Stracotto Recipe

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Stracotto Recipe is a meltingly tender and rich recipe, which is made with beef chuck and Chianti red wine. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 3.5 hours.

Jump to Recipe

Stracotto Recipe Ingredients

A classic Italian comfort dish.

1kg piece of beef chuck, sinew removed
olive oil
2 red onions
2 carrots
2 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1 bulb of fennel
½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (15g)
½ a bunch of fresh sage (15g)
250ml Chianti red wine
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1.5 litres organic meat or veg stock

How To Make Stracotto

Slow-cooked to perfection.

Brown the Beef and Soffritto: Place the beef in a snug-fitting casserole pan over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil. Turn it with tongs to brown on all sides. While it browns, peel the onions, carrots, and garlic, and trim the celery and fennel. Roughly chop all the vegetables.
Caramelize the Vegetables: Add the chopped vegetables to the pan with the beef. Tie the rosemary and sage together with kitchen twine and add the bundle to the pan. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring the vegetables and turning the meat occasionally, until everything is starting to caramelize.
Deglaze and Add Liquids: Turn the heat up to high. Pour in the Chianti, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomato purée and allow the wine to cook off and reduce. Pour in the stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
Slow Cook to Tenderness: Reduce the heat to low. Scrunch up a double layer of greaseproof (parchment) paper, wet it under the tap, and place it directly on the surface of the stew. Cover the pan with its lid and cook for about 3 hours, turning and basting the meat occasionally, until it is meltingly tender. Season the sauce to perfection.
Carve and Serve: Carefully lift the beef out onto a cutting board and carve it into thin slices. Spoon some of the rich sauce over the meat to keep it juicy. Toss the remaining sauce with freshly cooked tagliatelle and serve alongside the beef, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

Recipe Tips

Achieving the perfect pot roast.

What is the best cut of beef for Stracotto? Beef chuck is ideal for this recipe. Its marbling and connective tissue break down during the long, slow cooking process, resulting in incredibly moist and tender meat. Beef brisket is another excellent alternative.
Can I use a different red wine? While Chianti is traditional for this Tuscan dish, any good-quality dry red wine will work beautifully. A Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Côtes du Rhône would be great substitutes. The most important rule is to use a wine you would enjoy drinking.
How do I know when the meat is done? The meat is ready when it is “fork-tender.” This means it should pull apart very easily with a fork with almost no resistance. The 3-hour cooking time is a guide; your meat may need a little more or less time to reach this stage.
What is the purpose of the wet greaseproof paper? This technique, known as a cartouche, acts as a partial lid. It keeps the surface of the meat from drying out while still allowing the sauce to reduce and concentrate its flavors, which a regular lid would prevent.

What To Serve With Stracotto

Perfect pairings for your pot roast.

This rich Italian pot roast is traditionally served with pasta, but it’s also wonderful with a variety of sides:

Creamy polenta
Garlic mashed potatoes
Freshly cooked tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta
Crusty bread for soaking up the incredible sauce
Simple steamed green beans or a side salad

How To Store Stracotto

Enjoy it now or later.

Refrigerate: Allow the Stracotto to cool completely, then store the meat and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors often improve the next day.
Freeze: Stracotto freezes exceptionally well. Place the cooled meat and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop.

Stracotto Nutrition Facts

An estimated guide per serving.

Calories: 650 kcal
Carbohydrates: 20 g
Protein: 55 g
Fat: 35 g
Sodium: 900 mg

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Can I make Stracotto in a slow cooker or Crock-Pot?

Yes, absolutely. First, follow steps 1-3 on the stovetop to brown the meat, caramelize the vegetables, and reduce the wine. Then, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.

Why is my Stracotto tough?

If your pot roast is tough, it almost always means it hasn’t cooked for long enough. The slow, low-heat cooking process is essential for breaking down the tough connective tissues in the beef chuck. If it’s not tender, simply put it back on the heat and give it more time.

My sauce is too thin, how can I thicken it?

If your sauce seems too watery at the end, remove the meat from the pan and increase the heat. Let the sauce simmer and reduce on the stovetop, uncovered, until it has thickened to your desired consistency.

Try More Recipes:

Jewish Artichokes Recipe
Roast Topside of Beef Recipe
Johnny Vegas’ Fillet Steak Flambé Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Calories

650

kcal

An incredibly rich and tender Italian pot roast where beef chuck is slow-braised in Chianti red wine with aromatic vegetables until it melts in your mouth.

Ingredients

1kg beef chuck
Olive oil
2 red onions, 2 carrots, 2 garlic cloves, 2 celery sticks, 1 fennel bulb
½ bunch each of fresh rosemary and sage
250ml Chianti red wine
2 tbsp tomato purée
1.5 litres meat or veg stock

Directions

Brown the beef in a casserole pan; add chopped vegetables, herbs, and seasoning.
Cook for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
Increase heat, pour in the wine, and add tomato purée, letting the wine reduce.
Stir in the stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low, cover the surface with wet parchment paper, and cook for 3 hours until tender.
Lift the meat out, slice, and serve with the sauce.
Toss the remaining sauce with pasta, such as tagliatelle, for a perfect side dish.

Notes

A snug-fitting casserole pan is best to ensure the meat is mostly submerged in liquid.
Don’t skip browning the meat and caramelizing the vegetables; this step builds a deep flavor base.
The meat is done when it shreds easily with a fork, so don’t be afraid to cook it longer if needed.
For the best flavor, make this dish a day ahead of time and reheat it before serving.