Braised Beef in Red Wine Sauce

Rather like a daube - but this is an Italian-style pot roast. It takes rather a long while to cook, but it can be made ahead and reheated. It is great served with pan-fried polenta to dip into the tasty sauce and sautéed spinach alongside.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  lbs beef eye round
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1  medium onion, finely chopped
• 1  slice  thick bacon, chopped
• 3  tablespoons tomato paste
• 6  bay leaves
• 4  whole cloves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  crumbled rosemary
• 1 (750 ml) bottle dry red wine
• 6  cups low sodium beef broth
• 1 (1 lb) can italian tomato, drained and chopped
•  pan fried polenta
•  spinach, sauteed in
•  olive oil

Directions

1. Season beef (lightly if using salted broth).
2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over high heat.
3. Add beef and brown on all sides, about 15 minutes.
4. Transfer beef to platter; reduce heat to medium.
5. Add onion and bacon to pot.
6. Sauté until onion is golden, about 8 minutes.
7. Mix in tomato paste, bay leaves, cloves and rosemary.
8. Add wine.
9. Return meat and any juices.
10. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, turning meat once.
11. M ix stock and tomatoes into sauce.
12. Cover and simmer gently until meat is tender, turning occasionally, about 2 hours and 45 minutes.
13. Transfer beef to platter.
14. Cover with foil to keep warm.
15. Strain sauce through fine sieve, pressing on solids.
16. Degrease sauce.
17. Return sauce to pot.
18. Boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 1 hour.
19. Add any beef juices from platter.
20. Cut beef across grain into 1/3 inch slices (can be prepared 1 day ahead. Rewarm gently before serving).
21. Arrange meat slices on a platter lined with pan-fried polenta and spoon sauce over.
22. Serve sautéed spinach alongside.