Brasato Al Barolo

Name: Brasato Al Barolo
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 8 serving
Ingredients: 1 6 pound brisket flat; 1 large onion; 2 ribs celery; 2 large carrots; 4 cloves garlic; 1 bottle dry red wine; 2 cups low sodium beef broth; 1 large cinnamon stick; 10 whole juniper berries; 3 large bay leaves; 10 large sage leaves; 5 sprigs rosemary; 3 cloves; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1/4 pound pancetta; 2 1/2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 2 teaspoons black pepper; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup dry Marsala; 2 tablespoons butter; salt and pepper

User Reviews

5.0

12 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Marinating time
1 d
Total Time
4 hrs 30 mins
Servings
8
Calories
750 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Italian

Brasato Al Barolo

Gary Gonzalez

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Brasato al Barolo is a classic Italian meal of brisket braised in red wine with herbs, cloves, and juniper berries. This delicious comfort food is best served with creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.

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Ingredients

Servings

Marinate the beef

1 6 pound brisket flat
1 large onion diced
2 ribs celery diced
2 large carrots diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 bottle dry red wine
2 cups low sodium beef broth
1 large cinnamon stick
10 whole juniper berries
3 large bay leaves
10 large sage leaves
5 sprigs rosemary
3 cloves

Sear the beef and braise

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta diced
2 1/2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 3/4 tablespoons Morton's kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour to dredge only, discard excess
1/2 cup dry Marsala
2 tablespoons butter cubed
salt and pepper to taste, for final sauce

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Instructions

Marinate the beef

Make a sachet with cloves, rosemary, sage, bay leaves, juniper berries, and the cinnamon stick. Place the brisket and the sachet in a flat baking dish and pour the wine over and stock over it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours but ideally overnight. Make sure to flip the brisket a few times during the marinating process so that both sides get equally marinated.

Sear the beef and braise

Preheat the oven to 300f.
The next day, strain and reserve the liquid, vegetables, and brisket all in separate bowls.
Dry the brisket very well with paper towels. Season the brisket with salt and pepper on all sides then dredge in flour and shake off the excess.
Heat an oven-safe roasting pan to medium heat. Add the olive oil and the pancetta and cook until crisp (7-10 minutes) then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the brisket to the pan and brown it on all sides. Once the brisket is nicely browned, remove it to a plate and set aside.
Add the reserved vegetables to the pan and cook until softened and lightly colored (about 10 minutes).
Add the liquid back to the pan and bring to a boil. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to remove all of the flavor bits then turn the heat off. Add the brisket (fat side up), pancetta, and sachet back to the pot. Cook in the oven covered for 4 hours covered very tightly with a double layer of foil. After 4 hours check for doneness. The brisket must be tender (a knife or fork will push through the meat with very little resistance). If the brisket is tough, return to the oven for another 45-60 minutes and check again. For more on this see notes below.
When finished remove the brisket from the oven and let sit for 30 more minutes without removing the foil cover. After 30 minutes remove and discard the sachet. Place the pan onto a burner and turn the heat to medium-high. Boil the sauce until thickened to your liking. Traditionally the sauce should coat the back of a wooden spoon, but not be overly thick.
Add the marsala and cook for 1 more minute. Whisk the butter and stir to incorporate. You can blend the sauce with an immersion or regular blender to further thicken it if you like or leave it as is for a more rustic appearance. Taste test the sauce and season with salt and pepper if required.
Cut the brisket against the grain and spoon the sauce all over the meat in a serving platter. Serve with polenta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Notes

Cooking to a 200-205f internal temperature will not guarantee a tender brisket! Since the brisket is braised at 300f it will often reach 200f after only 2 hours of cooking but will still be super tough. Cook the brisket until fork tender, which for a 6-pound brisket will be anywhere from 3 1/2 - 5 1/2 hours.
Cooking to a 200-205f internal temperature will not guarantee a tender brisket! Since the brisket is braised at 300f it will often reach 200f after only 2 hours of cooking but will still be super tough. Cook the brisket until fork tender, which for a 6-pound brisket will be anywhere from 3 1/2 - 5 1/2 hours.
As with all braises, this dish will be much improved the next day. If you have the time, store the cooked brisket (wrap it after the braise and carve when cold the next day for much thinner slices) overnight and reheat it and all of the sauce in a baking dish covered with foil at 275f until hot.
Though this dish is traditionally made with Barolo, any dry red wine will suffice. Use a wine you enjoy. And don't worry about not using a $70 or more Barolo, the dish will still be great!
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 750kcal (38%) Carbohydrates 9.5g (3%) Protein 41.5g (83%) Fat 53g (82%) Saturated Fat 20.5g (103%) Cholesterol 169mg (56%) Sodium 1729mg (72%) Potassium 286mg (8%) Fiber 1.1g (4%) Sugar 2.5g (5%) Calcium 58mg (6%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 750 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	750kcal	38%
Carbohydrates	9.5g	3%
Protein	41.5g	83%
Fat	53g	82%
Saturated Fat	20.5g	103%
Cholesterol	169mg	56%
Sodium	1729mg	72%
Potassium	286mg	6%
Fiber	1.1g	4%
Sugar	2.5g	5%
Calcium	58mg	6%
Iron	4mg	22%