Braised Beef in Red Wine

Method

1. Marinate the beef one day in advance in red wine with aromatics, pink pepper, black pepper, and cinnamon.
2. The next day, sear the meat in extra virgin olive oil in a pot, seasoning with salt and browning on all sides.
3. Strain the marinade, reserving the wine and aromatics.
4. Add the aromatics to the pot with the meat.
5. Pour in the red wine (Nebbiolo) and bring to a boil to evaporate the alcohol.
6. Add tomato concentrate and unsalted vegetable broth.
7. Cover, lower the heat, and cook for 3-4 hours (for a 2 kg piece it took 4.5 hours). Add more broth during cooking if needed.
8. When the meat is tender (a knife slides in effortlessly), remove the meat and strain the sauce. Keep the aromatics aside if desired (the chef prefers not to blend them).
9. Reduce the sauce. If necessary, thicken with a little cornstarch dissolved in cold water.
10. Slice the beef and serve on a bed of mashed potatoes (separate recipe).