braised steak

[sbrown1450]

How do you cook braised steak? I have had some in a cafe and it melted in my mouth and would like to cook some at home.
Thank you

[Clanad]

Here's one we do often, especially when the weather turns colder:
2 tsp. olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cups red wine
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch sticks
1 celery rib, chopped
2 cups beef or chicken stock
6 eye round steaks, about 6 ounces each
Preheat oven to 325�F. Heat oil in a heavy, ovenproof, nonreactive skillet over medium heat. Saut� onions 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until translucent and caramelized. Stir half of wine into skillet. Increase heat to medium high and boil until most of the liquid has evaporated. Repeat reduction process with remaining wine, stirring constantly as the last half cup of wine begins to evaporate. Stir in remaining ingredients, except steaks. Arrange steaks over vegetables. Cover and transfer to oven. Braise 1-1/2 to 2 hours, until meat is tender. Serve steaks topped with vegetables and juices.

Actually, the brasing is only a method of cooking. A simple braise would be to dredge a cheaper cut of steak (our favorite here in the U.S. is a good top round steak) in flour, salt and pepper. Pop the steak into a good size heavy skillet (ours is cast iron, well seasoned) that has a shallow layer of any high smoke point oil heated to sizziling. Cook the steak (about 1 inch thick) on both sides until nicely browned.

The steak can then be covered with any variety of vegetables for added flavor. A Swiss steak adds only green peppers, thinly sliced onions and whole, canned tomatoes and a couple of diced garlic cloves. The skillet is then placed in a 350 degree (F) oven for about an hour. You could add 1/2 cup of any red wine and let that cook down for some spicyness...

Good luck!

[Mortartube]

A very simple recipe:

In a metal casserole dish with a lid. Fry some onions and mushrooms in a little oil till the onions are translucent. Remove mushrooms and onions.

Add cubed stewing or braising steak yo pan (any gristly or fatty bits removed), and brown all over. Add some gravy granules, Beef stock cube crumbled, a bit of tomato puree and a little black pepper. Return mushrooms and onion to pan.

Add boiling water and keep stirring until it is the right consistency for you (remembering it will thicken a bit with cooking).

Pop the lid on and put in an oven on 170 degrees for about 2 or more hours. Long slow cooking is the ket to tender braising or stewing steak.

Makes a good pie filling for steak pie too. Add garlic at the start with mushrooms and onions if you like it, or instead of boiling water add Guinness or red wine., don't use any other liquid apart from the beer or wine for a more intense flavour.