kg piece of chuck steak, cut into 8 chunks
4 piece of bone marrow (about 6cm long cylinder shaped pieces)
200g whole piece of pancetta, cut into lardons
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic
10 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp tomato paste
600ml red wine
600ml beef stock
4 medium kipfler potatoes, peeled
Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Heat oil and butter in a stew pot. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper and seal in batches, on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside onto a plate.

Add the pancetta, onions, garlic, allspice and bay leaves and cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the onion then add the tomato paste. Return the meat along with the bone marrow and then deglaze the pot with the red wine. Reduce by a third and then add stock and potatoes. Add a little more salt and then place the lid on top.

Place in the oven and cook for two hours or until the meat is tender.

Remove the meat, bone marrow and potatoes and place stew pot back onto stovetop. Reduce over a medium heat to thicken the sauce a little. Return meat, marrow and potatoes back into the stew pot.

Serve with peas and beans.