Beef Takes Center Stage at Cowbelles and Cowboy Boots

This year, for Cowbelles and Cowboy Boots, the Madison County CattleWomen wanted to highlight the versatility of beef and the many uses of beef products in cooking. We also wanted folks to enjoy an elevated dining experience and a fun night out! When I joined the MCCW back in May, I had big plans for how we could provide that kind of experience. However, I was quickly humbled when I started taking stock of our resources and the amenities at the Jumping Horse. While the Jumping Horse really turned into the perfect backdrop for our event, it was, quite literally, a blank slate. The logistical challenges of prepping and serving food for 120 (or more!) people really made me rethink my big ideas into manageable ideas. While I dropped some of my original dishes- including Basque style pickled cow tongue and French onion stuffed beefy mushrooms- I knew we could still incorporate different cuts and cooking techniques in our menu. I used stew meat for our marinated and grilled appetizers, ground beef in our cowboy meatballs, and chuck roast for our red-wine braised entrée. Each cut and preparation was intended to showcase the meat to its fullest potential, and for the most part, I think we pulled that off. What I am perhaps most pleased with is how beef tallow shined in dessert with our peach and ginger slab pies. I infused good ol’ canned peaches with fresh ginger and an entire bottle of Willie’s Big Horn Bourbon reduction. The tallow and butter crust was flakey yet sturdy and perfectly complimented the filling.

Moving forward, MCCW hopes to continue providing beef education in and out of the classroom, and the funds we raised from Cowbelles and Cowboy Boots is going to help us get there. Personally, I’m hoping I get to share more of my crazy beef concoctions with everyone. Maybe we do a steakhouse pop-up? Maybe there’s a restaurant takeover? Grab-and-go family meals? The possibilities are endless! Until we figure that out, our new recipe column, “The Cowbelle Kitchen,” will tide you over! Here’s our first installment.

Red Wine Braised Beef

4lbs Chuck Roast

1Tbsp Neutral Oil, for example: vegetable oil

1 Tbsp Beef Bouillon

1Tbsp Tomato Paste

1 Sweet Onion

4-6 Cloves Garlic

4 Carrots

4-5 stalks of fresh thyme

3 Leeks (Whites Only, you can save the green tops to make stock!)

2 Cups Red Wine (I used Kirkland Cabernet Sauvignon)

2 Cups Beef Broth

4 tsp Salt, separated

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Black Pepper

2 Bay Leaves

Optional Pan Sauce:

¼ - ½ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

½ Tbsp honey

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pat the beef dry. Season the chuck roast with 2 tsp salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.

3. In a Dutch oven, sear the beef on both sides until a crust forms. About 4-5 minutes.

4. Remove the beef and set aside.

5. Turn down the heat to medium and put oil in your Dutch oven. Add chopped carrots, leeks, and sweet onion. (I like to leave the onion in large chunks.) As you sweat the veggies, use a wooden spoon to help remove the charred bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. These bring great flavor!

6. Once the veggies have been sweated down, about 10 minutes, add the fresh garlic, beef bouillon, and tomato paste—stir.

7. Add remaining salt, wine, and beef broth. Mix well and taste for seasoning. If you need more salt or pepper, add now. (It’s important to season throughout the cooking process!) Sometimes, I will add white pepper to give it a bit more depth, but that’s optional.

8. Add bay leaves and thyme. Nestle your chuck roast back into the Dutch oven.

9. Cover and cook at 350 for about 3 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.

10. Optional Pan Sauce. While the meat is resting, strain the jus from the Dutch oven and place it in a saucepan on the stovetop. Add the balsamic vinegar and honey, and bring to a low simmer. Reduce the mixture on low until it reaches the consistency you like. Usually, this takes 15 or so minutes to give it a gravy consistency. It should be reduced by almost half. The red wine in the jus lends itself beautifully to the tang of the balsamic, but if you find this a bit too sweet, add salt and a splash of lemon juice to offset the sweetness.

Serve over mashed potatoes, or really with any potato of your choice!