Braised Beef Shoulder Roast with Venetian Spice

Name: Braised Beef Shoulder Roast with Venetian Spice
Yield: serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 inches in length; 8 whole cloves; 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns; 1/2 nutmeg clove, freshly grated; 3 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 2 tablespoons whole coffee beans; A 5-pound boneless beef chuck roast (also called “chuck pot roast” or “underblade chuck”); 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or crystal kosher salt, for seasoning the meat; 1 cup flour, for dredging; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pound or so onions, peeled, chopped in 1/4-inch pieces (about 5 cups); 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 1/2 teaspoons Dutch-process cocoa powder; 1/3 whole nutmeg, grated; 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled, cut in chunks 4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide; 10 cups or more (three 750ml bottles) red wine; Simple Vegetable Broth (page 288) or water, as needed; 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt; Cheesecloth and kitchen twine; A heavy-bottomed braising or saucepan, or Dutch-oven casserole, 8-quart capacity, with a good cover*

December 14, 2011

Beef shoulder, usually called the chuck, is the source of many flavorful cuts of meat. One of my favorites for braising is the compact boneless chuck roast, taken from underneath the shoulder blade. There’s so much connective tissue and fat in the meat that long, moist cooking will produce soft, delicious meat, whatever you put in the pot. This braise, however, is a special one, inspired by my connection to and love for Venice and its special place in culinary history—La Serenissima, as the state of Venice was called, was a center for the spice trade and the silk route through the Middle East to the Orient for over 600 years. The use of exotic, imported spices in cooking signaled a well-to-do household with a rich kitchen. I get excited just assembling the spices and flavorings (including coffee and cocoa) for this. And when the exotic perfume arises from the bubbling wine that fills the pot, I hate to leave the kitchen, even though there’s almost no work to do once the beef begins its 3 hours of braising.

Cooks' Note

*For this dish, use the narrowest pan you have in which your chuck roast will fit lying flat on the bottom, with only a bit of space between the meat and the sides of the pot. The less empty space in the pot, the less wine you’ll need to cover the meat.

Recipe notes