As the days grow shorter and the weather turns cold, many people crave hearty dishes with strong aromas and familiar flavors to warm them up. One such culinary classic for the cold seasons is braised beef shoulder. It tastes like home (in Germany) — and you can enjoy this dish prepared with organic meat at Gut Sonnenhausen near Munich.
“Bavarian cuisine is characterized by hearty, substantial dishes that are best enjoyed without counting calories.” – Manuel Mandei
Chef Manuel Madei, known for his down-to-earth cuisine, prefers sticking to the original rather than chasing trends. This is evident in his recipe for braised organic beef shoulder, which features traditional preparation methods and classic side dishes. To him, the goal isn’t to reinvent the classic, but to prepare it the way you want it: honest, intense, and cooked to perfection.
Organic meat. With responsibility.
The meat is, of course, crucial to the success of the dish. Gut Sonnenhausen’s owner, Georg Schweisfurth, comes from a family of butchers, so he places great importance on provenance and animal welfare. The restaurant exclusively uses organic meat from its partner company Herrmannsdorfer Landwerkstätten.
Farmers raise the cattle there for at least two years, giving them access to pasture or a spacious outdoor pen with straw. The life in the fresh air is evident in the final product.
Permaculture vegetables
The vegetables used for side dishes (or main courses) at Gut Sonnenhausen are also locally sourced, primarily from the estate’s expansive organic garden, which adheres to permaculture principles. Classic soup vegetables, such as carrots and celery, give the stew its natural sweetness and depth.
Here are two tips for preparing braised organic beef shoulder
- Non-alcoholic organic wine from your region provides the desired aroma without the alcohol, making it perfect for a modern, conscious lifestyle.
- Although you can reduce the cooking time by using a higher temperature, it is better to braise at a lower temperature for a longer time. This will make the meat more tender.
Braised beef shoulder
Equipment
- 1 roasting pan for stove and oven
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 kg beef shoulder from certified animal husbandry
- 2 tbsp clarified butter
- 3 onions
- 1 carrot
- 1/4 celery
- 1/2 leek
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tomatos
- 2 bottles dry red wine tip: alcohol free
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Season the beef shoulder with salt and sear on all sides in a tablespoon of clarified butter.
- Remove the meat from the roasting pan and sauté the cleaned soup vegetables.
- Add the tomato paste and peeled, crushed tomatoes and sauté briefly.
- Deglaze with red wine and bring to a boil.
- Place the meat and bay leaves in the stock and cook at 180 °C (356 °F) for about 1 ½ hours in the oven. Then turn the temperature down to 110 °C (230 °F) and braise for another three hours.
- Check the consistency of the meat with a meat fork or a sharp knife. You should feel almost no resistance when piercing the meat. If you are not satisfied with the result, simply continue braising for another hour.
Loading...
