Braised Rump of Beef with Shallots and Bacon
This month, butcher George Payne recommends best braised beef for a warming winter dish
Author: George Payne
Ingredients
- 2 x 500g portions beef rump
- 50g pork fat, cut into small strips
- 100g butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- 20 peeled shallots
- 150g smoked streaky bacon
- 1 bottle brown ale
- 1 bottle red wine
- 1litre beef stock
- For the marinade
- 1 bottle of red wine
- 2 garlic cloves
- mirepoix (carrot and onion finely chopped)
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves
- 6 peppercorns
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Method
- Trim excess fat and skin from the beef. Cut the pork fat and push it through the beef joints. Put the beef in the marinade and refrigerate for 48 hours. Drain the marinade and vegetables, and retain. Seal the beef joints in hot butter and oil until well browned. Remove from pan. Caramelise the onion, carrot, celery, shallots and bacon and set aside. In the same pan, caramelise the vegetables from the marinade, remove excess fat and deglaze with ale, red wine and marinade.
- Bring to the boil and reduce by half. Strain and discard the vegetables. Put the beef joints in a large casserole dish, pour over the hot liquid and beef stock. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in an oven at 140C/Gas1 for approx 4 hours. Allow to cool in the liquor and refrigerate overnight. Skim fat from the surface.
- To reheat, remove the beef from the cooking liquor and place in an ovenproof dish. Pour over a quarter of the cooking liquor with some of the caramelised vegetables, shallots and bacon. Cover and reheat in the oven at 180C/Gas4 for 30mins, basting occasionally. Simmer any remaining liquid.
- To serve, carve the beef into 4 portions and serve with the vegetables, bacon and shallots. Pour the hot sauce over the meat. Serve with creamed potatoes and buttered cabbage.
