Stufato di Manzo Piemontese (Piemontese Stewed Beef)

Ingredients

4 pounds chuck roast, cleaned and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
¼ cup fresh sage, chopped
¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped
¼ cup fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons Sicilian sea salt, fine, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large carrots, peeled
3 large celery stalks
3 white onions
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 bay leaves
1 bottle Barolo wine, excellent quality
2 cups vegetable or beef bouillon, excellent quality

Instructions

Place all the cubed meat in a large bowl and coat with ½ cup (8 tablespoons) of olive oil. Add the chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and mix very well, using your hands. Allow the meat to marinate for 30 minutes.

Chop the carrots, celery and onions.

In a large frying pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add approximately 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Sear the chuck roast until all the pieces are brown on the outside, approximately 8 to10 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a large bowl. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter and 3 more tablespoons of olive oil to the frying pan, and sauté the carrots, celery and onions (the soffritto, as we call it in Italian) until the mixture becomes golden, approximately 6minutes. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.

Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a 6-quart pot. Add the bay leaves, ⅔ of the bottle of Barolo and the vegetable or beef stock to the pot. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and cook for 2 to 2½ hours over a low flame. Serve with Barolo.