Achieving delicious, mouthwatering beef will no longer be a secret after following this step by step guide on how to braise beef. This delicacy of a meal is slowly-cooked on the stove with red wine and stock until fall-apart tender.
Braised beef is a culinary delight known for its rich flavor and tender texture. Braising brings out a pronounced umami flavor, which is the result of slow-cooking the meat with ingredients like the beef broth and wine.
The long cooking process allows the flavors of the beef, broth, herbs, and spices to meld together in a way that is similar to my slow cooker bison stew with red wine.
If you love cooking with beef, check out more of my hearty & delicious beef recipes.
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What is Braising?
Braising is a cooking method using dry and wet heat, in which meat is seared at high heat and then covered and simmered for a long period of time in a pot with some liquid.
Slow cooking beef, just like I do in this electric skillet beef roast, results in the most juicy and flavorful beef you can imagine. Without using this braising technique, certain cuts of beef end up tough and chewy, which is not how you want your beef dinner to turn out.
Ingredients
Before starting the recipe, make sure you have collected and prepped all of the ingredients.
- beef roast - such as chuck, eye roast, brisket, blade roast or shank
- Worcestershire sauce
- canola oil - or peanut oil
- brown sugar - I use dark brown sugar.
- celery
- leeks - clean them very well because they tend to have grit in the layers
- yellow onions - can substitute with white onions if desired
- carrots
- red bell peppers - you can substitute with green or yellow bell peppers if desired
- garlic
- bay leaves - to enhance the flavor
- beef stock - or beef broth
- red wine - my favorite red wine to use is cabernet sauvignon
- tomato purée - canned
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Instructions
Step #1. Season the Beef. Season the beef with salt, pepper, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
Step #2. Sear the Beef. In a large skillet, pot or Dutch oven at high heat, add the canola oil. Sear the beef roast on all sides, until browned. Remove from pot/pan and reserve.
Step #3. Cook the Vegetables. Using the same pot, heat a little more canola oil. Add all the vegetables and the bay leaves. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Step #4. Return Beef to Pan. Add the beef back to the pan and lower the heat to medium-low.
Step #5. Add Liquid. Add the beef stock, red wine and tomato purée.
Step #6. Braise. Cover the pan or pot with a lid and cook for approximately 2 hours at low heat (you can add more wine, stock or water if it’s getting too dry). It should be tender and fall apart with a fork.
Step #7. Blend the Vegetables. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer the vegetables and sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
Step #8. Serve! Slice the braised beef and serve it with the puréed vegetable sauce.
Now it’s time to dive in and eat some braised beef that has been cooked to an exquisite tenderness, after spending 2 hours sitting in a robust red wine sauce.
This dish is sure to be the highlight of any dinner party and a highly requested meal in your home.
Serve with a potato galette or oven baked potatoes for a filling dinner that is sure to satisfy even the hungriest guest.
Braised Beef FAQs
The braised beef should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Browning the meat beforehand is recommended, as it enhances the appearance and adds a depth of flavor. However, some believe that skipping the browning step results in a sweeter taste. If you test it out for yourself, let me know the results!
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📋Recipe
How to Braise Beef
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef roast - chuck, eye roast, brisket, blade roast or shank
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons canola oil - or peanut oil
- ½ cup celery - chopped
- 1 cup leeks - chopped
- 1 cup yellow onions - chopped
- 1 cup carrots - chopped
- 1 cup red bell peppers - chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic - minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup beef stock - might need more for braising if it gets dry
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 cup canned tomato purée
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt, pepper, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
- In a large skillet, pot or Dutch oven at high heat, add the canola oil. Sear the beef roast on all sides, until browned. Remove from pot/pan and reserve.
- Using the same pot, heat a little more canola oil. Add all the vegetables and the bay leaves. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the beef back to the pan and lower the heat to medium-low.
- Add the beef stock, red wine and tomato purée.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for approximately 2 hours at low heat (you can add more wine, stock or water if it’s getting too dry). It should be tender and fall apart with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves. Transfer the vegetables and sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Slice the beef roast and serve it with the puréed vegetable sauce.
Equipment
Notes
- The leftover braised beef and vegetable sauce should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Browning the meat beforehand is recommended, as it enhances the appearance and adds a depth of flavor. However, some believe that skipping the browning step results in a sweeter taste. If you test it out for yourself, let me know the results!
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Saif says
I always had a hard time braising the beef. Sometime, it became too dry, and I don't have any clue to moist the beef. By reading the instruction in this post, I now have an idea how to perfectly braise the beef. Can I use high heat instead of low heat? If yes, how many hours it need to braise the beef using high heat? Thank you
Joss D says
Hi Saif, I would stick to the low and slow method for braising to make sure the beef stays moist and tender, making sure there is always a little bit of liquid in the pan.