Braised Sirloin With Zinfandel And Cremini Mushroom Sauce

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 lbs beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 lb cremini mushroom, cut in half, tough stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups zinfandel
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans beef broth
• 1 cup pearl onions
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 12 small potatoes, such as fingerling, yukon gold, red new, new
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 make it now: heat oil in a 5- to 7-quart dutch oven over medium heat.
• 2 sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and add the meat in small batches, making sure not to crowd the pan.
• 3 cook until the meat is browned and remove from the pan as it is browned.
• 4 add the garlic, thyme, and mushrooms to the pan and saute until the mushroom liquid has evaporated.
• 5 return the meat to the pan, add the wine and broth, and bring to a simmer.
• 6 cover and simmer the meat for 20 minutes; add more salt and pepper, if desired.
• 7 let cool, then transfer the mixture to a large zip-lock plastic freezer bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• 8 bake it later: defrost the meat in the refrigerator overnight, if necessary.
• 9 remove any fat that has formed on the surface of the sauce and let the meat come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
• 10 pour the beef and sauce into a 7-quart dutch oven; add the onions, carrots, and potatoes.
• 11 simmer for 1 hour until the meat and potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
• 12 if you want a thicker sauce, mix together the butter and flour; bring the stew to a boil and stir in bits of the butter mixture until the sauce is thickened to your taste.
• 13 serve immediately.